Explore these historic petition records by Irish dissenters protesting the sacramental tests. Dissenters were non-Church of Ireland protestant denominations. Search for your ancestors in the list of over 4,000 petition signatories.
Explore these historic petition records by Irish dissenters protesting the sacramental tests. Dissenters were non-Church of Ireland protestant denominations. Search for your ancestors in the list of over 4,000 petition signatories.
The petitions consist of dissenters' names categorized by parish, congregation, town, neighbourhood, or, in one case, barony. Occasionally, members of the Established Church also signed. The lists typically specify whether signatories were dissenters or Established Church members. In cases where no denomination is indicated, the list contained names of both dissenters and Established Church members without differentiation.
The petitions, originally part of the records of the Irish Parliament and transferred to the Public Record Office of Ireland (PROI) in 1870, were unfortunately lost in the 1922 PROI destruction. However, Tenison Groves, an antiquarian and genealogist at the PROI before 1922, had copied some, and these transcripts are accessible in PRONI under T808/15307. While available for all Northern Ireland counties except Fermanagh, they are most extensive for areas in Counties Antrim and Down. Due to reliance on transcripts for the names index, accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed.
History of the dissenters
The Penal Laws, enacted primarily by the Irish Parliament after 1691, aimed to curb the religious, political, and economic activities of Roman Catholics, ensuring they lacked the means to challenge the Protestant (Anglican or Church of Ireland) dominance. Consequently, Roman Catholics faced exclusion from political power at both local and national levels, were barred from long-term land leases, various professions, and the armed forces. However, the Penal Laws also impacted dissenters, non-Church of Ireland Protestant groups, particularly the substantial Presbyterian population in Ulster. The Church of Ireland considered them a threat comparable to Roman Catholics, subjecting them to religious and political discrimination. For instance, until 1782, Presbyterians could only marry legally in a Church of Ireland church, officiated by a Church of Ireland clergyman.
Discrimination against dissenters was reinforced in 1704 when the Irish Parliament enacted a law to curb the growth of popery. This law introduced a 'sacramental test' for public offices, applying to all Protestant dissenters. The test mandated communion at the Church of Ireland, leading many dissenters to refusal and subsequent exclusion from political, civic influence, and professions requiring oaths. This test persisted until 1780.
Efforts to restrict dissenters' powers persisted throughout the 18th century. In 1774, the Irish Parliament passed a law barring them from voting at Church of Ireland vestry meetings. This provoked strong opposition from Ulster Protestants, who petitioned Parliament in October and November 1775, resulting in the repeal of the law in 1776.