Grattan

Grattan, Henry, 1746-1820, Irish statesman. A lawyer, he entered (1775) the Irish Parliament and soon became known as a brilliant orator. Aided by Britain's preoccupation with the American Revolution and its fear of the revolutionary potential of the Irish volunteer army (see Ireland), Grattan led the successful fight for abolition of the restrictions on Irish trade and the repeal of Poynings's Law (see under Poynings, Sir Edward). Having thus gained nominal legislative independence for the Irish Parliament, he worked to eliminate the system by which English patrons continued to control it, advocating Catholic Emancipation as the only means for making the Irish Parliament truly representative. The Catholic Relief Act (1793) gave Catholics the right to vote in Ireland, but hopes raised in 1795 that Catholics would be allowed to sit in Parliament were soon dashed, and Grattan retired (1797) in indignation at the government's policy. In 1800, on the last day of the debate on the parliamentary union with England, Grattan appeared in the Irish Parliament and made the greatest speech of his career in opposition to the Act of Union. He sat in the British Parliament from 1805, taking little part except to support Catholic Emancipation.

(born July 3, 1746, Dublin, Ire.—died June 6, 1820, London, Eng.) Irish politician. He entered the Irish Parliament in 1775 and, as a brilliant orator, soon became the leading spokesperson of the Irish nationalist agitation. His movement gained momentum; he forced the British in 1779 to remove restraints on Irish trade and in 1782 to relinquish their right to legislate for Ireland. In 1800 he headed the unsuccessful opposition to the union of England and Ireland. In 1805 he was elected to the English House of Commons, where he fought for Catholic emancipation for his last 15 years.

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(born July 3, 1746, Dublin, Ire.—died June 6, 1820, London, Eng.) Irish politician. He entered the Irish Parliament in 1775 and, as a brilliant orator, soon became the leading spokesperson of the Irish nationalist agitation. His movement gained momentum; he forced the British in 1779 to remove restraints on Irish trade and in 1782 to relinquish their right to legislate for Ireland. In 1800 he headed the unsuccessful opposition to the union of England and Ireland. In 1805 he was elected to the English House of Commons, where he fought for Catholic emancipation for his last 15 years.

Learn more about Grattan, Henry with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Grattan may refer to:

People

• Harry Grattan (c. 1867-1951), British stage actor, singer, dancer and writer
• Henry Grattan (1746-1820), Irish politician
• Henry Grattan (junior) (1789-1859), Irish politician
• Jennifer Grattan (born 1987), Canadian professional wrestler with the stage name "Portia Perez"
• Michelle Grattan (born 1936), Australian journalist
• Thomas Colley Grattan (1792-1864), Irish writer
• Grattan Kerans, American politician from Oregon
• Grattan H. Wheeler (1783-1852), U.S. Representative from New York
• Grattan O'Leary (1888–1976), journalist, publisher and member of the Canadian Senate

Places

In the United States:

• Grattan Township, Michigan
• Grattan Township, Minnesota

Other

• Grattan Bridge, a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland
• Grattan massacre, 1854 incident between the U.S. army and the Brulé Lakota (Sioux)