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The Right Honourable Denis Browne | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theIrish House of Commons | |
| In office 1782–1800 | |
| Member of theHouse of Commons of the United Kingdom | |
| In office 1800–1826 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1763 (1763) |
| Died | 14 August 1828(1828-08-14) (aged 64–65) |
Denis Browne (1763 – 14 August 1828) was an Irish politician, landowner and High Sheriff who was notorious for his role in punishing rebels in the 1798 rebellion.
He acquired the nickname "Denis the Rope" or "Donochadli an Rópa" in Irish. This was owing to his zeal in hanging suspected rebels, in addition to assisting in hanging his own godson.[1]
Browne was the second son of two sons and four daughters born toPeter Browne, 2nd Earl of Altamont and Elizabeth Kelly of Lisduffe,County Galway. He was born and raised at the family home ofWestport House,County Mayo. He was a direct descendant of thepirate,Grace O'Malley (c.1530-c.1603). The Browne Family being one of the ancientTribes of Galway and had been originallyCatholic before conversion to theChurch of Ireland. Most of the family property was left to John Denis, a sum of £5000 and a life interest in the property of Mount Browne were granted to Denis Browne. Denis Browne purchased the Claremont estate from Dominic Browne of Castlemacgarrett.[2]
Browne served as an officer in the5th Royal Irish Dragoons from 1779 to 1784. Due to his brother's influence and the support of the Irish catholic interest, he was elected MP forCounty Mayo in 1782, which he would hold till 1800. His uncle,James Browne, Prime Sergeant, was dismissed in 1782 which led to the brothers going into opposition against the government. In time, they were conciliated by theDuke of Rutland's administration. Browne was appointed to thePrivy council on 20 January 1794.
Browne supportedCatholic emancipation but would not help the Catholic Committee in organising elections in the county;Wolfe Tone believed this was because Browne was unwilling to lose any influence in his locality.[3] On the other hand, Browne and his brother supported the government, keeping the administration inDublin well informed of events in Mayo in the years prior to theIrish Rebellion of 1798. In 1795 Browne and his brother Lord Altamount assisted over five hundred Ulster families who fled to Mayo in the wake of disturbances arising from theBattle of the Diamond. All the refugees were carefully questioned to root out any disaffected elements, the families settling on the family estates.[3]
He was appointedHigh Sheriff of Mayo for 1798, the year of theIrish Rebellion. During this time his home inClaremorris was destroyed by the rebels.
Browne had a well-earned reputation as a feared duelist. While Sheriff, he fought againstGeorge Robert FitzGerald; another, during the election of 1790, against his electoral opponent, John Bingham. In 1801 he fought against another parliamentary opponent, won, and was returned unopposed forCounty Mayo.
Browne's subsequent support for theActs of Union 1800 failed to gain him apeerage, though his brother was made firstMarquess of Sligo. In the following decades he representedMayo (1800–1818) andKilkenny City (1820–26), strongly supporting military coercion in Ireland.
Browne was unpopular in Ireland for hanging many Irish rebels and a seeming lack of committee to support Catholic emancipation fully.[4]
He had many nicknames includingDenis of the Rope or its Irish language versionDonnchadh an Rópa andSoap the Rope Browne. A poem was written about him which Douglas Hyde translated from Irish:[5]
"If I got your hand, it is I would take it,
But not to shake it, O Denis Browne,
But to hang you high with a hempen cable,
And your feet unable to find the ground,
For it's many the boy who was strong and able,
You sent in chains with your tyrant frown;
But they’ll come again, with the French flag waving,
And the French drums raving to strike you down."
He married his cousin Anne Mahon (died 1833) of Castlegar, County Galway, in 1790, having five sons and four daughters. Two of his sons,James andPeter, also served in the commons from the 1820s. He was instrumental in securing the election of his cousin,Dominick Browne, 1st Baron Oranmore and Browne, supposedly encouraging him to fight a duel to gain votes (Martyn, 2001).
His godson was "Johnny the Outlaw"[5]
He died at his home in Claremorris. A portrait of him bySir Joshua Reynolds hangs inWestport House.
| Parliament of Ireland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forMayo 1782 –1800 With:James Cuffe to 1798 George Jackson from 1798 | Act of Union |
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
| New constituency Before theAct of Union, seeCounty Mayo | Member of Parliament forCounty Mayo 1801 –1818 With:George Jackson to 1802 Henry Dillon-Lee 1802–14 Dominick Browne | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forKilkenny City 1820 –1826 | Succeeded by |
