The post of Lord President of Munster was the most important office in the English government of the Irish province of
Munster
Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...
from its introduction in the Elizabethan era for a century, to 1672, a period including the
Desmond Rebellions
The Desmond Rebellions occurred in 1569–1573 and 1579–1583 in the Irish province of Munster.
They were rebellions by the Earl of Desmond, the head of the Fitzmaurice/FitzGerald Dynasty in Munster, and his followers, the Geraldines and ...
in Munster, the
Nine Years' War
The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarch ...
, and the
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1641) was an uprising by Irish Catholics in the Kingdom of Ireland, who wanted an end to anti-Catholic discrimination, greater Irish self-governance, and to partially or fully reverse the plantatio ...
. The Lord President was subject to the chief governor, but had full authority within the province, extending to civil, criminal and church legal matters, the imposition of martial law, official appointments, and command of military forces. Some appointments to military governor of Munster were not accompanied by the status of President. The width of his powers led to frequent clashes with the longer established courts, and in 1622 he was warned sharply not to "intermeddle" with cases which were properly the business of those courts. He was assisted by a Council whose members included the
Chief Justice of Munster, another justice and the Attorney General for the Province. By 1620 his council was permanently based in
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
.
The post was suppressed in 1672.
Early history
The position of President of Munster was created at the suggestion of
Sir Henry Sidney
Sir Henry Sidney (20 July 1529 – 5 May 1586), Lord Deputy of Ireland, was the eldest son of Sir William Sidney of Penshurst, a prominent politician and courtier during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI, from both of whom he received ...
in the late 1560s. Filling it proved troublesome initially, since the nomination in 1566 of
Warham St Leger
Sir Warham St Leger PC (Ire) ( – 1597) was an English soldier, administrator, and politician, who sat in the Irish House of Commons in the Parliament of 1585–1586.
Birth and origins
Warham was probably born in 1525 in England, the second so ...
failed to get royal approval.
John Pollard turned down Sidney's offer, ultimately, for financial reasons. Later in 1569
Sir Edward Fitton
Sir Edward Fitton the elder (31 March 1527 – 3 July 1579), was Lord President of Connaught and Thomond and the Vice-Treasurer of Ireland.
Biography
Fitton was the eldest son of Sir Edward Fitton of Gawsworth (d.1548) and Mary Harbottle, daught ...
accepted the position of
Lord President of Connaught
The Lord President of Connaught was a military leader with wide-ranging powers, reaching into the civil sphere, in the English government of Connaught in Ireland, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The office was created in 1569, and in 1 ...
. The first President to be appointed was
Sir John Perrot
Sir John Perrot (7 November 1528 – 3 November 1592) served as Lord Deputy of Ireland, lord deputy to Queen Elizabeth I of England during the Tudor conquest of Ireland. It was formerly speculated that he was an illegitimate son of Henry VIII, t ...
(1568) but it took several years for him to arrive in Munster.
[ There are sources saying that ]Humphrey Gilbert
Sir Humphrey Gilbert (c. 1539 – 9 September 1583) was an English adventurer, explorer, member of parliament and soldier who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and was a pioneer of the English colonial empire in North America ...
had the title in 1569.
From the late 16th or early 17th century, Shandon Castle (just outside the Cork's north gate) became an official residence associated with the office. The castle was used by the administration as a residence, for court hearings, and as a place of imprisonment.
Presidents of Munster
*1568 John Perrot
Sir John Perrot (7 November 1528 – 3 November 1592) served as lord deputy to Queen Elizabeth I of England during the Tudor conquest of Ireland. It was formerly speculated that he was an illegitimate son of Henry VIII, though the idea is reject ...
, not in Ireland until 1571, absent after 1573
*1576–1578 William Drury
Sir William Drury (2 October 152713 October 1579) was an English statesman and soldier.
Family
William Drury, born at Hawstead in Suffolk on 2 October 1527, was the third son of Sir Robert Drury (c. 1503–1577) of Hedgerley, Buckinghamshi ...
*1584–1597 John Norreys John Norreys may refer to:
*Sir John Norris (soldier) or Norreys (c. 1547–1597), the son of Henry Norris, 1st Baron Norreys, a lifelong friend of Queen Elizabeth
*Sir John Norreys (Keeper of the Wardrobe) for Henry VI of England (c. 1400–1466) ...
*1597–1599 Thomas Norreys
Sir Thomas Norris (1556–1599) was an English soldier. He sat in the Irish House of Commons, and was made Lord President of Munster in Ireland. His last name is sometimes spelt Norreys.
Family
He was the fifth son of Henry Norris, 1st Baron ...
*1600–1603 George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd President ...
.
** Carew asked to resign, and was replaced about the time James I came to the English throne. There are different, confused accounts of the transition and outcome, one from the perspective of officials in London, and another local to Munster and indeed Cork. Brouncker, President in title, over-reached his position quickly;
** (I) On one account, Carew was recommending as Vice-President Oliver St John
Sir Oliver St John (; c. 1598 – 31 December 1673) was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640-53. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War.
Early life
St John was the son of Oliver St ...
; but in fact held the post until the appointment of his successor Henry Brouncker.
** (II) On another account, Carew put his post in commission with Charles Wilmot and George Thornton. The post was taken over from them (c.1605) by Henry Becher (d. 1610). Here sources conflict.
