The period from 1790 to 1803, one of upheaval and turbulence, has witnessed a surge in historical interest in the past two decades. This study examines the politicisation and rebellion in County Kildare. During the 1790s, a vocal liberal establishment centered on the Duke of Leinster, Catholic and reformist politics, militant Defenderism, and a large United Irish society involving prominent liberals, all of which contributed to the politicisation of the Kildare populace. Against this background a faction loyal to the Dublin government attempted to stabilize and secure the county, with the increasing support of the administration. The 1798 rebellion engulfed Kildare, lasting two months and involving thousands of rebels. After initial success it evolved into a 'fugitive' war centered on the Bog of Allen, where rebels held government forces at bay for weeks. During the post-rebellion period radicalism persisted at a local level and thousands of Kildare men were prepared to participate in 'Emmet's rebellion' in 1803. In examining Kildare in this period the study seeks to contribute to the wider debate on the forces of radicalism and reaction which polarized Irish society in the 1790s. -- Publisher description.