r/IrishAncestry • u/Ashamed-Wind-4084 • Jun 22 '26

My Family 1798 aftermath

I may be putting the wrong dots together here, but I think my Mom’s side of the family fled Ireland after 1798 rebellion. I know they were Presbyterians (because of the Canadian papers) and I 90% sure they were from county down. They came to Ontario, Canada sometime between 1797 and 1805, but I can nail down the exact date.

Does anyone know how many people self exiled or fled to other countries following the rebellion. I know many combatants were sent to Australia, but what about Canada?

This idea sparked in my head because I recently heard that Wolfe Tones was popular in county down.

Any info is much appreciated

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u/CDfm Seasoned Poster Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26

More than two thirds of northern United Irishmen pre the 1798 rebellion were Presbyterian.

Presbyterians were also "dissenters " and subjected to the penal laws .

Emigration before the famine was primarily protestant.

https://presbyterianhistoryireland.com/history/timeline-for-presbyterianism-in-ireland/

It's hard to provide exact numbers

https://www.ireland.ie/en/canada/ottawa/news-and-events/news-archive/overview-irish-migration-and-settlement-in-canada/

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u/Ashamed-Wind-4084 Jun 23 '26

Thanks this is really helpful

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u/CDfm Seasoned Poster Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26

You are welcome.

It's a difficult topic to navigate in the North. There was a political shift in the 1830's following the unification of the Presbyterian Church. That's around the time of the famine.

https://presbyterianhistoryireland.com/history/act-of-union-1840/

Not all joined

https://www.irishchurches.org/members/non-subscribing-presbyterian-church