James Bernard (politician)

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James Bernard (8 December 1729 – 7 July 1790)[1] was an Irish politician and ancestor of the Earls of Bandon.

He was the son of Major North Ludlow Bernard and his first wife Rose Echlin, daughter of John Echlin of Ardquin, County Down, and niece of Sir Henry Echlin, 1st Baronet. He was the grandson of Francis Bernard, Solicitor-General for Ireland, Member of Parliament and judge of the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland), and his wife Alice Ludlow.[2] Bernard represented County Cork in the Irish House of Commons from 1781 until his death in 1790.[1]

He married Esther Smyth, youngest daughter of Percy Smyth of Headborough, son of Sir Percy Smyth of Ballynatray, County Waterford, and his wife Elizabeth Jervois, and widow of Robert Gookin of Courtmacsherry, County Cork.[3] They had five daughters and a son, Francis, who was elevated to the Peerage of Ireland as Earl of Bandon. His main residence was Castle Bernard near Bandon, which he inherited from his uncle Francis.[2] It was destroyed during the Irish War of Independence.[4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Leigh Rayment - Irish House of Commons 1692-1800". Archived from the original on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ a b Burke, John (1832). A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire. Vol. I (4th ed.). London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley. p. 74.
  3. ^ Cokayne Complete Peerage Reprinted in 6 Volumes Gloucester 2000 Vol.1 p.408
  4. ^ Irish Times "Lady Bernard- obituary" June 19, 2010
Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by Member of Parliament for County Cork
1781–1790
With: Richard Townsend 1781–1783
Robert King, Viscount Kingsborough 1783–1790
Succeeded by