Sir Henry Grattan Bellew

The Tuam Herald, Saturday, August 21, 1920.

Our popular neighbour, Sir Henry Grattan Bellew, Bart, of Mount Bellew, one of the best known public men to Galway, has, as a protest against the present regime, resigned his positions as Deputy Lieutenant and Magistrate for his native county — a position he filled for over 40 years. In a respectful but firm letter to the Lord Chancellor he announced his resolve and his reasons. He comes from an old and respected County Galway family. His father was member for Galway sixty years ago. He is the lineal descendant and heir of his class, and he stuck Unionist like nearly all his class, and he stuck to his opinions with characteristic courage. Seeing, however, the error of his ways, he has now, like all his class worth their salt, become a Home Ruler. He stood some years ago for his native county, wishing, naturally, to represent it in Parliament. No one had a greater right to do so, yet the junta that then controlled Irish politics and helped to bring things to the present pass willed otherwise and he was respected for a Portumna publican, himself to be run out of the position and politics later on. Were Sir Henry to stand now things would be different we are sure. He has since he settled down here in his ancestral home at Mount Bellew interested himself actively and usefully to every public and private movement calculated to do good. He established a thriving Co—operative Society in his district and it has grown to be a big, prosperous business and has recently taken over and successfully run a flour mill. He stands high in the esteem of all classes of his countrymen to—day.