The School for Scandal
Known primarily as a dramatist, Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816) was also a politician, who, as a proud Irishman, advocated change through the parliamentary process. He sympathized with the tenets of the Society of United Irishmen (founded in 1791) who wanted to unite all religions in Ireland, and, as MP for Ilchester in 1807, he opposed the repressive Irish Insurrection Bill. He also promoted the need for reform of land tenure in Ireland, and, as a Protestant, consistently sought Catholic emancipation for all levels of Irish society. On display is a Dublin printed dis-bound copy of his very successful The School for Scandal, first performed in 1777, and frequently revived since.