Murrough Boyle, 1st Viscount Blesington

Murragh Boyle, 1st Viscount Blesington (c.1645–1718) was an Irish peer and member of the House of Lords.

Murrough (or Murragh) Boyle was born in Cork, Ireland, the only surviving son of The Most Reverend Michael Boyle, Archbishop of Armagh and his second wife Mary O'Brien, daughter of Dermod O'Brien, 5th Baron Inchiquin. He married twice; firstly Mary Parker, daughter of Dr. John Parker, Archbishop of Dublin and secondly Lady Mary or Ann Coote, daughter of Charles Coote, 2nd Earl of Mountrath. By his first wife he had a daughter Mary and by his second a son and heir, Charles and two daughters Alicia and Anne. Alicia married Pierce Butler, 4th Viscount Ikerrin and had one son James who succeeded to his father's title but died young. Anne married William Stewart, 2nd Viscount Mountjoy and was the mother of William Stewart, 1st Earl of Blessington.

He matriculated at Trinity College, Dublin, on 8 August 1662. He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Kilmallock from 1665 to 1666. He was created 1st Viscount Blesington, co. Wicklow [Ireland] and 1st Baron Boyle, County Wicklow [Ireland] on 23 August 1673, with a special remainder to the male heirs of his father. He was invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Ireland] in June 1675. He held the office of Constable of King John's Castle (Limerick) between 1679 and 1692. He held the office of Governor of Limerick between 1679 and 1692. He was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Law (LL.D.) in 1682. He held the office as one of Lord Justices (Ireland) in 1696, although he only held this office for a fortnight, and was never elected. He was a Commissioner of the Great Seal of Ireland on 21 December 1697.

Murrough was author of a tragedy, entitled "The Lost Princess". Baker, a contemporary dramatic critic, characterised this production as "truly contemptible", and added that the "genius and abilities of the writer did no credit to the name of Boyle".

On his death in Dublin on 26 April 1718 he was buried at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. His title was inherited by his son Charles Boyle, 2nd Viscount Blesington. On Charles' death without a male heir his estates passed to his surviving sister Anne.

External links

• Boyle Genealogy