) , former name = , image = File:Portrait of Theobald Wolfe Tone.PNG , alt = , caption = Wolfe Tone, 20 June 1763 – 19 November 1798 , map = , msize = , malt = , mcaption = , map2 = , abbreviation = WTS , motto = , predecessor = , successor = , formation = 1964 , extinction = , merger = , merged = , type = Irish political organisation , status = , purpose = Creation of an all Ireland republic , headquarters =

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

, location = , coords = , region_served = Ireland , membership = By invitation , language = English and

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, general = , leader_title = , leader_name = , leader_title2 = , leader_name2 = , leader_title3 = , leader_name3 = , leader_title4 = , leader_name4 = , key_people = , main_organ = , parent_organization = , affiliations = , budget = , num_staff = , num_volunteers = , website = , remarks = The Wolfe Tone Societies ( ga, Muintir Wolfe ToneNational Archives Ireland
– Tuairisc: The news-letter of the Wolfe Tone Society, Number One) is an Irish republican group whose chief objective is the establishment of a 'united Irish Republic.' It evolved from the commemorative Directories which the

IRA Ira or IRA may refer to: *Ira (name), a Hebrew, Sanskrit, Russian or Finnish language personal name *Ira (surname), a rare Estonian and some other language family name *Iran, UNDP code IRA Law *Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, US, on status of ...

helped set up in 1963 to mark the bicentenary of the 1763 birth of

Wolfe Tone Theobald Wolfe Tone, posthumously known as Wolfe Tone ( ga, Bhulbh Teón; 20 June 176319 November 1798), was a leading Irish revolutionary figure and one of the founding members in Belfast and Dublin of the United Irishmen, a republican soci ...

.English, p. 85 In 1964 the Directories were dissolved and replaced with the Wolfe Tone Society. The publication of the Wolf Tone Society from 1965 onward was called ''Tuairisc.''

History

In 1963 to celebrate the bi-centenary of Wolfe Tone's birth, Irish republicans formed the Wolfe Tone Bi-centenary Directories. Due to the support shown at the commemoration, it was decided at a meeting of the Directories in Dublin, July 1964, to disband the Directories and replace it with the "Muintir Wolfe Tone", or Wolfe Tone Society.CAIN
– Century of Endeavour One of the key intellectuals who joined the societies was Roy Johnston, of

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

background. He sought to encourage Protestants in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

to support the nationalist cause. This organisation decided that it should focus on trying to "influence cultural and political trends in the country" and using democratic means to weaken the Unionist government of Northern Ireland. Its main bases of strength were in Belfast and Dublin. In 1984, a Wolfe Tone Society was founded in London from the amalgamation of several London based Irish republican groups. It supports

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur G ...

, and holds major meetings and republican commemorations at the Camden Irish Centre in London, which are attended by Sinn Féin members.

Objectives

Upon its creation, the Wolfe Tone Society declared that its aim was to further the creation of a united, independent, democratic Irish Republic as declared in the 1916

Proclamation of the Irish Republic A proclamation (Lat. ''proclamare'', to make public by announcement) is an official declaration issued by a person of authority to make certain announcements known. Proclamations are currently used within the governing framework of some nations ...

. To achieve this it would focus on trying to convince the people of Ireland to support its creation, via meetings, publications and other means. To help promote its message, the organisation published a newsletter called ''Tuairisc''.

Involvement with NICRA

At a joint meeting of all the Wolfe Tone Societies which took place in the home of Kevin Agnew (republican solicitor) at

Maghera Maghera (pronounced , ) is a small town at the foot of the Glenshane Pass in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Its population was 4,220 in the 2011 Census, increasing from 3,711 in the 2001 Census. It is situated within Mid-Ulster Distri ...

, County Londonderry, August 1966,Coogan, p. 66 it was proposed that a civil rights campaign be started. The IRA's Chief of Staff

Cathal Goulding Cathal Goulding ( ga, Cathal Ó Goillín; 2 January 1923 – 26 December 1998) was Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army and the Official IRA. Early life and career One of seven children born on East Arran Street in north Dublin to an ...

was present and pledged support from his organisation. From this meeting another was arranged in Belfast on 29 January 1967 and the

Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association ) was an organisation that campaigned for civil rights in Northern Ireland during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Formed in Belfast on 9 April 1967,

was formed.English, p. 91 The thirteen man committee which was formed included Fred Heatley and Jack Bennett from the Wolfe Tone Societies and

Liam McMillan Liam McMillan (born 2 March 1990 in King's Lynn) is a British racing driver. Racing career McMillan first competed in saloon racing in 2006, competing in the 750 Motor Club's SAXMAX Championship. McMillan dominated the championship starting ev ...

of the IRA.

References

Bibliography

* English, Richard. ''Armed Struggle;– A History of the IRA'', MacMillan, London 2003, * Coogan, TP. ''The Troubles: Ireland's Ordeal, 1969–96, and the Search for Peace'', Arrow Books Ltd, 1996,

External links

In the Shadow of Gunmen: The Wolfe Tone Society, 1963-1969
by Kenneth Sheehy {{Authority control Politics of Ireland Politics of London All-Ireland organisations Political organisations based in London Organizations established in 1964 Irish republican organisations The Troubles (Northern Ireland)