Peter Burrowes facts for kids
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Peter Burrowes (1753–8 November 1841) was an important Irish lawyer and politician. He was known for fighting for fairness and rights for people in Ireland during a time of big changes.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Peter Burrowes was born in Portarlington, County Laois in 1753. He went to Trinity College, Dublin in 1774. While there, he became very good at debating in the College Historical Society. This showed he had a strong interest in discussing important topics.
Becoming a Lawyer and Writer
Even before he finished his law studies, Peter Burrowes started making a name for himself. In 1784, he wrote a pamphlet about Catholic Emancipation. This was about giving equal rights to Catholics in Ireland. This writing helped him get noticed by important Irish leaders like Flood. The next year, he officially became a barrister, which is a type of lawyer who argues cases in court. He quickly became successful in his legal work.
Political Involvement and Challenges
In 1790, Peter Burrowes helped start a group in Dublin with Wolfe Tone. This group discussed important topics about literature and politics. He was a strong supporter of many reforms, which were changes to make things better.
Standing Up for Ireland
Peter Burrowes did not agree with the most extreme ideas of the United Irishmen. However, he strongly supported their goals for more rights for Irish people. In 1798, he and other lawyers spoke out against the idea of Ireland joining with Great Britain. This was called the "union."
Fighting for Irish Parliament
In 1800, Peter Burrowes was elected as a member of parliament for Enniscorthy. He continued to strongly oppose the union. He kept fighting against it as long as the Irish parliament existed.
Defending Others in Court
Peter Burrowes used his skills as a lawyer to defend people. In 1803, he was the lawyer for Robert Emmet, a famous Irish rebel. In 1811, he also defended Catholic delegates. These were people who represented the Catholic community.
Later Career and Death
From 1821 to 1835, Peter Burrowes worked as a commissioner. He was in charge of the court that dealt with people who could not pay their debts. This was called the insolvent debtors court. He died in London on 8 November 1841. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery in London.
