Leonard MacNally
Encyclopedia
Leonard MacNally buried in Donnybrook Cemetery
, Ireland
was one of the most infamous government informants against members of the Society of United Irishmen.
He was born in Dublin, the son of a merchant and studied law. In 1776 he was called to the Irish Bar, and in 1783 to the English Bar. He supported himself for some time in London
by writing plays and editing The Public Ledger
. Returning to Dublin, he became involved in political circles, ostensibly as a sympathiser of the United Irishmen, who took him into their confidence by employing him as their barrister. This commission brought him regular work during the period 1793-98 due to the Government's campaign against the United Irishmen. MacNally simultaneously saw a way to earn more for his work by systematically informing against members of the United Irishmen who engaged his services. His modus operandi was to betray his political clients to the government prosecutors while simultaneously acting out an eloquent and elaborate pretence of defense in the courts. It appears that his motives were purely financial.
Most notoriously, MacNally publicly defended Robert Emmet
in court, while selling the contents of his brief to the lawyers for the Crown for £100. When Emmet was convicted to death, MacNally compounded his hypocrisy by cheering Emmet in his last hours before execution, and later pocketed an additional £100 for his services to the Crown during the trial. He similarly defended and betrayed the Meath United Irishman
and Defender
, John Tuite (Captain Fearnought) who, following a well publicised trial, was executed in Trim, County Meath
in summer 1799.
Leonard first married Frances I'anson daughter of William I'anson of London ; Frances died in 1795 in London and then he married Louisa Edgeworth daughter of Rev Robert Edgeworth .
After living as a professed Protestant all his life, MacNally received absolution on his deathbed from a Roman Catholic priest. His activities were unsuspected during his lifetime. His life as an informer came to light posthumously, when his descendants claimed continuance of a secret pension of £300 awarded for Macnally's services during the period. An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the awarding of the pension established the details of MacNally's long life of betrayals.
There seems to be some historical muddle as MacNally had a son called Leonard who lived at 22 Harcourt Street in Dublin and this Leonard Junior married Anna Maria Fetherston. Leonard Junior died Feb 1820 and Leonard wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper threatening to sue the paper as they had wrongly reported that he had died when in fact he was still alive and living at 20 Cuffe Street in Dublin. Leonard Senior actually died in June 1820.
Donnybrook Cemetery
Donnybrook Cemetery is located close to the river Dodder in Donnybrook, Dublin, Ireland. The cemetery was the location of an old Celtic church founded by Saint Broc and later a church dedicated to St. Mary...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
was one of the most infamous government informants against members of the Society of United Irishmen.
He was born in Dublin, the son of a merchant and studied law. In 1776 he was called to the Irish Bar, and in 1783 to the English Bar. He supported himself for some time in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
by writing plays and editing The Public Ledger
The Public Ledger
The Public Ledger is one of the world's longest continuously-running magazines. Today it provides agricultural commodity news and prices. When established in 1760, however, it not only contained prices of commodities in London, but a wide variety of political, commercial and society news and...
. Returning to Dublin, he became involved in political circles, ostensibly as a sympathiser of the United Irishmen, who took him into their confidence by employing him as their barrister. This commission brought him regular work during the period 1793-98 due to the Government's campaign against the United Irishmen. MacNally simultaneously saw a way to earn more for his work by systematically informing against members of the United Irishmen who engaged his services. His modus operandi was to betray his political clients to the government prosecutors while simultaneously acting out an eloquent and elaborate pretence of defense in the courts. It appears that his motives were purely financial.
Most notoriously, MacNally publicly defended Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet was an Irish nationalist and Republican, orator and rebel leader born in Dublin, Ireland...
in court, while selling the contents of his brief to the lawyers for the Crown for £100. When Emmet was convicted to death, MacNally compounded his hypocrisy by cheering Emmet in his last hours before execution, and later pocketed an additional £100 for his services to the Crown during the trial. He similarly defended and betrayed the Meath United Irishman
United Irishman
The United Irishman title has been a very popular newspaper title in Ireland and a number of newspapers have been published under the title.*...
and Defender
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:...
, John Tuite (Captain Fearnought) who, following a well publicised trial, was executed in Trim, County Meath
Trim, County Meath
Trim is the traditional county town of County Meath in Ireland, although the county town is now Navan. The town was recorded in the 2006 census to have a population of 6,870....
in summer 1799.
Leonard first married Frances I'anson daughter of William I'anson of London ; Frances died in 1795 in London and then he married Louisa Edgeworth daughter of Rev Robert Edgeworth .
After living as a professed Protestant all his life, MacNally received absolution on his deathbed from a Roman Catholic priest. His activities were unsuspected during his lifetime. His life as an informer came to light posthumously, when his descendants claimed continuance of a secret pension of £300 awarded for Macnally's services during the period. An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the awarding of the pension established the details of MacNally's long life of betrayals.
There seems to be some historical muddle as MacNally had a son called Leonard who lived at 22 Harcourt Street in Dublin and this Leonard Junior married Anna Maria Fetherston. Leonard Junior died Feb 1820 and Leonard wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper threatening to sue the paper as they had wrongly reported that he had died when in fact he was still alive and living at 20 Cuffe Street in Dublin. Leonard Senior actually died in June 1820.