Nicholas Le Poer Trench, 9th Earl of Clancarty, 8th Marquess of Heusden (born 1 May 1952) is an Irish peer, as well a nobleman in the Dutch nobility. He serves as an elected Crossbench member of the British House of Lords.
He was born the only son of Power Edward Ford Le Poer Trench, second son of the fifth Earl from his second marriage. In 1995 he succeeded to the titles on the death of his childless uncle, Brinsley Le Poer Trench, 8th Earl of Clancarty. He took his seat in the House of Lords at this time as Viscount Clancarty, a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, because titles in the Peerage of Ireland did not entitle their holders to sit even before the House of Lords Act 1999 removed the majority of the hereditary peers.
Under the terms of that Act, Clancarty lost his automatic right to a seat; he was unsuccessful in the election by the Crossbench hereditary peers of 28 of their number to continue to sit after the Act came into force, finishing 37th in a field of 79 candidates.[1]
He was an unsuccessful candidate in four by-elections caused by the deaths of sitting hereditary peers, being runner-up on two occasions.[2] In 2010 he returned to the House after winning the by-election to replace 4th Viscount Colville of Culross.[3]
Clancarty is a self-employed artist and freelance writer and translator.[4]
| Peerage of Ireland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Brinsley Le Poer Trench |
Earl of Clancarty 1995–present |
Succeeded by Incumbient |
| Dutch nobility | ||
| Preceded by Brinsley Le Poer Trench |
Marquess of Heusden 1995–present |
Succeeded by Incumbient |