I AM pretty aware of Wolfe Tone's (and his family's) life because of other United Irishmen connections.
I lived in Buffalo for eight years and was aware that there were descendants there.
I was delighted to hear about Catherine Mulawka's visit to Belfast. One of the comments in the longer article, though, caught my attention: the remark that Wolfe Tone was the George Washington of Ireland.
Tone himself might have demurred from the comparison. While living in the U.S. he was quite critical of the part Washington played in having the (John) Jay Treaty with England negotiated in secret.
First, because it was done out of sight of the people, and second, because it was with the 'old enemy' at the time when England was fighting the country that helped the US in its own revolution, France.
Tone might have preferred a comparison to Madison or Monroe, rather than to Washington or other Federalists. (His son Wiliam served in the U.S. War Office under their Democratic-Republican administrations.)
A major reference regarding Tone's opinions on Washington is Marianne Elliott's 'Wolfe Tone; Prophet of Irish Independence' (Yale University Press, 1989).
Ms Elliott is from Belfast, was educated there, was a professor at Queen's and now, I believe, is at Liverpool University.
I hope you find this note helpful if doing any further pieces on the subject.
God bless,
Father Jim Joyce, SJ
New York, NY
