George Ogle

The earlier, called "Banna's Banks" beginning "Shepherds, I have lost my love", was said to be inspired by Miss Stepney, of Durrow House, Queen's County, afterwards Mrs. Burton Doyne of Wells.

A brilliant speaker, he delighted in 'splendid superlatives and figurative diction, whilst the spirit and energy of his manner corresponded to the glowing warmth of his expressions'.

He joined the whig party, and, although in favour of extending to Ireland popular rights and legislative independence, he was opposed to catholic emancipation, and was a staunch upholder of the established church.

Before 1778, he was challenged to a duel by Barney Coyle, a whisky distiller and member of the catholic board, on the ground that he had publicly said that "a papist could swallow a false oath as easily as a poached egg".

Shortly afterward he publicly stated that some newspapers had misrepresented his sentiments on a former debate, on bringing in a bill to relax the popery laws, and had put words into his mouth which he never said, particularly that he hated an Irish papist, which was foreign to his thoughts.

He hated no man on account of his faith.In 1779, he attacked Fox and the opposition in England for not resisting with greater vivacity Lord North's coercive policy in Ireland.

Fox wrote to the Duke of Leinster explaining the difficulties of the parliamentary situation at Westminster, and expressed especial regret at Ogle's dissatisfaction "because I have always heard that he is a very honest man and a good whig".