Samuel McTier (1737/38 – 1795) was the first president of the Belfast Society of the United Irishmen, a revolutionary organisation in late 18th-century Ireland.
Early life and family
Born in Dundonald, County Down, McTier was a chandler by trade and a freemason. [1] In 1773 he married the 31-year-old Martha 'Matty' Drennan, sister of William Drennan one of the founding members of the United Irishmen. [2] By then McTier was a widower with a young daughter. He and Martha would have no children of their own. [3] In 1781 he was declared bankrupt through a combination of bad luck and poor judgement. Four years later he was working as the ballast master to the new Harbour Commission in Belfast, and later as a notary public. [4]
The United Irishmen
The United Irishmen were initially founded in 1791 as a group of liberal Protestant and Presbyterian men interested in promoting Parliamentary reform, and influenced by the ideas of Thomas Paine and his book ‘ The Rights of Man’. Original members included Thomas Russell, Wolfe Tone, William Drennan, and Samuel Neilson.
While McTier was not a member of the original 11 men who founded the Society, he was appointed the first President of the Belfast United Irishmen. [5] Thereafter the McTier home, with Martha taking an active interest, became a centre for United Irish gatherings and meetings. [6] Such meetings became dangerous in 1793 after Revolutionary France declared war on Britain. The United Irishmen were outlawed and began to operate as a secretive body.
Death
He died suddenly in June 1795 [7] while holidaying in Inveraray, Scotland with Martha. [8] He left no will, and Martha was forced to live in reduced circumstances for the rest of her long widowhood. She herself died in 1837. [9]
Notes
References
- Northern Ireland.org, 'Martha and Samuel McTier - Husband and wife heavily involved in the United Irishmen', ( http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/features/heritage/martha-and-samuel-mctier)
- Catriona Kennedy 2004, Womanish Epistles?’ Martha McTier, Female Epistolarity and Late Eighteenth-Century Irish Radicalism, Women’s History Review, Volume 13, Number 4, 2004.
- Angela Bourke 2002, 'The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing, Volume 5', NYU Press.
- Ulster-Scots Community Network, 'Herstory II: Profiles of 8 more Ulster-Scots Women', ( http://www.ulster-scots.com/uploads/herstory2.pdf).
- Kenneth L. Dawson 2003, Moment of unity - Irish rebels and Freemasons, 'Irish News', May 10, 2003
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Samuel McTier (1737/38 – 1795) was the first president of the Belfast Society of the United Irishmen, a revolutionary organisation in late 18th-century Ireland.
Early life and family
Born in Dundonald, County Down, McTier was a chandler by trade and a freemason. [1] In 1773 he married the 31-year-old Martha 'Matty' Drennan, sister of William Drennan one of the founding members of the United Irishmen. [2] By then McTier was a widower with a young daughter. He and Martha would have no children of their own. [3] In 1781 he was declared bankrupt through a combination of bad luck and poor judgement. Four years later he was working as the ballast master to the new Harbour Commission in Belfast, and later as a notary public. [4]
The United Irishmen
The United Irishmen were initially founded in 1791 as a group of liberal Protestant and Presbyterian men interested in promoting Parliamentary reform, and influenced by the ideas of Thomas Paine and his book ‘ The Rights of Man’. Original members included Thomas Russell, Wolfe Tone, William Drennan, and Samuel Neilson.
While McTier was not a member of the original 11 men who founded the Society, he was appointed the first President of the Belfast United Irishmen. [5] Thereafter the McTier home, with Martha taking an active interest, became a centre for United Irish gatherings and meetings. [6] Such meetings became dangerous in 1793 after Revolutionary France declared war on Britain. The United Irishmen were outlawed and began to operate as a secretive body.
Death
He died suddenly in June 1795 [7] while holidaying in Inveraray, Scotland with Martha. [8] He left no will, and Martha was forced to live in reduced circumstances for the rest of her long widowhood. She herself died in 1837. [9]
Notes
References
- Northern Ireland.org, 'Martha and Samuel McTier - Husband and wife heavily involved in the United Irishmen', ( http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/features/heritage/martha-and-samuel-mctier)
- Catriona Kennedy 2004, Womanish Epistles?’ Martha McTier, Female Epistolarity and Late Eighteenth-Century Irish Radicalism, Women’s History Review, Volume 13, Number 4, 2004.
- Angela Bourke 2002, 'The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing, Volume 5', NYU Press.
- Ulster-Scots Community Network, 'Herstory II: Profiles of 8 more Ulster-Scots Women', ( http://www.ulster-scots.com/uploads/herstory2.pdf).
- Kenneth L. Dawson 2003, Moment of unity - Irish rebels and Freemasons, 'Irish News', May 10, 2003
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| People | |