William Drennan
Encyclopedia
William Drennan
a physician
, poet
, educationalist and political radical, was one of the chief architects of the Society of United Irishmen. He is also known as the first to refer in print to Ireland
as "the emerald isle" in his poem "When Erin first rose".
in 1754, William was son to Reverend Thomas Drennan
(1696–1768), minister of Belfast's First Presbyterian Church. Thomas Drennan
was an educated man from the University of Glasgow
and was ordained to the congregation of Holywood, county Down in 1731. Drennan was heavily influenced by his father, whose religious convictions served as the foundation for his own radical political ideas.
where he became interested in the study of philosophy
. In 1772 he graduated in arts and then in 1773 he commenced the study of medicine
at Edinburgh
. After graduating in 1778 he set up practice in Belfast
, specialising in obstetrics
. He is credited with having been one of the earliest advocates of inoculation
against smallpox
, and of hand washing to prevent the spread of infection. Drennan also wrote much poetry, coining the phrase "Emerald Isle" and was the founder and editor of a literary periodical, "Belfast Magazine". He moved to Newry
in 1783 but eventually moved to Dublin in 1789 where he quickly became involved in nationalist circles.
Presbyterians, William was an early supporter of the American Colonies in the American Revolution
and joined the Volunteers who had been formed to defend Ireland for Britain in the event of French invasion. The Volunteer movement soon became a powerful political force and a forum for Protestant nationalists to press for political reform
in Ireland
eventually assisting Henry Grattan
to achieve home rule in 1782. However Drennan, like many other reformers, quickly became dismayed by the conservative and sectarian nature of the Irish parliament and in 1791 he co-founded the Society of United Irishmen with Wolfe Tone and Thomas Russell
.
He wrote many political pamphlets for the United Irishmen and was arrested 1794 for seditious libel
, a political charge that was a major factor in driving the United Irishmen underground and into becoming a radical revolutionary party. Although he was eventually acquitted, he gradually withdrew from the United Irishmen though he continued to campaign for Catholic emancipation
.
in 1807 after inheriting a large fortune and in 1810 was a co-founder of the non-denominational Royal Belfast Academical Institution
. As a poet, he is best remembered for his poem The Wake of William Orr
, written in memory of the executed United Irishman, who was widely regarded as a martyr
at the time. Some of its most famous lines went;
" Here our murdered brother lies,
Wake him not with women's cries;
Mourn the way that manhood ought,
Sit in silent trance of thought.. "
Despite Drennan's links with revolutionary republicans, he gradually became aliented from the post-Union Nationalism of the period. His abiding concern for Liberalism and post union realities made him contemplate his political ideas anew. If political integration was irreversible, it was necessary to create a more liberally inclined notion of Britishness and British nationhood. In his words this must be;
'a FAITHFUL UNION, a real assimilation of the countries, in spirit as well as in form, not merely in virtue of parchment'.
He died in 1820 and showed his non-sectarian outlook was unchanged by stipulating that his coffin be carried by an equal number of Catholics and Protestants with clergy from different denominations in attendance.
of Queens University Belfast, was founded to support the newly established Fianna Fáil
society in the university. It was officially welcomed into the Fianna Fáil on 7 December 2007 by then Taoiseach
Bertie Ahern
and leader of Fianna Fáil.
a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, educationalist and political radical, was one of the chief architects of the Society of United Irishmen. He is also known as the first to refer in print to 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...
as "the emerald isle" in his poem "When Erin first rose".
Background
Born in BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in 1754, William was son to Reverend Thomas Drennan
Thomas Drennan
Thomas Drennan was an Irish Presbyterian minister active in advocating political and religious reforms.Drennan graduated from the University of Glasgow, and served as Presbyterian minister in Holywood and in Belfast...
(1696–1768), minister of Belfast's First Presbyterian Church. Thomas Drennan
Thomas Drennan
Thomas Drennan was an Irish Presbyterian minister active in advocating political and religious reforms.Drennan graduated from the University of Glasgow, and served as Presbyterian minister in Holywood and in Belfast...
was an educated man from the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
and was ordained to the congregation of Holywood, county Down in 1731. Drennan was heavily influenced by his father, whose religious convictions served as the foundation for his own radical political ideas.
