Tone was immediately involved in a dramatic new Catholic initiative. In the recent parliamentary debates the Catholic Committee had been dismissed as an unrepresentative group of factious Dublin tradesmen. Its members responded with a plan to remodel the Committee on such a representative basis that opponents could never again use such an excuse to resist Catholic demands. As a preliminary a reconciliation was effected with the seceders of December. In May 1792 instructions went out to the country to elect delegates to a Catholic Convention, and Keogh set off for Munster on the first leg of a national tour to win over the provincial gentry and clergy. His subsequent journey north with Tone was part of the reason for Tone's appointment, and highlights the new brand of aggressiveness brought by Keogh to the Committee in the aftermath of the challenge thrown down by the Protestant Ascendancy. Tone was a bridge to the Ulster Dissenters, so disliked by both English and Irish governments. In 1792 Keogh was quite prepared to play upon government fears of republicanism and French influence, however much he tried to distance himself from both after war erupted in 1793.

I

Tone's attendance at Belfast's Bastille Day celebrations in the summer of 1792 was to be the occasion for a show of unity among the reformers and the Catholics. Tone and Drennan had been invited to prepare addresses for the occasion. Drennan's address to the French National Assembly – enthusiastically supporting its war effort – posed no problem. But Tone's address to the people of Ireland was another matter, and he expected opposition. To prepare the ground he left Dublin several days before the Catholic delegates. He was accompanied by Whitley Stokes, who was on his way to Scotland. They arrived in Belfast on Tuesday, 10 July.

By contrast with his first visit to Belfast, Tone was in melancholy mood. The shuffling, erudite Stokes had not been good company in the coach, and Tone avoided him over the next few days. He missed Russell greatly. There was no reason to stay sober without the satisfaction of parading it before his inebriate friend.