‘IRELAND’S GREATEST FAMILY’: THE FITZGERALDS, EARLS OF KILDARE

‘Ireland’s greatest family’: The Fitzgeralds, Earls of Kildare

James Durney

This branch of the Norman Fitz Geralds (fitz means son of) came to Ireland in 1169. The first was Maurice fitz Gerald an adventurer from Wales who accompanied the first Norman invaders to Ireland in 1169. Maurice’s pioneering exploits earned him the reward of a grant of land in the form of the middle cantred of Offelan in County Kildare, which included Naas and the cantred of Wicklow. Maurice is considered the first FitzGerald baron of Offaly. In 1185 King John confirmed this grant as regards the cantred of Offelan to William, eldest son of Maurice FitzGerald, and his heirs, who were known as barons of Naas. A few years later King John confirmed to Gerald, middle son of Maurice FitzGerald, the lands of Rathmore, Maynooth, Laraghbryan, Taghadoe and Straffan.

The earldom was created on 14 May 1316 for Thomas fitz John.  John FitzGerald became the first Earl of Kildare. Two senior FitzGeralds, Garret Mór FitzGerald and his son, Garret Óg FitzGerald, served as Lords Deputy of Ireland (the King’s representative in Ireland). The tenth Earl, Thomas FitzGerald, known as Silken Thomas, was attained and his honours were forfeit in February 1537, when Silken Thomas and his five uncles were executed at Tyburn. The earldom was under attainder since May 1536; Thomas’s half-brother and only male heir, Gerald FitzGerald, was created Earl of Kildare in the Peerage of Ireland on 13 May 1553. He was subsequently restored to the original Patent in 1569, as eleventh Earl.

In 1761 Lord Kildare, Lieutenant-General James FitzGerald (1722-1773), nobleman, soldier and politician was created Earl of Offaly and Marquess of Kildare in the peerage of Ireland and on 26 November 1766 he was further honoured when he was made Duke of Leinster, becoming by this time the Premier Duke, Marquess and Earl in the Peerage of Ireland. The Duke married the fifteen-year-old Lady Emily Lennox, daughter of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond and one of the famous Lennox sisters, in London on 7 February 1747. She was descended from King Charles II and was therefore a cousin of King George III. The couple had nineteen children.

The ‘Duke of Leinster’ title was first borne by Meinhardt Schomberg, Duke of Schomberg. He was created Duke of Leinster by William III for his part in the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Both of his titles became extinct when he died in 1719.

The FitzGerald family were originally located in Maynooth Castle, Co. Kildare. In later centuries they owned estates in Waterford with their country residence being Carton House, the magnificent Georgian edifice outside Maynooth. In Dublin, the Earl built a large townhouse residence on the south side of Dublin, called Kildare House, now known as Leinster House. One of its occupants was the United Irishmen leader, Lord Edward FitzGerald, who died at the beginning of the 1798 Rebellion. The Dukes of Leinster had by the early twentieth century lost all their property and wealth.