1713 - 4 Nov., 1771

Born in County Clare. He was educated in Dublin and opened a small business as an apothecary there. He also published numerous pamphlets on the rights of the people. Publishing "The Citizen's Journal" in 1747 he exposed corruption commonly occuring in Dublin at the time. He was soon imprisoned for 'stirring up the people to sedition and insurrection.' In 1749 he wrote a "Charter and dedication addressed to the king" in which he denied that the Irish owed allegiance to the english crown. He followed this up with "A letter to the free citizen's of Dublin." He was tried for treason, and ironically, the king was not even allowed to see "The Charter" at the trial. He was aquitted and actually became a member of parliament in Dublin. During his one term he continually lobbied for Parliamentary independance for Ireland. He had also studied medicine at Paris and took a degree in Leiden in 1752. He received a doctor's degree from Trinity College in 1760. He wrote a letter to the lord lieutenant in 1761 in which he described many of the grievances Ireland had suffered.