The High Sheriff of Kildare was the British Crown's judicial representative in County Kildare,

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Kildare County Sheriff. The High Sheriff had judicial, electoral, ceremonial and administrative functions and executed High Court Writs. In 1908, an

Order in Council An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council (''Kin ...

made the Lord Lieutenant the Sovereign's prime representative in a county and reduced the High Sheriff's precedence. However, the sheriff retained his responsibilities for the preservation of law and order in the county. The usual procedure for appointing the sheriff from 1660 onwards was that three persons were nominated at the beginning of each year from the county and the Lord Lieutenant then appointed his choice as High Sheriff for the remainder of the year. Often the other nominees were appointed as under-sheriffs. Sometimes a sheriff did not serve his full term due to death or another event, and another sheriff was then appointed for the remainder of the year. The dates given in this article are the dates of appointment. In Ireland, the County Sheriffs were selected or "pricked" by the Lord Lieutenant. All addresses are in County Kildare unless stated otherwise.

List of High Sheriffs of County Kildare

Pre-17th century

Source: Kildare Archeological Society *1299 : William AlysaundreBall, F. Elrington ''The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921'' London John Murray 1926 *1301: Albert de Kenley *1303 Sir Waleran de Wellesley (or John de Wellesley),

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

, killed in battle with the

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, October 1303, aged 70. Son of

Waleran de Wellesley Waleran de Wellesley (died c.1276) was a judge, statesman and landowner in thirteenth century Ireland. He was a member of the Privy Council of Ireland. He was the ancestor of the Duke of Wellington, and as far as is known, was the first of the de We ...

(died c.1276), justice in eyre, ancestor of the Duke of Wellington; *1306: Sir Hugh Canoun, or Canon. *1310–1314: David le Maryner (or Mazener) *1355: Richard Penkiston (also

Escheator Escheat is a common law doctrine that transfers the real property of a person who has died without heirs to the crown or state. It serves to ensure that property is not left in "limbo" without recognized ownership. It originally applied to a ...

for Kildare) *1368: William De Wellesley (first term) *1372: William de Wellesley (second term) *1374: Walter fitz John le Faunt *1375: John Creef *1376: Adam de Lyt *1378: Robert FitzEustace (? of Cradockstown). *1384 William De Wellesley *1386: Sir Maurice FitzEustace *1391: William de Wellesley *1392: John Fitz Maurice *1394: Patrick Flatesbury *1403: William de Wellesley *1414: Sir Richard FitzEustace *1415–16: Sir Richard De Wellesly of Dangan, County Meath and of Pollardstown, County Kildare *1419: Sir Richard De Wellesley (second term) *1421: Sir Richard De Wellesly of Dangan, County Meath and of Pollardstown, County Kildare (third term) *1422: Sir Richard De Wellesley (fourth term) *1423: Sir Edward FitzEustace, Knt. *1428: Sir Edward FitzEustace, Knt. *1446: Robert Flatesbury (killed 1448) *1452: Christopher De Wellesley of Alasty *1456: Robert FitzEustace of Ballycutland (Coghlanstown) *1465: Christopher Flatesbury of Osbertown *1472: Philip Eustace of Newland *1484: Lawrence Sutton of Barbystown *1493: Richard Eustace of Eilgon (?Eilgowan) *1494: Bartholomew Aylmer of Lyons *1495: Bartholomew Aylmer *1496: Sir William De Wellesley *1498: Laurence Sutton of Tipper *1499: Maurice Eustace of Ballyoutland (Coghlanstown) *1502: Sir William Wogan of Rathcoffey *1507: William Eustace of Newland *1508: Laurence Sutton of Tipper *1509: William Eustace of Cradockstown *1523: Thomas Eustace, 1st Viscount Baltinglass of Henryston (Harristown) *1527: Thomas Netterfeld, snr. *1535: John Eustace of Harriston *1536: James FitzGerald of Osberdiston (Osberstown). *1537–38: Philip fitzMaurice FitzGerald, of Allen. *1540: William Birmingham of Dunfert. *1541: James FitzGerald of Ballysonnane (Ballyshannon). *1542: Nicholas Wogan of Rathcoffey *1543: Richard Aylmer of Lyons *1544: William Eustace of Mone (? Moone) *1556: Nicholas Eustace of Cradockston *1557: Patrick Sarsfield of Castledillon *1558: Redmund Fitzgeralde of Rathangan *1558–1560: Francis Cosby of Even ow Monasterevin*1560: Maurice FitzGerald of "Gerardston" *1567: John Eustace of Castlemartin *1571: Robert Pypho *1573: Piers Fitz-Gerald of Ballysonan *1576: John Eustace of Castle Marten *1578: Peter Fitz-Gerald of Ballysonan *1580: John Eustace of Castle Marten *1581: Piers Fitz-Gerald of Ballysonan *1583: Redmond Bermingham of the Grange *158n: Thomas Fitz-Gerald of Timahoe, Co. Kildare *158n: William Eustace *1592: Maurice Eustace *1593: Sir Richard Fitzgerald *1594: John Sarsfield *1595: Sarsfield *1596: John Fitz-Gerald *1597: Sir Henry Duke *1598: James Fitz-Gerald

17th century

18th century

19th century

20th century

*1900: George Wolfe of Forenaghts and Bishopsland *1901: William Trench Kirkpatrick of Donacomper, Celbridge *1902: Sir Kildare Dixon Borrowes, 10th Baronet of

Barretstown Castle Barretstown Castle is a castle in Ballymore Eustace, County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It stands on the site of a late 12th century Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman castle. It now hosts the Barretstown camp for sick children. History E ...

, Ballymore Eustace,

Naas Naas ( ; ga, Nás na Ríogh or ) is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. In 2016, it had a population of 21,393, making it the second largest town in County Kildare after Newbridge. History The name of Naas has been recorded in th ...

*1903: James Laurence Carew *1903: Bertram Francis Barton of Straffan House *1904: *1906: Nicholas Joseph Synnott. *1906: Henry Eliardo de Courcy-Wheeler of Robertstown House. *1907: Sir William Goulding, 1st Baronet of Millicent,

Sallins Sallins () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland, situated 3.5 km north of the town centre of Naas, from which it is separated by the M7 motorway. Sallins is the anglicised name of ''Na Solláin'' which means "the willows". In the officia ...

. *1908: Bertram Hugh Barton of Straffan House. *1909: Hugh Arthur Henry of Firmount,

. *1910: Joseph Henry Greer of Grange, Moy, Co. Tyrone. *1911: Hugh Wyndham Montgomery of Ballymore. *1912: *1916: Capt Rt Hon Herbert Dixon, OBE, Ballyalloy, Nr

Comber Comber ( , , locally ) is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies south of Newtownards, at the northern end of Strangford Lough. It is situated in the townland of Town Parks, the civil parish of Comber and the historic barony of Ca ...

, Co Down.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:High Sheriff Of Kildare Kildare History of County Kildare