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 Co. 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 was the author of a congratulations on a behalf of the Irish MPs to the USA on its declaration of independence. This action earned him infamy in London where he was widely panned and criticised. Tandy became all the more radical, becoming popular in Ireland for his proposal of a boycott of English goods in Ireland 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 Wolfetone’s United Irishmen, his radicalism, strongly influenced by French revolutionary ideas, now brought Tandy to the notice of the Crown authorities. In February 1792, Toler, the attorney-general, 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 organising a military movement in Ireland modelled along the lines of the French National Guards, Tandy found himself with a price on his head and he fled to America and from there travelled to Paris where he became part of a group led by Wolfetone, 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 Co. Donegal where he promptly raised the Irish flag, however upon learning about the defeat of Humbert’s expedition, Tandy realised the hopelessness of the situation and sailed for Europe. He was detained in Hamburg in Germany, remaining in prison until 1801 when he received a reprieve and was allowed to go to France where he died in 1803.



Fill out our enquiry form for more information

For more information on The Life and Times of Napper Tandy contact Exploring Ireland