31 October 1798: The London paper Courier in its coverage of Irish affairs on the 25th mentions an incident in which Lieut Gen Eustace had a narrow escape from an ambush sprung on a patrol he led into Glenmalure.
Eustace is almost cut off by a party of rebels "commanded by a Captain of theirs called Dwyer". Michael Dwyer of the Imaal is a veteran of the north Wexford and Wicklow campaigns and is emerging as a fighter of some repute.
Undersecretary Edward Cooke secretly advises Lord Auckland on the 27th that "if you are serious as to union [between Britain and Ireland], it must be written up, spoken up, intrigued up, drunk up, sung up, and bribed up; and we must have activity, splendour, popularity, etc in the administration, exclusive of talent, resource, enterprise, courage, and firmness and a few more political qualities."
Lord Charlemont's predictably "violent" opposition to Union is noted by Cooke on the 30th who realises that the "Bar are of course averse". Most barristers would forfeit political careers if obliged to attend parliament in London, where, unsalaried and away from their offices, they would have no means of support.
A Hompesch dragoon meets with misadventure in Clonmel on the 30th upon ignoring the instructions of a sentry. It is claimed that the German trooper in "forcing a sentinel on his post to said town, was shot dead on the spot".
More serious is the killing of three privates of the Worcester militia in their billets near Mullingar by those "deeply involved in the treason of the Irish Union [United Irishmen]". Two of the killers perish that night at the hands of Westmeath yeomen who pursue them into King's County.
Full details of Admiral Warren's recent naval victory off the Donegal coast are carried in the Belfast Newsletter of the 26th. This crosses news that Savary, the skilled French commodore who landed Humbert in Mayo, has returned to Killala Bay.
Savary's three frigates and a corvette bring 1,090 soldiers to Mayo on the 27th but they quickly depart on learning of the fate of the earlier expeditions.
The Hibernian Journal reports that the Castle is alerted to the threat on the 29th and that the French possess "seven sail of large men of war, besides smaller vessels".
This overestimate encourages the unsettled people of north Mayo to move their cattle and goods inland as troops and yeomen prepare to repel an invader that is actually en route to France.
Lord Castlereagh, irritated by the refusal of American plenipotentiary Rufus King to allow the Irish "state prisoners" to go to that country, observes "it is perfectly natural that America should be very jealous of receiving Irish convicts, but unless she prohibits emigration from this country altogether, she will infallibly receive United Irishmen and the majority of our prisoners are not more dangerous than the general class of American settlers".
The Courier on the 31st prints an inflammatory letter claiming that "the pastime" of Crown forces in Wicklow "is shooting human creatures, but on a dearth of game that of burning cabins is resorted to . . . to be met on the road even with a protection in your hand, is inevitable death; and to be found in your house is certain; because in the former case you are running away; and in the latter you are hiding".