Henry Munro (United Irishman)
Encyclopedia
Henry Munro was a United Irishman born in Lisburn
, County Down
.
Munro was a linen draper, senior freemason and popular raconteur who became leader of the United Irish organisation in Down following the arrest of its leader Rev. Willam Steel Jackson on June 5. He had some previous military experience in the Volunteers.
Munro reportedly turned against the authorities upon witnessing a suspected rebel being floggedhttp://www.lisburn.com/history/history_lisburn/munro__linen_merchant_soldier.htm during the brutal "dragooning of Ulster", when the army were unleashed upon the suspected United Irish strongholds of Ulster in an effort to crush the organisation. He became leader the Down rebels in the 1798 rebellion, and was the leader of the rebel forces at the battle of Ballynahinch
, on June 12-13th 1798, the longest engagement in the conflict of that year. Munro had been advised by John Magennis, the leader of the local Defenders
to attack the night before, and when this advice was ignored Magennis and his force withdrew. After the battle Munro was betrayed and captured, and was ordered to be hanged
and decapitated before his own door. The sentence was carried out June 16 1798.
Lisburn
DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
.
Munro was a linen draper, senior freemason and popular raconteur who became leader of the United Irish organisation in Down following the arrest of its leader Rev. Willam Steel Jackson on June 5. He had some previous military experience in the Volunteers.
Munro reportedly turned against the authorities upon witnessing a suspected rebel being floggedhttp://www.lisburn.com/history/history_lisburn/munro__linen_merchant_soldier.htm during the brutal "dragooning of Ulster", when the army were unleashed upon the suspected United Irish strongholds of Ulster in an effort to crush the organisation. He became leader the Down rebels in the 1798 rebellion, and was the leader of the rebel forces at the battle of Ballynahinch
Battle of Ballynahinch
The Battle of Ballynahinch was fought outside Ballynahinch, County Down, on 12 June, during the Irish rebellion of 1798 between British forces led by Major-General George Nugent and the local United Irishmen led by Henry Munro .-Background:...
, on June 12-13th 1798, the longest engagement in the conflict of that year. Munro had been advised by John Magennis, the leader of the local Defenders
Defenders (Ireland)
The Defenders were a militant, vigilante agrarian secret society in 18th century Ireland, mainly Roman Catholic and from Ulster, who allied with the United Irishmen but did little during the rebellion of 1798.-Origin:...
to attack the night before, and when this advice was ignored Magennis and his force withdrew. After the battle Munro was betrayed and captured, and was ordered to be hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
and decapitated before his own door. The sentence was carried out June 16 1798.