Steel boyn.
Irish History.
A member of a body of insurgents, calling themselves ‘The Hearts of Steel’, who committed agrarian outrages in 1770–2. See Hearts of Steel n. at heart n., int., and adv. Phrases 2j; cf. Oakboy n. at oak n. Compounds 3.
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society > authority > rule or government > politics > Irish politics > [noun] > societies or associations > members of
hougher1712
white boys1762
Steel boy1772
defender1788
United Irishman1791
Orangeman1796
marksman1800
Thresher1806
marchman1814
Orangist1822
Rockite1824
Brunswicker1828
Terry Alt1831
whitefoot1831
Repeal Warden1841
Young Irelander1844
Fenian1864
Land-leaguer1878
invincible1883
leaguer1892
Provie1972
1772 London Chron. 18–21 Apr. 378/1 The Steel Boys came and fired into the house.
1780 A. Young Tour Ireland 112 The rising of the steel boys was owing, as they said, to the increase of rents, and complaints of general oppression.
1844 W. M. Thackeray Barry Lyndon i. xvii, in Fraser's Mag. Aug. 236/1 The kingdom of Ireland was at this period [i.e. c1772] ravaged by various parties of banditti:..under the name of Whiteboys, Oakboys, Steelboys.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1916; most recently modified version published online June 2018).
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n.1772