Lord Chancellor of Ireland

The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.

Lord Chancellors of Ireland, 1186–1922

12th century

• Stephen Ridell. Appointed in 1186.

13th century

• John de Worchley (1219–1234).
• Ralph Neville (1234–1235). Also Lord Chancellor of England, Bishop of Chichester and Archbishop of Canterbury.
• Alan de Sanctafide (1235–1237).
• Geoffrey de Turville (1237).
• Ralph de Norwich former Bishop of Norwich (1237–1238).
• Robert Luttrell (1238–1245).
• William Welwood (1245–1259).
• Fromund Le Brun (1259–1283). He was elected Archbishop of Dublin and claimed the position in contest to William de la Corner from 1271 to 1279. Pope Nicholas III declared both elections void in 1279.
• Walter de Fulburn (1283–1288).
• William Le Buerlaco (1288–1292).
• Thomas Cantock, Bishop of Emly (1292–1294)
• Adam de Wodington. Appointed in 1294.

14th century

• Thomas Cantock, Bishop of Emly (1306–1308)
• Adam de Wodington (1308). The same as above.
• Richard de Beresford. Deputy in 1307, Chancellor in 1308.
• Walter de Thornbury. Died in 1313 while traveling to Avignon. His ship was sunk in a storm.
• Stephen Riddel (c. 1313–1318).
• William FitzJohn, Bishop of Ossory (1318–1320)
• Roger Utlagh, Prior of Kilmainham. Appointed in 1321.
• Alexander de Bicknor, Primate of Ireland (c. 1325–1343).
• John L'Archers, Prior of St. John of Jerusalem. Appointed in 1343.
• John Morice. c.1344
• John Frowyk, Prior of St. John of Jerusalem (1357–1371)
• John de Bothby (1371–1374).
• William Tany, Prior of St. John of Jerusalem (1374–1377).
  • John Kippoch, Lord Keeper in the absence of William Tany to Jerusalem.
• Robert Wikeford, Primate of Ireland (1377–1379).
• John Colton, Deans of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin (1379–1382). Later Archbishop of Armagh.
• William Tany, Prior of St. John of Jerusalem (1382–1385). The same as above.
• Alexander de Balscot, Bishop of Ossory (1385–1388).
• Richard Plunkett (1388–1393)
• Richard Northalis, Bishop of Ossory (1393–1397). Also Primate of Ireland from 1395 to his death.

15th century

• Thomas Cranley, Primate of Ireland (1401–1410)
  • Sir Laurence Merbury, Deputy Chancellor (1403–1410). Exercised the duties while the Chancellor suffered from poor health.
• Patrick Barrett, Bishop of Ferns (1410–1412)
• Thomas Le Boteller, Prior of Kilmainham. Lord Keeper (1412–1413). The name of his family would change to Butler.
  • Robert Sutton, Deputy Chancellor (1412–1413)
• Thomas Cranley, Primate of Ireland (1413–1417). The same as above.
• Sir Laurence Merbury (1417). The same as above.
• William Fitz Thomas, Prior of Kilmainham (c. 1417–1418)
• William Yonge, Archdeacon of Meath (c. 1418–1419)
• Richard Talbot (Dublin) , Primate of Ireland (1423–1426)
• William Fitz Thomas (1426). The same as above.
• Sir Richard FitzEustace (1426)
• Richard Talbot (Dublin) , Primate of Ireland (1426–1441)
• Thomas Chase (1441–1446).
• Richard Wogan (1446–1449). Lord Chancellor.
  • William Chevers (1446–1449). Deputy Chancellor
• Walter Devereux (1449–1451).
• Edmund, Earl of Rutland (1451–1460). Lord Chancellor, underage.
  • Edmund Oldhall (1451–1454)., Bishop of Meath, Deputy Chancellor, exercised the duties of the office.
  • John Talbot, later 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury (1454–1460). Deputy Chancellor, exercised the duties of the office.
• John Dynham (1460–1461), Lord Chancellor
  • Sir Robert Preston, 1st Viscount Gormanston, Deputy Chancellor.
• Sir William Welles (1461 - 1462)
• John Tiptoft, 1st Earl of Worcester (1462–1463). By decree of Edward IV of England he held the title of Lord Chancellor for life. He continued receiving the salary of the position and exercising some of its influence until his death in 1470.
• Thomas FitzGerald, 7th Earl of Kildare (c. 1463–1468). By decree of Edward IV of England he held the title of Lord Chancellor for life. He continued receiving the salary of the position and exercising some of its influence until his death in 1478.
• Robert Allanstown (1468–1469)
• William Dudley (1469–1472)
• Joined Lord Chancellors of Ireland (1472–1477)
  • Robert FitzEustace
  • John Taxton
• Gilbert de Venham (1474)
• Rowland FitzEustace, 1st Baron Portlester (1474–1480).
• William Sherwood, Bishop of Meathe (1480–1482)
• Robert St Lawrence, 3rd Baron Howth (May 1483, died a few months later)
• Sir Thomas FitzGerald of Laccagh (c. 1483–1487)
• Rowland FitzEustace, 1st Baron Portlester (1487–1492). The same as above.
• Alexander Plunket (1492–1494)
• Henry Deane (1494–1495)
• Walter Fitzsimon, Primate of Ireland (1496–1498)
• William Rokeby, Bishop of Meath (1498–1509)

