John Philpot Curran | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament for Banagher | |
| In office 1800–1801 Serving with Arthur Dawson | |
| Preceded by | Edward Hoare Arthur Dawson |
| Succeeded by | Constituency Abolished |
| Member of Parliament for Rathcormack | |
| In office 1790–1798 Serving with Henry Duquery | |
| Member of Parliament for Kilbeggan | |
| In office 1783–1790 Serving with Henry Flood | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 July 1750 Newmarket, County Cork, Ireland |
| Died | 14 October 1817 (aged 67) Brompton, London, UK |
| Resting place | Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin |
| Political party | Irish Patriot Party |
| Spouse | Sarah Creagh |
| Relations | Amelia Curran Sarah Curran |
| Children | 9 |
| Parent(s) | James Curran Sarah Curran |
| Alma mater | Trinity College Dublin |
| Profession | Politician, Lawyer, Orator |
John Philpot Curran (24 July 1750 – 14 October 1817) was an Irish orator, politician, and lawyer known for his skills in defence of civil and political liberty. He first won popular acclaim in 1780, as the only lawyer in his circuit willing to represent a Catholic priest horsewhipped by an Anglo-Irish lord. In the 1790s he was celebrated as a champion of Catholic emancipation and reform in the Irish Parliament and as defence counsel in court for United Irishmen facing charges of sedition and treason. He was vocal in his opposition to Britain's incorporation of Ireland in a United Kingdom.
Curran's speeches before the judicial bench were widely admired. Lord Byron said of Curran, "I have heard that man speak more poetry than I have seen written". Karl Marx described him as the greatest "people's advocate" of the eighteenth century.