Granard was enfranchised in 1679 by a charter and a grant of land to Francis Aungier, Earl of Longford. Part of the Aungier inheritance went to James Macartney and his ultimate heiresses, his grand-daughters Alice Macartney and Frances Grenville née Macartney. In 1783 the borough was described as: 'a Manor. Right of voting in Freeholders. Patrons, Mr Greville and Mrs Macartney. The electors, about 50 Freemen and Freeholders.' At this time both seats were sold and the government named the purchasers.261 In 1790 a critical assessment was that:
This is a close Borough, entirely under the dominion of the Macartney family, two sisters of which, Mrs Macartney and the late Mrs Greville, were long its joint proprietors, appointing its electors, and nominating its representatives and a similar dominion over its seeming elections is at present enjoyed by the former lady and the honourable Mr Littleton (1297), Lord Westcote's son, the representative of the latter lady, who for such a length of time was, together with her sister, the matron-like producer of Members of Parliament. It has always been exposed to sale and the mental qualities of its would-be Members were the only points not investigated in the traffic for its purchase. The weight of their purse and not the extent of their understandings, is ever their only recommendation.
The members, John Ormsby Vandeleur (2137) and Thomas Pakenham Vandeleur (2138), were nephews of Lord Longford, who, in 1791, was thought to direct their votes.262 Granard was disfranchised at the Union and the £15,000 compensation equally divided between Lord Lyttleton and W. F. Greville (0903).
