Defenders (Ireland)

The Defenders were a Catholic agrarian secret society in 18th-century Ireland, founded in County Armagh.^[1] Initially, they were formed as local defensive organisations opposed to the Protestant Peep o' Day Boys; however, by 1790 they had become a secret oath-bound fraternal society made up of lodges.^[2] By 1796, the Defenders had allied with the United Irishmen, and participated in the 1798 rebellion.^[1] By the 19th century, the organisation had developed into the Ribbonmen.^[1]

Into the 21st century, some commentators on ad-hoc nationalist political violence in Ireland will still refer to it generically as Defenderism.^[3]

^ ^a ^b ^c Cite error: The named reference Connolly was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference McEvoy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ History Ireland letter, vol.17, 2009

[Connolly-1] Cite error: The named reference Connolly was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[McEvoy-2] Cite error: The named reference McEvoy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[3] History Ireland letter, vol.17, 2009

[1]

[2]

[3]