1761-1830. English Whig politician.

• Born at Gibraltar on the 20th of March 1761; son of a wealthy Irish merchant of London, who was living there as prize agent
• Educated at Eton and Peterhouse, Cambridge (LL.B. 1784)
• Called to the bar but abandoned law for politics
• 1788: Elected MP for Colchester; defeated in 1790. 
• 1796-1806: MP for Southwark
• 1798: Tierney was a prominent opponent of Pitt’s policy and in May 1798 Pitt accused him of want of patriotism. A duel ensued at Putney Heath on Sunday, 27 May; neither combatant was injured. 
• 1803: After peace had been ratified with France and Pitt was out of office, he joined the ministry of Addington as treasurer of the navy and was created a privy councillor, offending most of the influential Whigs
• 1806-07: MP for Athlone 
• 1806: On the death of Fox he joined the Grenville ministry as president of the board of control, bringing himself once more into line with the Whigs.
• 1807-12: MP for Bandon
• 1812-18: MP for Appleby 
• 1817: After the death of George Ponsonby, Tierney became the recognised leader of the opposition in the House of Commons. 
• 1818-30: MP for Knaresborough 
• 1827:  Master of the mint in Canning’s ministry
• He died suddenly on the 25th of January 1830.