** (III) Whatever the nominal position from 1606, Wilmot and Thornton again held the reins of government.
*1607–1615 Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of Danby
Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of Danby, KG (28 June 1573 – 20 January 1643/4) was an English soldier. Outlawed after a killing, he regained favour and became a Knight of the Garter.
Life
He was the second son of Sir John Danvers, Knt., of Daunts ...
*1615 Donogh O'Brien, 4th Earl of Thomond
Donogh O'Brien, 4th Earl of Thomond and Baron Ibrickan, PC (Ire) (died 1624), was a Protestant Irish nobleman and soldier. He fought for Queen Elizabeth during Tyrone's Rebellion and participated in the Siege of Kinsale. He obtained the tran ...
by purchase; died 1624.
*1625 Edward Villiers; died 1626
*1627–1642 William St Leger
Sir William St Leger PC (Ire) (1586–1642) was an Anglo-Irish landowner, administrator and soldier, who began his military career in the Eighty Years' War against Habsburg Spain. He settled in Ireland in 1624, where he was MP for Cork County ...
. After his death the position is three-cornered and unclear and the territory of Munster was in Irish hands, effectively until Cromwell's campaign of reconquest.
*March 1643 Jerome Weston, 2nd Earl of Portland
Jerome Weston, 2nd Earl of Portland (16 December 1605 – 17 March 1663) was an English diplomat and landowner who held the presidency of Munster, Kingdom of Ireland.
Life
He was the second, but the eldest surviving son, of the 1st Earl of Portl ...
is nominated by the king; his title is empty, and the only effect is to offend Murrough O'Brien.
*c.1645 Viscount Muskerry
A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status.
In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...
, though from 1642 with the Confederate Irish, is the royalist nominee.
*1647 Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin
Murrough MacDermod O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin (September 1614 – 9 September 1673), was an Irish nobleman and soldier, who came from one of the most powerful families in Munster. Known as "''Murchadh na dTóiteán''" ("Murrough the Burner" ...
, parliamentary appointee. In 1648 he turns royalist.[
*From about 1649 ]Henry Ireton
Henry Ireton ((baptised) 3 November 1611 – 26 November 1651) was an English general in the Parliamentarian army during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and the son-in-law of Oliver Cromwell. He died of disease outside Limerick in November 16 ...
, died 1651
*? to 1668 Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery
Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery (25 April 1621 – 16 October 1679), styled Lord Broghill from 1628 to 1660, was an Anglo-Irish soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England at various times between 1654 and 1679. Boyle foug ...
, resigned 1668
Vice-presidents and deputies
*1579 Warham St Leger
Sir Warham St Leger PC (Ire) ( – 1597) was an English soldier, administrator, and politician, who sat in the Irish House of Commons in the Parliament of 1585–1586.
Birth and origins
Warham was probably born in 1525 in England, the second so ...
is provost-marshal of Munster.[
*1583 William Stanley acts as deputy.
*1585–1597 ]Thomas Norreys
Sir Thomas Norris (1556–1599) was an English soldier. He sat in the Irish House of Commons, and was made Lord President of Munster in Ireland. His last name is sometimes spelt Norreys.
Family
He was the fifth son of Henry Norris, 1st Baron ...
is vice-president to his brother John.[
*c. 1589 William Herbert, acting vice-president.
*Edward Legge, vice-president.
*1607 After Brouncker's death and before Danvers's appointment, ]Richard Moryson
Sir Richard Moryson (died 1625) was an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1621 to 1622.
Moryson was the son of Thomas Moryson and his wife Elizabeth Moigne, daughter of Thomas Moigne of North Willingham, Lincol ...
and Donogh O'Brien, 4th Earl of Thomond
Donogh O'Brien, 4th Earl of Thomond and Baron Ibrickan, PC (Ire) (died 1624), was a Protestant Irish nobleman and soldier. He fought for Queen Elizabeth during Tyrone's Rebellion and participated in the Siege of Kinsale. He obtained the tran ...
are acting in the post of president.
*1609 Richard Moryson
Sir Richard Moryson (died 1625) was an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1621 to 1622.
Moryson was the son of Thomas Moryson and his wife Elizabeth Moigne, daughter of Thomas Moigne of North Willingham, Lincol ...
, vice-president. In 1613 Moryson tried to purchase the presidency, paying Danvers, but Thomond had the post in the end.[
*1660 ]Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin
Murrough MacDermod O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin (September 1614 – 9 September 1673), was an Irish nobleman and soldier, who came from one of the most powerful families in Munster. Known as "''Murchadh na dTóiteán''" ("Murrough the Burner" ...
, vice-president.
*? Roger Boyle, 2nd Earl of Orrery
Roger Boyle, 2nd Earl of Orrery (24 August 1646 - 29 March 1682), styled Lord Broghill between 1660 and 1679, was an Irish peer and Member of Parliament.
Boyle was born in Dublin, the son of Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery, by Lady Margaret, da ...
as vice-president to his father.
See also
*Lord President of Connaught
The Lord President of Connaught was a military leader with wide-ranging powers, reaching into the civil sphere, in the English government of Connaught in Ireland, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The office was created in 1569, and in 1 ...
* Chief Justice of Munster
*Provinces of Ireland
There have been four Provinces of Ireland: Connacht (Connaught), Leinster, Munster, and Ulster. The Irish language, Irish word for this territorial division, , meaning "fifth part", suggests that there were once five, and at times Kingdom_of_ ...
Notes
{{Reflist, 30em
Government of Ireland
16th-century English people
17th-century English people
Early Modern Ireland
Political office-holders in pre-partition Ireland