name: John Fitzgibbon
death_date: 1802-01-28 00:00:00
genres: Politics
avg_rating: 5.0
ratings_count: 1
about: John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare (c.1749 - 1802) was Attorney-General for Ireland from 1783 to 1789 and Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1789 to 1802.He was a controversial figure in Irish history, being described variously as a Protestant hardliner, a staunch anti-Roman Catholic, and an early advocate of political union between Ireland and Great Britain (which finally happened in 1801, shortly before his death). He is said to have been an early opponent of measures for Roman Catholic political relief (meaning the removal of some or all of the various forfeitures, civil penalties, and civil disabilities placed upon Catholics) in both Ireland and Great Britain.