Irish Hist. A member of a body of insurgents, calling themselves ‘The Hearts of Steel,’ who committed agrarian outrages in 1772–4. See quot. 1772 in STEEL sb.1 2; cf. oak-boy, OAK 8.
1772. Lond. Chron., 18–21 April, 378/1. The Steel Boys came and fired into the house.
1780. A. Young, Tour Irel., 112. The rising of the steel boys was owing, as they said, to the increase of rents, and complaints of general oppression.
1844. Thackeray, Barry Lyndon, xvi. The kingdom of Ireland was at this period [c. 1772] ravaged by various parties of banditti:… under the name of Whiteboys, Oakboys, Steelboys.
