A Narrative of the Proceedings of the Confederates of '48: From the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, to their final dispersion at Ballingarry

First published in 1868, Confederates of ’48 tells the story of the Young Irelanders’ failed attempt at rebellion against the British which culminated in the ‘Battle of Ballingarry’ (or ‘Battle of Widow McCormack’s Cabbage Patch’) in July 1848. The author, Rev. Philip Fitzgerald was a local priest who was reluctantly persuaded to negotiate between the insurgents and the beseiged police officers inside Widow McCormack’s house. He was later accused of being in league with the rebels, a charge that he strongly denies in his account.

The text has been reset for this new edition and a number of typographical and other errors in the original publication have been corrected.