Spies, Smuggglers, and Rebels: The Chief Secretary’s Office 1770-1820

Speaker: Dr Tim Murtagh, Research Fellow
Date: Tuesday 29 April, 2025
Time: 13:00 – 14:00 (Doors at 12:30)
Venue: Bedford Tower, 1st Floor, Upper Yard, Dublin Castle D02 TN97

Attendance is free, but booking is essential: bit.ly/4k5Va1z

In an age of revolution and social unrest, how did the Irish government maintain control? This talk explores the hidden world of the Chief Secretary’s Office, the nerve centre of British rule in Ireland between 1770 and 1820. Tasked with suppressing not just rebellion but also crime, smuggling, and social disorder, Dublin Castle relied on spies, informers, and a network of magistrates and revenue officers to combat these threats.

Come along to learn how official records reveal Dublin Castle’s struggles to police a turbulent society—and what its efforts tell us about power, resistance, and everyday lawbreaking in Irish history.