Barry Yelverton, 1st Viscount Avonmore, PC (Ire) KC (28 May 1736 – 19 August 1805) was an Irish judge and politician.
He was the eldest son of Francis Yelverton of Blackwater, County Cork. He was educated at Trinity College Dublin, he was for some years an assistant master under Andrew Buck in the Hibernian Academy. [1]
In 1761, he married Mary Nugent, a lady of some fortune, and was then enabled to read for the bar.
He was called in 1764, his success was rapid, and he took silk eight years afterwards. He was returned to the Irish House of Commons as member for Donegal Borough from 1774 to 1776. In that year, Yelverton was elected for Belfast and Carrickfergus. [1] He chose to sit for the latter and represented the constituency until 1784.
He became Attorney-General for Ireland in 1782, but was elevated to the bench as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in 1783. He was created Baron Yelverton in 1795, and in 1800 Viscount Avonmore in the Peerage of Ireland. In 1797 he attained a degree of infamy for presiding over what was widely regarded as a show trial which led to the execution of the United Irishman, William Orr. He died at Forthfield, County Dublin.[2]
Among his colleagues at the Irish bar, Yelverton was a popular and charming companion. Of insignificant appearance, he owed his early successes to his remarkable eloquence, which made a great impression on his contemporaries; as a judge, he was inclined to take the view of the advocate rather than that of the impartial lawyer. [1] He gave his support to Henry Grattan and the Whigs during the greater part of his parliamentary career, but in his latter days became identified with the court party and voted for the union, for which his viscounty was a reward.[2]
He had three sons and one daughter, and the title descended in the family.
Children of Barry Yelverton and Mary Nugent:
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A Compendium of Irish Biography article Barry Yelverton |
| Parliament of Ireland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Viscount Sudley Richard Gore |
Member of Parliament for Donegal Borough 1774–1776 With: Richard Gore 1774–1776 James Cuffe 1776 |
Succeeded by Henry Vaughan Brooke James Cuffe |
| Preceded by Hon. Henry Skeffington George Hamilton |
Member of Parliament for Belfast 1776–1777 With: Hon. Henry Skeffington |
Succeeded by Hon. Henry Skeffington Alexander Crookshank |
| Preceded by John Chichester Conway Richard Dobbs |
Member of Parliament for Carrickfergus 1776–1784 With: Conway Richard Dobbs |
Succeeded by Waddell Cunningham Conway Richard Dobbs |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by John Scott |
Attorney-General for Ireland 1782–1783 |
Succeeded by John FitzGibbon |
| Preceded by Walter Hussey Burgh |
Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer for Ireland 1783–1805 |
Succeeded by Standish O'Grady |
| Peerage of Ireland | ||
| New creation | Viscount Avonmore 1800–1805 |
Succeeded by William Yelverton |
| Baron Yelverton 1795–1805 |
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