Below are some notes about the United Irishmen Uprising of 1798
and the involvement of of my Lyons and Stewart ancestors

Robert born about 1755 married Jean McPhilamy.Their grandson David Murray Lyon was born 1819 and worked for many years for the Ayr Advertiser. On his death he left a note confirming that his ancestors came from a farm in Co Tyrone Ireland in the townland of Farrest in the parish of Cappagh.

David Murray Lyon also recorded that the Lyon family left Ireland at the time of the 1798 United Irishman uprising.
Why the family may have fled is unknown. County Tyrone was certainly not affected by the rising to the same extent as Antrim or Down but there certainly were United Irish supporters in Tyrone particularly amongst some of the Presbyterians.
A radical sermon was preached by a Presbyterian Minister on the 14^th November 1779 to the Omagh & Cappagh Volunteers at the Old Bridge Meeting House near Omagh.

A transcript of this sermon was printed for circulation, a copy being held by the National Library of Ireland
1779 sermon
An Inquiry whether and how far Magistracy is of Divine Appointment and of the subjection due thereunto. A Sermon preached in the Old - Bridge Meetinghouse near Omagh, the 14th of November, 1779, before the Omagh and Cappagh Volunteers.
By Rev. Hugh Delap, Chaplain to the Cappagh Volunteers.

Dr Hamilton Stewart, my great great great grandfather. He came from Erganagh townland, Cappagh parish, He was an assistant surgeon at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 on one of Lord Nelson's ships. His sword was handed over to Cultra Heritage Centre. However there is no trace of it there  He later settled in Newtownstewart where he had a medical practice and was known as Surgeon Stewart. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Newtownstewart. There is no record of how he came to be in England or aboard ship.

2 possibilities:-

Dr Stewart (as part of his family group) might have fled Ireland after the United Irishmen Rebellion Many Presbyterians were involved including tradesmen and professional men like doctors. Dr Stewart's daughter was born in Manchester and lived there until she was 3 years old - about 1825.

Dr Stewart was press ganged by a group recruiting for Nelson's ships for the Napoleanic Wars - in 1805 he would have been 11 - so could have been a loblolly boy (surgeon's assisant)