John Henry Colclough
Encyclopedia
John Henry Colclough was an Irish revolutionary during the Irish Rebellion of 1798
.
He was born circa 1769 into an old landowning Wexford family, the son of Thomas Francis Colclough and lived at Ballyteigue, Kilmore, in the barony of Bargy, Co. Wexford. He went abroad to study medicine and qualified as a doctor. On his return to Wexford he married Elizabeth Berry.
He became involved in Irish nationalism, joined the United Irishmen and was arrested with Lord Edward Fitzgerald
on 27 May 1798 and taken to Wexford gaol. From there he was sent with Fitzgerald to parley with the rebels at Vinegar Hill
, returning alone to report negotiations had failed. He was later, somewhat reluctantly, in the company of the rebels at the Battle of New Ross
. After the battle, and the royalists had regained the town, he fled with his wife and Bagenal Harvey
to the Greater Saltee Island
, from whence they planned to escape to republican France. They were betrayed under torture by a local farmer, arrested, and brought to Wexford town to be court-martialled. Found guilty, they were hanged on Wexford bridge on 28 June 1798, their heads afterwards put on spikes and their bodies thrown into the River Slaney. Colclough's body was recovered by his supporters during the night and buried in St. Patrick's burying ground, Wexford.
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
.
He was born circa 1769 into an old landowning Wexford family, the son of Thomas Francis Colclough and lived at Ballyteigue, Kilmore, in the barony of Bargy, Co. Wexford. He went abroad to study medicine and qualified as a doctor. On his return to Wexford he married Elizabeth Berry.
He became involved in Irish nationalism, joined the United Irishmen and was arrested with Lord Edward Fitzgerald
Lord Edward FitzGerald
Lord Edward FitzGerald was an Irish aristocrat and revolutionary. He was the fifth son of the 1st Duke of Leinster and the Duchess of Leinster , he was born at Carton House, near Dublin, and died of wounds received in resisting arrest on charge of treason.-Early years:FitzGerald spent most of his...
on 27 May 1798 and taken to Wexford gaol. From there he was sent with Fitzgerald to parley with the rebels at Vinegar Hill
Vinegar Hill
Vinegar Hill could refer to:*Vinegar Hill , a 1999 novel by A. Manette Ansay.*Vinegar Hill , a 2005 TV-Movie starring Mary-Louise Parker...
, returning alone to report negotiations had failed. He was later, somewhat reluctantly, in the company of the rebels at the Battle of New Ross
Battle of New Ross
The Battle of New Ross may refer to:* The Battle of New Ross , a battle of the Irish Confederate Wars, fought on March 18, 1643* The Battle of New Ross , a battle of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, fought on June 5, 1798...
. After the battle, and the royalists had regained the town, he fled with his wife and Bagenal Harvey
Bagenal Harvey
Beauchamp Bagenal Harvey was a barrister and a commander of the United Irishmen in the Battle of New Ross during the 1798 Rebellion....
to the Greater Saltee Island
Saltee Islands
The Saltee Islands are a pair of small islands lying 5 kilometres off the southern coast of County Wexford in Ireland. The two islands are Great Saltee and Little Saltee . They have been uninhabited since the early 20th century...
, from whence they planned to escape to republican France. They were betrayed under torture by a local farmer, arrested, and brought to Wexford town to be court-martialled. Found guilty, they were hanged on Wexford bridge on 28 June 1798, their heads afterwards put on spikes and their bodies thrown into the River Slaney. Colclough's body was recovered by his supporters during the night and buried in St. Patrick's burying ground, Wexford.