Edward Hay (c. 1761-1826) was born into a Wexford, Catholic, landed family. Hays involvement in the radical politics of the 1790s, his role in the rebellion of 1798 and his authorship of the history of the event, as well as his heavy involvement in Catholic organisations after the Act of Union set him apart from many of his contemporaries.

This biography follows Hays generation from the era from political exclusion to mass mobilisation.