Henry Flood

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Flood, Henry (c.1732–91), politician. Born into a landed family, Flood was elected MP for Co. Kilkenny in 1759 and for Callan in 1761. As the son of a prominent office holder, he initially supported government, but by 1763 was a prominent member of the patriot opposition. His acceptance of the office of vice‐treasurer in 1775 was widely seen as a betrayal. Flood himself, a strong admirer of the earl of Chatham, never accepted that patriotism implied permanent opposition to the government of the day. However his ideal of the independent statesman holding office for the public good proved impossible to reconcile with the realities of late 18th‐century parliamentary management. Having given only half hearted support to the government's American policy, and supported calls for free trade and reform, he was dismissed in November 1781. Back in opposition, he was initially overshadowed by Grattan and others, but the campaign for a Renunciation Act allowed him to re‐establish himself as a popular leader. He effectively directed the Volunteer National Convention in drawing up its plan for parliamentary reform, unsuccessfully presenting the result to the House of Commons on 29 November 1783. Thereafter he concentrated on the British parliament, where he had purchased a seat, but remained a marginal figure. He opposed the admission of Catholics to political rights. A will bequeathing his estate to fund the study of Irish at Trinity College, possibly inspired as much by a family feud as by patriot sentiment, was successfully challenged by a cousin.

Bibliography

Kelly, James , Henry Flood (1998)

Henry Flood 1732–91, Irish statesman. He entered the Irish House of Commons in 1759 and joined the fight to gain independence for the Irish Parliament. He lost favor with the nationalists, however, when he accepted (1775) a position in the government, and the leadership of the nationalists passed to Henry Grattan . Flood recaptured popularity when, following the repeal (1782) of Poynings's Law (see under Poynings, Sir Edward ), he went beyond Grattan in demanding positive assurance of Irish legislative independence. But his opposition to Catholic Emancipation , which Grattan favored, once more reduced his following. Flood served (1783–90) in both the English and the Irish House of Commons, but he never regained his leadership of the Irish nationalists.