Who wrote the 1795 poem that first called Ireland the Emerald Isle?

Who wrote the 1795 poem that first called Ireland the Emerald Isle? The answer is William Drennan.

Drennan was a Belfast-born physician, poet and political activist who helped establish the Society of United Irishmen. His 1795 poem “When Erin First Rose” linked Ireland with the phrase “Emerald Isle,” drawing on the island’s celebrated green landscape and its growing political symbolism.

The poem appeared during a period of intense political tension before the 1798 rebellion. Drennan’s writing connected national feeling, democratic reform and Irish identity, helping the phrase take root in popular culture. The title and wording are sometimes misremembered because later poets, especially Thomas Moore, also popularized romantic images of Ireland.

Drennan is remembered for more than the phrase. He wrote political essays, composed verse about the United Irish cause and later published works including “The Wake of William Orr,” a tribute to a condemned United Irishman.