Threedecks Forum

Yes, you’re probably right. I had been thinking that in the era — when the French supported Irish attempts at rebellion against the British more than once, above all in the rebellion of 1798 — the press-ganged men might not have wanted to be immediately identified as Irish Catholics (especially if travelling from France) and might have changed their names accordingly.

However, that’s probably overthinking things, given that there were many Irish sailors (not least Jeremiah Coghlan, under Pellew) serving as loyal members of the Royal Navy during the period.

To clarify the previous point: my thinking was not that the young men were rebels, but that they might have feared being thought so on first being taken aboard.