Munro, Henry, a distinguished United Irishman, was born in Lisbum, about 1768. At the termination of his appren- ticeship he entered into the linen business, and shortly afterwards married. He is described as of fair complexion, with in- telligent features and large blue eyes ; of middle size, and remarkable for strength and agility. He was, says Mr. Madden, scrupulously honourable in his dealings, truthful and faithful. A Presbyterian, he was the ardent advocate of Catholic Emancipation, and to forward this object he joined the United Irishmen in 1795. He had been a Volunteer, and always had a taste for military studies ; yet we are told that leadership in the ensuing insurrection was rather pressed upon him. At the breaking out of the insurrection in 1798, Munro occupied Ballynahinch, in Down. The disposition of his forces was made with great care. There on the 13th June he was attacked by General Nugent with about 1,600 men and eight pieces of artillery, and what has been since known as the battle of Ballynahinch, was fought. The insurgents defended themselves for a time with stubborn pertinacity. " Ex- posed to the cross-fire of musketry in the market square, raked by artillery, their ammunition exhausted, they still pressed boldly on the royalists with pike and bayonet." But as in every other important engagement in the Insurrection they were in the end overpowered. Munro fled alone and unattended to the mountains ; but was eventually captured, tried by coui't-martial, and executed at Lisbum, opposite his own door. He displayed wonderful fortitude at the foot of the gaUows ; gave directions concerning an unsettled account with a neighbour, and after uttering the words, "Tell my country I deserved better of it," gave the signal for his own execution. His widow sur- vived uuliI February 1840. 37 330
Murphy, Arthur, actor and dramatic author, was born near Elphin, County of Roscommon, 27th December 1730.40
Early in 1736 he was sent to an aunt re- siding at Boulogne, by whom he was placed at St. Omer's. He was there known as "Arthur French," it being necessary for Irish boys to assume false names to avoid the penalties incurred by being edu- cated abroad, while at the same time education at home was forbidden unless at Protestant schools. He passed with credit through the full course of study, and in 1744 returned to his relatives, then settled in London. He applied himself to law for a time ; served in a merchant's oflBce in Cork for two years, and then
in the banking house of Alderman Iron- side, London. After this he turned his attention to literature, and for two years edited the Gray's Inn Journal. He then attempted the stage, but was not suc- cessful. At last he hit upon his vein in dramatic authorship. The Apprentice, a farce, brought him in nearly £800, and enabled him to pay his debts and com- plete his legal studies, but in consequence of his connexion with the stage, the Benchers refused to admit him to the Bar, until Lord Mansfield lised his good offices. Murphy's mature life was passed as a bar- rister, a dramatic author, and a classical translator, and in all walks alike he may be said to have distinguished himself. He was never married. Towards the close of his life he fell into poor circumstances, from which he was rescued by receiving the appointment of Commissioner of Bank- rupts, and a Civil List pension of £200 per annum. He was also bequeathed some property in the West Indies. Arthur Murphy died at his lodgings. Knights- bridge, London, i8th June 1805, aged 74, attended to the last by his landlady and her Irish servant girl, who were both devoted to him. He is described as having been " Tall and graceful : . . his face oval, and marked a little with small-pox, his nose aquiline ; his eyes light and fuU ; his complexion fair ; and his voice deep and sonorous ; he rarely laughed loud, but his smile was uncom- monly gracious." Of his plays, one tra- gedy, three comedies, and three farces have retained their hold of the stage to the present day. " Murphy," says Macau- lay, "was supposed to understand the temper of the wit of his time as well as any man." Hazlitt writes of him : " Mur- phy's plays of All in the Wrong, and Know your own Mind, are admirably written — with sense, spirit, and conception of cha- racter, but without any great efi"ect of the humorous, or that truth of feeling which distinguishes the boundary between the absurdities of natural character and the gratuitous fictions of the poet's pen." Yet Moore said " he was a dull man in spite of his comedies, which act well, but read most ponderously."16Chancellor Kent remarks : "His translation [of Tacitus] wants the compression of the original, and is too periphrastic. . . [It is] distinguished for elegance, and strength, and dignity, and gives the sense of the original with fidelity." 16 40 116(45) 248
Murphy, James Cavanah, a native of Ireland, who gained some reputation as a traveller and an author, and more by his skill as an architectural artist, but 354
