The naval defence of Ireland during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars

Poor weather was all that prevented the French from landing successfully at Bantry Bay in 1796 – the Royal Navy was noticeably absent. This article examines the British response to this failure, focusing on the early years of the Napoleonic Wars. It reveals not only the continuing significance of the invasion threat but also the challenges facing British military officials. As Irish historians have noted, the first years of the Union were characterized by uncertainty about essential components of that Union: nationalism, patriotism, loyalism and religious identity. What has not been discussed before are the ways in which those forces shaped British naval defence efforts, and vice versa. Drawing on previously unexamined sources, it connects naval defence efforts to broader questions of British and Irish history

Art · Economic history · Irish · Nationalism · Navy · Patriotism · Political science · Politics · Historical Studies of British Isles · History · Law · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology · Scottish History and National Identity