William Plunket, 4th Baron Plunket
William Conyngham Plunket, 4th Baron Plunket (26 August 1828 – 1 April 1897) was a Church of Ireland Dean of Christ Church Cathedral and Archbishop of Dublin.[1]
[edit] Life
Born in Dublin, he was the eldest son of John Plunket, 3rd Baron Plunket and Charlotte Bushe. Plunket was educated at Cheltenham College and Trinity College, Dublin before being appointed chaplain and private secretary to his uncle, the Bishop of Tuam, in 1857, a post he held for seven years. The following year, he became Rector of Kilmoyan and Cummer in County Galway.
In 1864, he returned to Dublin as Treasurer of St Patrick's Cathedral, of which he was appointed Preceptor in 1869.
In 1876, Lord Plunket (as he became on succeeding his father in 1871) was consecrated Bishop of Meath, and in 1884 he was finally appointed Archbishop of Dublin, an office he held until his death. He was Dean of Christ Church Cathedral from 1884 until 1887.
Plunket received an honorary degree from Cambridge University in 1888.[2] He also served as a Commissioner of Education from 1895 onwards, and was a senator of the Royal University of Ireland.[1]
[edit] Family
In 1863 he married Anne Lee Guinness, daughter of Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness. Their son William was to have a successful career in government administration. Another son, Benjamin, served as Bishop of Ormonde and was the father of Olive, Countess Fitzwilliam. His sister married John Darley, bishop of Kilmore, Elphin, and Ardagh.[3]
His wife having precedeased him in 1889, Lord Plunket died aged 68 in Dublin, and he was buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery.[1] His statue near Leinster House in Kildare Street, Dublin is a familiar landmark.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Langtry, Joe and Nikki Carter, eds. Mount Jerome: A Victorian Cemetery. Staybro Printing Ltd., Dublin 1997. p. 25
- ^ Venn, J.; Venn, J. A., eds (1922–1958). "Plunket, William Conyngham, Baron". Alumni Cantabrigienses (10 vols) (online ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- ^ B. H. Blacker, ‘Darley, John Richard (1799–1884)’, rev. M. C. Curthoys, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
| Religious titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Samuel Butcher |
Bishop of Meath 1876-1884 |
Succeeded by Charles Reichel |
| Preceded by Richard Chenevix Trench |
Archbishop of Dublin 1884-1897 |
Succeeded by Joseph Ferguson Peacocke |
| Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by John Plunket |
Baron Plunket 1871-1897 |
Succeeded by William Plunket |
|
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