Sir, - My book Rebellion in Wicklow, which is, essentially, the Wicklow journal of General Joseph Holt, was published by Four Courts Press in May this year, as part of the 1798 bicentenary celebrations. This is the first time the authentic text of Holt's Wicklow journal has been published in its entirety.
This book, and indeed another book of the same name, written by Dr Ruan O'Donnell and published by Irish Academic Press, establish beyond doubt that General Joseph Holt, and not Michael Dwyer, was recognised as Wicklow's rebel chieftain during the 1798 rebellion. For a variety of quite interesting reasons, this fact was long suppressed - the preeminent reason probably being that, by the end of the 19th century, the rebellion had been so mythologised as a Catholic insurgency that it was found popular to celebrate a subordinate officer who was a Catholic rather than the Protestant general under whom he often served. Another reason, perhaps, is that Holt's story is a bit too true to be good.
The legend of Dwyer dies hard. Indeed, throughout the year Wicklow County Council has spent many thousands of pounds propagating it. A delegation to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, which included the Wicklow county manager and chairman, together with their wives, hardly mentioned Joseph Holt: it seems possible that most of the delegation hardly knew of him.
There is a portrait of Holt which has rarely been exhibited. The owner of that portrait informs me that the Wicklow Heritage Centre has shown no interest in it.
The rebellion of 1798 was probably the most important watershed in the history of Ireland. By this time, the 1798 commemorations are likely to be winding down. At the end of the year of the Good Friday Agreement, Wicklow County Council may have made a signal contribution to the indoctrination of the youth of their county at the expense of their education.
Against that, although it may be seen as self-advertisement, I am bound to set the fact that one may purchase of the books by me and Dr O'Donnell at the Wicklow Heritage Centre. - Yours, etc., Peter O'Shaughnessy,
Cheriton,
Hants,
England.