Education
In 1769 he followed in his father's footsteps by enrolling in the University of GlasgowUniversity of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
where he became interested in the study of philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. In 1772 he graduated in arts and then in 1773 he commenced the study of medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. After graduating in 1778 he set up practice in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, specialising in obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
. He is credited with having been one of the earliest advocates of inoculation
Inoculation
Inoculation is the placement of something that will grow or reproduce, and is most commonly used in respect of the introduction of a serum, vaccine, or antigenic substance into the body of a human or animal, especially to produce or boost immunity to a specific disease...
against smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
, and of hand washing to prevent the spread of infection. Drennan also wrote much poetry, coining the phrase "Emerald Isle" and was the founder and editor of a literary periodical, "Belfast Magazine". He moved to Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
in 1783 but eventually moved to Dublin in 1789 where he quickly became involved in nationalist circles.
Society of the United Irishmen
Like many other UlsterUlster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
Presbyterians, William was an early supporter of the American Colonies in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
and joined the Volunteers who had been formed to defend Ireland for Britain in the event of French invasion. The Volunteer movement soon became a powerful political force and a forum for Protestant nationalists to press for political reform
Political Reform
The Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia supports the promotion of a democratically governed Saudi Arabia. Due to its influence on an estimated 1.2 billion Muslims around the world, and its location with relation to the world's oil market, The Center believes that "Saudi Arabia...
in 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...
eventually assisting Henry Grattan
Henry Grattan
Henry Grattan was an Irish politician and member of the Irish House of Commons and a campaigner for legislative freedom for the Irish Parliament in the late 18th century. He opposed the Act of Union 1800 that merged the Kingdoms of Ireland and Great Britain.-Early life:Grattan was born at...
to achieve home rule in 1782. However Drennan, like many other reformers, quickly became dismayed by the conservative and sectarian nature of the Irish parliament and in 1791 he co-founded the Society of United Irishmen with Wolfe Tone and Thomas Russell
Thomas Russell (rebel)
Thomas Paliser Russell was a co-founder and leader of the United Irishmen was executed for his part in Robert Emmet's rebellion in 1803.-Background:...
.
He wrote many political pamphlets for the United Irishmen and was arrested 1794 for seditious libel
Seditious libel
Seditious libel was a criminal offence under English common law. Sedition is the offence of speaking seditious words with seditious intent: if the statement is in writing or some other permanent form it is seditious libel...
, a political charge that was a major factor in driving the United Irishmen underground and into becoming a radical revolutionary party. Although he was eventually acquitted, he gradually withdrew from the United Irishmen though he continued to campaign for Catholic emancipation
Catholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century which involved reducing and removing many of the restrictions on Roman Catholics which had been introduced by the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts and the penal laws...
.
Cultural activities
He settled in BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in 1807 after inheriting a large fortune and in 1810 was a co-founder of the non-denominational Royal Belfast Academical Institution
Royal Belfast Academical Institution
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution, is a Grammar School in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Locally referred to as Inst, the school educates boys from ages 11–18...
. As a poet, he is best remembered for his poem The Wake of William Orr
William Orr
William Orr was a member of the United Irishmen who was executed in 1797 in what was widely believed at the time to be "judicial murder" and whose memory led to the rallying cry “Remember Orr” during the 1798 rebellion.-Background:...
, written in memory of the executed United Irishman, who was widely regarded as a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
at the time. Some of its most famous lines went;
" Here our murdered brother lies,
Wake him not with women's cries;
Mourn the way that manhood ought,
Sit in silent trance of thought.. "
Despite Drennan's links with revolutionary republicans, he gradually became aliented from the post-Union Nationalism of the period. His abiding concern for Liberalism and post union realities made him contemplate his political ideas anew. If political integration was irreversible, it was necessary to create a more liberally inclined notion of Britishness and British nationhood. In his words this must be;
'a FAITHFUL UNION, a real assimilation of the countries, in spirit as well as in form, not merely in virtue of parchment'.
He died in 1820 and showed his non-sectarian outlook was unchanged by stipulating that his coffin be carried by an equal number of Catholics and Protestants with clergy from different denominations in attendance.
Cumann Uí Dhraighneáin
In November 2007, the William Drennan CumannCumann
A cumann is the lowest local unit or branch of a number of Irish political parties. The term cumann may also be used to describe a non-political association....
of Queens University Belfast, was founded to support the newly established Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
society in the university. It was officially welcomed into the Fianna Fáil on 7 December 2007 by then Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
and leader of Fianna Fáil.