Butt, Isaac (1813-1879), an Irish politician, founded the Home Rule League in 1873, with the aim of gaining self-government for Ireland.
Butt was born in Glenfin, County Donegal, Ireland, on Sept. 6, 1813. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and became a barrister (lawyer qualified to argue cases in the highest courts) in 1838.
In 1852, Butt was elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom. In the late 1860’s, he acted as defense counsel for members of the Fenian movement, which tried to bring about a violent uprising in Ireland against British rule there. Butt died on May 5, 1879.
