Background
Grattan was a statesman of real ability, integrity, and moderation, and was one of the finest parliamentary orators that Ireland ever produced.
Grattan was a statesman of real ability, integrity, and moderation, and was one of the finest parliamentary orators that Ireland ever produced.
He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and the Middle Temple, London, where he studied law. He was admitted to the Irish bar in 1772.
Encouraged by his friend Henry Flood, he entered the Irish parliament in 1775 and soon distinguished himself by his brilliant speeches, filled with sound political wisdom and adorned by terse and sparkling epigrams. He became the leader of the Irish national party, striving to free the Irish parliament from English control. This goal was achieved in 1782. Grattan desired no separation from England, but wanted to see Ireland self-governing, with moderate parliamentary reform and Catholic emancipation. He saw clearly the danger of revolt and after repeatedly warning the government, retired from parliament in 1797, a year before the Irish Rebellion. Grattan fought with implacable hostility the proposal for a parliamentary union between England and Ireland, but in 1805, four years after it was accomplished, he was elected to the Union Parliament in London. He continued to give vigorous support to Roman Catholic emancipation and retained his seat until his death