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Podcast: Irish History Podcast
Episode: The Jackson Spy Affair: The Downfall of the Society of United Irishmen
Description: This episode returns to the story of the 1798 Rebellion, but also stands alone as its own story.In 1793, war broke out between the British Empire and Revolutionary France. This episode explores what happened when a French spy, William Jackson, is caught in Ireland. After his capture, the authorities learned that Irish radicals in the Society of United Irishmen were in contact with Britain’s enemy, Revolutionary France.In this episode how the dramatic fallout pushed Ireland to the brink of rebellion. As sectarian violence and government repression escalate, Irish society polarises and radicalises at a br...