while these irish bulls have led many writers to portray roche as a buffoon, other biographers have interpreted them not as blunders, but as calculated attempts to disarm opposition to ministerial policies through humour. roche ended his political career with the passage of the act of union 1800, which he supported. he chose not to attempt to enter the british house of commons and retired on a government pension until his death, married but childless, in 1807.