In the mean time the success of the French republicans, who had seized the reins of government and beheaded their sovereign, had been followed by the adoption of republican principles by many evil-disposed persons in Ireland, who attempted to organize a rebellion in that part of the United Kingdom; and the SEVENTEENTH were employed, under Major-General Eustace, in suppressing the proceedings of a body of rebels called _Defenders_, in the counties of Dublin, Louth, and Meath. The regiment was employed many months, night and day, in this service. It was afterwards sent to the north of Ireland, and quartered at Lisburn, Carrickfergus, &c., in consequence of some opposition to authority made by the Belfast volunteers. Major-General White took the command of the troops at Belfast, and ordered the volunteers to give up their cannon; they refused, and barricaded the streets in one part of the town; but the SEVENTEENTH Light Dragoons being sent for, entered Belfast in so dashing a manner that the volunteers were dismayed, and their commanding officer waited on General White, and represented that they did not understand the reason of the regiment entering the town in so rapid and hostile a manner, and that the volunteers would give up the cannon on condition of being sent back to their quarters, to which they proceeded on the same day. [Sidenote: 1795] Major-General His Grace the Duke of Newcastle died on the 17th of May, 1795, and King George III. conferred the vacant colonelcy on Major-General Oliver de Lancey, from the lieut.-colonelcy of the regiment.