This is the first full-length study of Irish Ribbonism, tracing the development of the movement from its origins in the Defender movement of the 1790s to the latter part of the century when the remnants of the Ribbon tradition found solace in a new movement: the quasi-constitutional affinities of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Placing Ribbonism firmly within Ireland's long tradition of secret societies, this book shows that, due to its diversity and adaptability, it stood apart from other similar bodies and showed remarkable longevity not matched by its contemporaries. The book describes the wider context of Catholic struggles for improved standing, explores traditions and networks for association, and it describes external impressions. Drawing on rich archives in the form of state surveillance records, `show trial' proceedings and press reportage, the book shows that Ribbonism was a sophisticated and durable underground network drawing together various strands of the rural and urban Catholic populace in Ireland and Britain. Ribbon Societies in Nineteenth-Century Ireland and Britain is a fascinating study that demonstrates Ribbonism operated more widely than previous studies have revealed.

About the Author
Kyle Hughes is Lecturer in British History at Ulster University. Donald MacRaild is a senior professor at London Metropolitan University.

Reviews
Reviews'An important contribution to the corpus of scholarship on secret societies, violence and politics in nineteenth-century Ireland.'
Jay R. Roszman, Irish Historical Studies

'This is an excellent study, meticulously researched and lucidly written. The considerable detail adds to the interest and value of the work by opening up avenues for further research into this elusive and yet very real world of Irish subversives transnationally in the nineteenth century.'
Maura Cronin, Studia Hibernica

'A thorough excavation of not just the perceptions of Ribbonism but also the workings of the "official mind" in Dublin Castle during the first few decades of the nineteenth century.'
John O'Donovan, Irish Studies Review

'Hughes and MacRaild's study on Ribbonism is to be commended for recalibrating our gaze towards these too often neglected decades, and years, and the lower class voices which filled them.'
Kerron O Luain, Dublin Review of Books

'An outstanding work of scholarship, one that is authoritative, substantial and carefully constructed...The work makes a substantial contribution to our knowledge and understanding of Irish secret societies, specifically Ribbonism, and to a whole range of characters and forces associated with such bodies... Stylish and engaging, Ribbon Societies in Nineteenth-Century Ireland and its Diaspora is strongly recommended.'
Laurence Geary, History: The Journal of the Historical Association

Book Information
ISBN 9781786941350
Author Kyle Hughes
Format Hardback
Page Count 360
Imprint Liverpool University Press
Publisher Liverpool University Press