Hanged for treason in 1798, James Coigly was a Catholic priest from Armagh. This biography puts into relief the political and sectarian conflicts that engulfed Armagh and spawned the Orange Order in 1795.

James Coigly, a Catholic priest from Armagh, was hanged for high treason in 1798. Despite his protestations of innocence is this posthumous memoir, Coigly had been deeply involved with the United Irishmen since 1791. In this first modern edition of this unique document, Coigly's sometimes disingenuous account of his political career is set against the latest research on the evolution of the United Irish Conspiracy.