Baron Inchiquin

Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Thomond

Baron Inchiquin (pronounced "Inch-i-quin") is one of the older titles in the Peerage of Ireland. It was one of two titles created on 1 July 1543 for Murrough O'Brien, Prince of Thomond, who was descended from the great high king Brian Boru). The grant of the English titles was conditional upon the abandonment of native titles, the adoption of English customs and laws, pledging of allegiance to the English crown, apostasy from the Catholic Church, and conversion to the Anglican Church. Murrough was made both Earl of Thomond in the Peerage of Ireland, with remainder to his nephew Donough O'Brien and Baron Inchiquin, with remainder to his male heirs.[1]

On his death in 1551, Murrough was succeeded in the earldom, according to the special remainder, by his nephew, the second Earl (see Earl of Thomond for later history of this title), but the barony of Inchiquin passed to his son Dermod, the second baron. Dermod's great-great-grandson, the sixth baron, was a prominent military commander during the Irish Confederate Wars (1643–48), first for the English Parliament, then as a Royalist commander during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland (1649–53) during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. In 1654 he was created Earl of Inchiquin in the Peerage of Ireland. He was succeeded by his son, the second earl, who served as governor of English Tangier and as Governor of Jamaica. His grandson, the fourth earl, represented Windsor, Camelford and Aylesbury in the British House of Commons.

He was succeeded by his nephew and son-in-law, the fifth earl. In 1800, he was created Marquess of Thomond in the Peerage of Ireland, with remainder to his brother the Hon Edward O'Brien. The following year he was made Baron Thomond of Taplow in the County of Buckingham in the Peerage of the United Kingdom to allow him to sit in the House of Lords, with remainder to the male heirs of his body. He died without male issue in 1808, when the barony of Thomond became extinct. He was succeeded in the marquessate according to the special remainder, and in the other Irish titles, by his nephew, the second marquess, the third son of the aforementioned the Hon Edward O'Brien. He was an Irish Representative Peer. In 1826 he was created Baron Tadcaster of Tadcaster in the County of York in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. He had no sons and on his death in 1846 the barony of Tadcaster became extinct. He was succeeded in the Irish peerages by his younger brother, the third marquess. He was an admiral in the Royal Navy. He had no sons and on his death in 1855 the marquessate and earldom of Inchiquin became extinct.

He was succeeded in the barony of Inchiquin by his distant relative Sir Lucius O'Brien, 5th Baronet, who became the thirteenth baron (see below for earlier history of the baronetcy). He had earlier represented County Clare in the House of Commons and was later an Irish Representative Peer. He also served as Lord Lieutenant of County Clare. He was succeeded by his son, the fourteenth Baron. He was also an Irish Representative Peer and Lord Lieutenant of County Clare. His son, the fifteenth baron, also sat in the House of Lords as an Irish Representative Peer. As of 2014 the titles are held by his grandson, the eighteenth baron, who succeeded his uncle in 1982. In the Gaelic nobility Lord Inchiquin is The O'Brien, Chief of the Name, Prince of Thomond.

The O'Brien Baronetcy, of Leaghmenagh in the County of Clare, was created in the Baronetage of Ireland in 1686 for Donough O'Brien, who had earlier represented County Clare in the Irish House of Commons. He was the great-great-grandson and namesake of Donough O'Brien (died 1582), younger son of the first Earl of Thomond and first Baron Inchiquin. His grandson, the second baronet, great-grandson the third baronet, and great-great-grandson the fourth baronet, also represented County Clare in the Irish Parliament, with the fourth baronet also representing Ennis. The latter was succeeded by his son, the fifth baronet, who in 1855 inherited the barony of Inchiquin.

The family seat was Dromoland Castle, near Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare. The current baron lives in Thomond House adjacent to Dromoland.

Barons Inchiquin (1543)

Earls of Inchiquin (1654)

Marquesses of Thomond (1800)

Barons Inchiquin (1543; Reverted)

The heir presumptive is the present holder's second cousin Conor John Anthony O'Brien (born 1952).
The heir presumptive's heir apparent is his only son Fionn Murough O'Brien (born 1987).

O'Brien Baronets, of Leaghmenagh (1686)

see above for further succession

The O'Brien Line of Conor O'Brien, Chief of the Name

There is some overlap with the Barons Inchiquin; those people are marked off in bold.

Art and culture

Lord Inchiquin is the name of a traditional Irish air by O'Carolan, assumed to be dedicated to his contemporary William O'Brien, 4th Earl of Inchiquin.

The painter George O'Brien, who made his name as an artist in New Zealand, was a descendant of the first Baron Inchiquin.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ O'Brien, Ivar (1986). O'Brien of Thomond: The O'Briens in Irish History 1500–1865. Chichester: Phillimore. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0 85033 582 5.

References

Further reading

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