John Philpot Curran
| John Philpot Curran | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Member of Parliament for Banagher | |
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In office 1800–1801 Serving with Arthur Dawson |
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| Preceded by |
Edward Hoare Arthur Dawson |
| Succeeded by | Constituency Abolished |
| Member of Parliament for Rathcormack | |
|
In office 1790–1798 Serving with Henry Duquery |
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| Member of Parliament for Kilbeggan | |
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In office 1783–1790 Serving with Henry Flood |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 July 1750 Newmarket, County Cork, Ireland |
| Died | 14 October 1817 (aged 67) Brompton, London, UK |
| Resting place | Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah Creagh |
| Relations |
Amelia Curran Sarah Curran |
| Children | 9 |
| Parents | James Curran Sarah Curran |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Dublin |
| Profession | Politician, Lawyer, Orator |
| Religion | United Church of England and Ireland |
John Philpot Curran (24 July 1750 – 14 October 1817) was an Irish orator, politician, wit, lawyer and judge, who held the office of Master of the Rolls in Ireland.
Born in Newmarket, County Cork, he was the son of James and Sarah Curran.
A friend of the family, Rev. Nathaniel Boyse, arranged to have Curran educated at Midleton, County Cork. He studied law at Trinity College, Dublin (he was described as "the wildest, wittiest, dreamiest student") and continued his legal studies at King's Inns and the Middle Temple. He was called to the Irish bar in 1775. Upon his first trial, his nerves got the better of him and he couldn't proceed. His short stature, boyish features, shrill voice and a speech impediment hindered his career, and earned him the nickname "Stuttering Jack Curran".
However, he could speak passionately in court on subjects close to his heart. He eventually overcame his nerves, and got rid of his speech impediment by constantly reciting Shakespeare and Bolingbroke in front of a mirror, and became a noted orator and wit.
His occasional tendency of challenging people to duels (he fought five in all) rather than compromise his values, along with his skilful oratory, quick wit and his championing of popular Irish causes such as Catholic Emancipation and the enlargement of the franchise, made him one of the most popular lawyers in Ireland. He also could speak Irish, still the language of the majority at that time. He wrote a large amount of humorous and romantic poetry.
The case which cemented Curran's popularity was that of Father Neale and Lord Doneraile at the County Cork Assizes in 1780. Father Neale, an elderly Catholic priest in County Cork, criticised an adulterous parishioner. The adulterer's sister was mistress to Lord Doneraile, a cruel Protestant landlord. Doneraile demanded that Neale recant his criticism of his mistress' brother. When the priest stood by his principles, Doneraile horse-whipped him, secure in the confidence that a jury of the time would not convict a Protestant on charges brought forward by a Catholic. Curran, who had a passion for lost causes, represented the priest and won over the jury by setting aside the issue of religion. The jury awarded Curran's client 30 guineas. Doneraile challenged Curran to a duel, in which Doneraile fired and missed. Curran declined to fire.
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