From 27 May until 21 June 1798, Society of United Irishmen rebels revolted against British rule in the county, engaging in multiple confrontations with Crown forces.

[citation needed] News of the arrests and of the Dunlavin Green executions in County Wicklow spread throughout Wexford, and on the night of 26 May, rebels (known as Croppies for their short haircut) mobilised throughout north county Wexford and attacked military and loyalist targets for arms.

At Ballyminaun the rebels were crushed, but they won a significant victory at Oulart Hill, led by Father John Murphy and others, defeating a company of soldiers.

When the rebels entered Enniscorthy on 28 May they found that one of the leading merchants, William Barker, had been a captain in Walsh's Regiment of the Irish Brigade in the service of King Louis XVI and had returned to the town to manage the family business on the dissolution of the Irish Brigade at the Revolution in 1798.

This republic decided to split up the rebels of Wexford; one group was to move north toward Dublin, the other west toward New Ross.

His body was decapitated, the trunk thrown into the River Slaney and the head kicked through the streets before being set on display on a spike.

According to Jonah Barrington's memoirs, Kelly's sister looked out through her lace curtains on hearing a commotion and saw the Yeomen playing football with her brother's head.

Rebel soldiers had previously gathered approximately 200 civilian men women and children in an outbuilding on a farm close to the battle, suspecting them of being loyal to the Crown.

General Lake took Enniscorthy and Vinegar Hill on 21 June despite a gallant defence led by William Barker and Fr Moses Kearns and eventually pushed all the way into Wexford town where the republic was dismantled and rebels fled.

Grain prices collapsed in 1797 and 1798, in part due to the imposition of new taxes on the malt industry, causing hardship in many regions, but Wexford especially.