16th century

• Nicholas St Lawrence, 4th Baron Howth (1509–1513)
• Sir William Compton (courtier) (1513–1515)
• William Rokeby, Primate of Ireland (1515–1521). The former Bishop of Meath.
• Hugh Inge, Primate of Ireland (1522–1528)
• John Alen, Primate of Ireland (1528–1532)
• George Cromer, Archbishop of Armagh (1532–1534)
• John Barnewall, 3rd Baron Trimlestown (1534–1538)
• Sir John Alan (1538–1546, 1548-1551). Lord Keeper from 1538 to 1539, Lord Chancellor from 1539 to 1546: removed but later reinstated.
• Sir Richard Reade (1546–1548)
• Sir Thomas Cusack (Irish judge) (1551–1554)
• Sir William Fitzwilliam (Lord Deputy), Lord Keeper (1554)
• Hugh Curwen, Primate of Ireland (1554–1567). Lord Chancellor from 1554 to 1558, Lord Keeper from 1558 to 1559, Lord Chancellor from 1559 to 1567.
• Robert Weston, Dean of Arches (1567–1573)
• Adam Loftus, Primate of Ireland (1573–1576 )
• Sir William Gerard (1576-1581 )
• Adam Loftus (Archbishop), Primate of Ireland, (1581-1605) the same as the above.

17th century

• Thomas Jones, Primate of Ireland (1605–1619)
• Adam Loftus, 1st Viscount Loftus (1619–1639)
• Sir Richard Bolton (1639–1650).
• Roger Tasker (1650–1655). His exact years of term are uncertain but might fit the time from the death of his predecessor to the next known appointment.
• Commissioners of the Great Seal of Ireland (1655–1656)
  • Richard Pepys, Chief Commissioner (1655–1656)
  • Gerard Lowther (1589-1680), Second Commissioner (1655–1656)
  • Miles Corbet, Third Commissioner (1655–1656)
• William Steele (1656–1660)
• Sir Maurice Eustace (1660–1665)
• Michael Boyle, Archbishop of Armagh (1665–1686)
• Sir Charles Porter (1686–1687)
• Sir Alexander Fitton (1687–1690)
• Commissioners of the Great Seal of Ireland (1690)
  • Sir Richard Pyne (1690)
  • Sir Richard Ryves (1690)
  • Robert Rochfort (1690)
• Charles Porter, (1690–1696)
• in commission (1696–1697)
• John Methuen (1697–1703)

18th century

• Sir Richard Cox (1703–1707)
• Richard Freeman (1707–1710)
• in commission (1710)
• Sir Constantine Henry Phipps (1710–1714)
• The Viscount Midleton (1714–1725)
• Richard West (1725–1726)
• The Lord Wyndham (1726–1739)
• The Viscount Jocelyn (1739–1756)
• The Lord Bowes (1757–1767)
• The Viscount Lifford (1767–1789)
• in commission (1789)
• The Earl of Clare (1789–1802)

19th century

• The Lord Redesdale 1802–1806
• George Ponsonby (1806–1807)
• The Lord Manners (1807–1827)
• Sir Anthony Hart (1827–1830)
• The Lord Plunket (1830–1834)
• Sir Edward Sugden (1835)
• The Lord Plunket (1835–1841)
• The Lord Campbell (1841)
• Sir Edward Sugden (1841–1846)
• Maziere Brady (1846–1852)
• Francis Blackburne (1852)
• Maziere Brady (1853–1858)
• Sir Joseph Napier (1858–1859)
• Maziere Brady (1859–1866)
• Francis Blackburne (1866–1867)
• Abraham Brewster (1867–1868)
• The Lord O'Hagan (1868–1874)
• Commissioners of the Great Seal of Ireland (1874–1875)
  • Sir Joseph Napier, Chief Commissioner (1874–1875)
  • James Anthony Lawson (1874–1875)
  • William Brooke (1874–1875)
• John Ball (1875–1880)
• The Lord O'Hagan (1880–1881)
• Hugh Law (1881–1883)
• Sir Edward Sullivan (1883–1885)
• John Naish (1885)
• The Lord Ashbourne (1885–1886)
• John Naish (1886)
• The Lord Ashbourne (1886–1892)
• Samuel Walker (1892–1895)
• The Lord Ashbourne (1895–1905)

20th century

• Sir Samuel Walker (1905–1911)
• Redmond Barry (1911–1913)
• Sir Ignatius O'Brien (1913–1918)
• Sir James Campbell (1918–1921)
• Sir John Ross (1921–1922)

External links

• The Lives of the Lord Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of Ireland - from the earliest times to the reign of Queen Victoria by J. Roderick O'Flanagan, 1870 publication