The Life and Times of Napper Tandy
Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours, and independent self-drive tours of Ireland.
Article source: The Life and Times of Napper Tandy
James Napper Tandy was born in 1740, the son of a Dublin Protestant ironmonger. He attended a Quaker boarding school in County Kildare, studying alongside Edmund Burke. He began his career as a member of Dublin Corporation, establishing a reputation for exposing municipal corruption. It was Tandy who authored a congratulatory message on behalf of the Irish MPs to the USA on its declaration of independence. This action earned him infamy in London where he was widely criticized. Tandy became increasingly radical, gaining popularity in Ireland for his proposal of a boycott of English goods in response to restrictions by Westminster on Irish commerce, a move which became an instrumental contributor to the establishment of an Irish Parliament in 1782.
Tandy led the Dublin branch of Wolfe Tone’s United Irishmen; his radicalism, strongly influenced by French revolutionary ideas, brought him to the notice of Crown authorities. In February 1792, the attorney-general, Toler, alluded to Tandy’s personal ugliness, provoking him into sending a challenge. This was treated by the House of Commons as a breach of privilege, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He managed to evade it until its validity expired on the suspension of parliament. Tandy then took proceedings against the lord lieutenant for issuing a proclamation for his arrest; although the action failed, it increased Tandy’s popularity.
The French Revolution was stoking a wave of optimism throughout Ireland. In 1792, Napper Tandy took a leading part in organizing a military movement in Ireland modeled along the lines of the French National Guards. Tandy found himself with a price on his head and fled to America, from where he traveled to Paris, becoming part of a group led by Wolfe Tone, planning a rebellion in Ireland supported by a French invasion. He was given command of a ship by the French government loaded with arms for distribution in Ireland. He arrived at the island of Arranmore off the coast of County Donegal, where he promptly raised the Irish flag. However, upon learning about the defeat of Humbert’s expedition, Tandy realized the hopelessness of the situation and sailed for Europe. He was detained in Hamburg, Germany, remaining in prison until 1801 when he received a reprieve and was allowed to go to France, where he died in 1803.
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