Histories of the Stage Irishman invariably start with William Shakespeare's Macmorris and point out the frequent oaths, repetitions, mispronunciations, grammatical errors and general tone of belligerence. Irish characters appeared in English drama from Renaissance times; from the first a distinct unease and uncertainty are to be detected behind the creating of the stereotype of the Stage Irishman, which reflects the large-scale political and moral insecurity. The whole history of the stereotype within the span of British drama has been marked by a deep-rooted disquiet, motivating a need to create counter-images which were designed to negotiate with the rigid formula of its construction. The handling of the villains as Stage Irishmen would seem to be part of a larger strategy centred on the roles that Dion Boucicault created for himself.