A

PERSONAL NARRATIVE

OF

Those Transactions in the County Wexford, in which the Author was engaged, during the awful period of

1798,

INTERSPERSED WITH BRIEF NOTICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ACTORS IN THAT ILL-FATED, BUT EVER-MEMORABLE STRUGGLE, WITH REFLECTIONS, MORAL, POLITICAL AND HISTORICAL.

 By THOMAS CLONEY.

To which is added

AN APPENDIX,

CONTAINING A FULL AND INTERESTING REPORT OF THE AUTHOR'S

TRIAL BY COURT-MARTIAL

Which lasted by adjournments, for fourteen days ;--never before published.
   

Printed for the author by James McMullen, Exchequer Street, Dublin in 1832, this is an extremely rare first edition of "General" Thomas Cloney's first-hand account of some of the bloodiest battles fought on Irish soil.

Thomas Cloney was only 25 at the time of the 1798 Rebellion, a Catholic living with his prosperous farmer father at Moneyhore, three miles from Enniscorthy. He had never been a United Irishman, or member of any political faction but eventually joined the insurgents because he saw "no second course for himself, or indeed for any Catholic in his part of the country, to pursue".

He played a leading and distinguished part in the action against General Fawcett's advance guard below Three Rocks and later at New Ross. Cloney served under Father Philip Roche's command at Lacken Hill, marched with him to Wexford on June 19th and back to Goff's Bridge (Foulke's Mill) the following day. He also led the attack on Borris House, becoming known as "General" Cloney.

Both he and Father Mogue Kearns went into hiding at his father's house for a time.  In June 1799 Cloney was arrested and jailed in Wexford, court-martialled on a charge of accessory to murder, found guilty and sentenced to death. Lord Cornwallis reduced the sentence to two years in exile. After spending the time in England, Cloney returned to Graiguenamanagh, dying there 47 years later. He had wished to publish his book earlier but was advised against it by his attorney

Excellent condition in what appear to be the original green boards with red cloth spine cover and paper spine label ("Cloney's Narrative of the Wexford Insurrection"). On thick rag paper, with errata slip bound in at the rear. Fore edge uncut, a few leaves unopened.

Boards marked, very slight loss to edges of spine label. Spine and corners bumped, ink date inside front board. Foxing to edges and occasional spots. Pages rippled throughout, due I think to the thickness of the paper used, rather than damp or damage.

276pp. 5.75in. x 9in.

There are three other copies currently on sale on the internet, priced at £500 (poor condition), £875 and £1500.