After Britain’s declaration of war against France in 1793, the United Irishmen – who hoped for French support for a rebellion in Ireland – could no longer meet openly. In Belfast, meetings were held at Dr [Benjamin] Franklin’s tavern, also called “Peggy Barclay’s” after its owner, under the guise of a social group called the Muddlers’ Club. The true nature of the group was betrayed to the authorities in 1796 by Isabella “Belle” Martin, a serving girl in the tavern (Romanticsm Anthology | Belfast Entries | Belfast Media | Joe Baker). As the text in the Peter Strain mural above concludes, “Half a dozen of them saw the inside of a Scottish prison as a result” and the club dissolved. (The text surrounding Martin’s profile is from Glenn Patterson’s book, A Mill For Grinding Old People Young – this was the name of Peggy Barclay’s inn when she left the city centre for the Buttermilk Loney (now Skegoniel Avenue) on the Shore Road in north Belfast. The mural is in Crown Entry.
The tavern, in Sugarhouse Entry, later become a hotel before eventually being destroyed in the WWII blitz. Sugarhouse Entry still exists but has been impassable since 1972 when it was closed off as part of the “ring of steel” securing Belfast city centre (DC Tours).
There is today a restaurant called The Muddlers Club, named after the society, in Warehouse Lane. Two of its murals are shown below; for others see also God Approves Our Undertakings and The Wider Conspiracy.
Click and click again to enlarge (to 1200 x 900)
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
Camera Settings: f4, 1/60, ISO 100, full size 2049 x 1537
Click and click again to enlarge (to 1200 x 900)
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
Camera Settings: f4, 1/60, ISO 100, full size 2049 x 1537
T01837 T01847
Extramural Activity 