High Sheriff of Longford

The High Sheriff of Longford was the British Crown’s judicial representative in County Longford, Ireland from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Longford County Sheriff. The sheriff had judicial, electoral, ceremonial and administrative functions and executed High Court Writs. In 1908, an Order in Council made the Lord-Lieutenant the Sovereign's prime representative in a county and reduced the High Sheriff's precedence. However the sheriff retained his responsibilities for the preservation of law and order in the county. The usual procedure for appointing the sheriff from 1660 onwards was that three persons were nominated at the beginning of each year from the county and the Lord Lieutenant then appointed his choice as High Sheriff for the remainder of the year. Often the other nominees were appointed as under-sheriffs. Sometimes a sheriff did not fulfil his entire term through death or other event and another sheriff was then appointed for the remainder of the year. The dates given hereunder are the dates of appointment. All addresses are in County Longford unless stated otherwise.

High Sheriffs of County Longford

• 1611: Robert Bellingham^[1]
• 1623: Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet^[1]
• Mathew Wilder
• 1756: Ralph Fetherston, later Sir Ralph Fetherston, 1st Baronet of Ardagh ^[2]
• 1765: Henry Gore, 1st and last Baron Annaly of Tenelick^[1]
• 1781: Sir Thomas Fetherston, 2nd Baronet of Ardagh ^[3]
• 1801: The Hon. Sir Thomas Gleadowe-Newcomen, 2nd Baronet of Carrickglass ^[4]
• 1806: Luke White^[1]
• 1816: Alexander Burrowes^[1]
• 1824: John Thompson, of Clonfin^[5]
• 1825: Thomas Achmuty, of Longford^[6]
• 1827: J. Barber, Moss Vale, Esq. Edgeworthstown^[7]
• 1828: William Lloyd Galbraith, of Carrickrone, Edgeworthstown.^[8]
• 1834: Sir George Ralph Fetherston, 3rd Baronet of Ardagh ^[9]
• 1834: Samuel Wensley Blackhall, jnr, of Corlamber^[10]
• 1840: Thomas White
• 1840–1844: Captain Thomas Hussey of Castlecor
• 1845: George Lefroy, of Carrickglass^[11]
• 1849: Anthony Lefroy, of Carrighglass^[12]
• 1850: John Shuldham, of Moy Ballymahon^[13]
• 1856: John Bond of Castlecor
• 1858: Sir Thomas John Fetherston, 5th Baronet ^[14]
• 1861: Henry Donping(?), Erne Hall, Granard.^[15]
• 1862: Walter Nugent, Donore, Multifarnham.^[16]
• 1864: James Wilson of Currygrane ^[17]
• 1867: Joseph Richard O'Reilly^[18]
• 1868: Nathaniel Hone Dyas, J.P., of Athboy House & Staholmack, Co Meath
• 1871: Luke White, 2nd Baron Annaly of Annaly and Rathcline^[1]
• 1873: Arthur Shirley Ball of Cabbaglair
• 1874: Henry Bruce Armstrong^[1]
• 1875: George Huband Gregg^[19]
• 1876: William John Fitzpatrick^[20]
• 1877: George Warner Slator^[21]
• 1879: John Porter-Porter^[1]
• 1888: Sir George Errington, Bt of Lackham House, Wiltshire
• 1893: Edward Skeffington Randal Smyth, of Mount Henry^[22]
• 1894: Henry Bruce Armstrong
• 1897: Sir George Ralph Fetherston, 6th Baronet ^[23]
• 1906: Charles James Clerk of Castlecor

References