The first George Moore died with his son in prison facing execution. John Moore joined the rebels when a French fleet landed an invasion force in Killala in 1798. General Humbert landed with 1,000 soldiers expecting an organised rebel militia to help him drive the British out of Ireland. But his fleet had arrived far too late. The United Irishmen had already been crushed. Lord Edward Fitzgerald - the would-be commander of the rebellion was dead - he died of injuries sustained during his capture in April 1798, betrayed by an informer. His fellow revolutionaries, including Robert Emmet had been captured earlier. By the time Humbert's fleet of just three ships landed in north Mayo in August, United Irishmen had rebelled in Wexford (Vinegar Hill), Arklow, the Hill of Tara and in the north of the country and had been slaughtered.
Within a week of landing, Humbert marched south to Castlebar and routed the garrison there (the battle became known as the 'races of Castlebar'). To quote Robert Kee
Humbert immediately set up a provisional government making its president a young Catholic Irish gentleman named John Moore, and ' in the name of the Irish Republic' required everyone between the ages of sixteen and forty inclusive to rally at once to the French camp and march en masse 'against the common enemy, the Tyrant of Ireland - the English; whose destruction is the only way of ensuring the independence and happiness of ancient Hibernia'. He also incidentally declared traitors to their country all those who having received arms did not rejoin the army within twenty four hours.
When Castlebar was eventually retaken by the English, Moore was jailed and tried (by one of his own relatives by marriage). He died in captivity a month after his father.
Picture below is of the entrance to the walled garden.
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