John FitzGerald of Dromana

Sir John FitzGerald of Dromana (c. 1635 – 1662 or 1664) was the last of the FitzGeralds of Dromana. He sat as MP for Dungarvan in the Irish Parliament of 1661–1666.

Sir John FitzGerald of Dromana
Lord of the Decies
Tenure1643–1664
PredecessorGerald FitzGerald of Dromana
Bornc. 1635
Died1662 or 1664
Spouse(s)
Issue
Detail
Katherine, Vicountess Grandison
FatherGerald FitzGerald of Dromana
MotherMabel Digby

Birth and origins edit

Family tree
John FitzGerald with his two wives, his parents, and other selected relatives.[a]
John Oge
Power

d.v.p.*
John Oge
FitzGerald
of Dromana

d. 1626
Robert
Digby

1574–1618
courtier
Lettice
Baroness
Offaly

1580–1658
John
Power
5th Baron
Curraghmore

c. 1599 – 1661
Gerald
FitzGerald
of Dromana

1610–1643
Mabel
Digby
Donough
1st Earl

1594–1665
Richard
Power
1st Earl
Tyrone

1630–1690
Katherine
Power

d. 1660
John
FitzGerald
of Dromana

d. 1664
Helen
d. 1722
George
4th Viscount
Grandison

c. 1617 – 1699
John Power,
2nd Earl
of Tyrone

d. 1693
Katherine
1660–1725
Edward
Villiers

c. 1654 – 1693
d.v.p.*
John
Villiers
1st Earl

1684–1766
Legend
XXXSubject of
the article
XXXPower of
Curraghmore
XXXEarls of
Clancarty
XXXViscounts & Earls
of Grandison
XXXBaron
Offaly
*d.v.p. = predeceased his father (decessit vita patris)

John was born about 1635[3] probably at Dromana, the only son of Gerald FitzGerald and his wife Mabel Digby. His father was esquire of Dromana and styled Lord of the Decies. His family was a cadet branch of the FitzGerald of Desmond, an Irish Old English family. The Dromana branch started when Gerald FitzGerald, the second son of James FitzGerald, 6th Earl of Desmond (died 1462) was given Dromana as appanage.[4]

His mother was the second daughter of Sir Robert Digby and his wife Lettice Digby, 1st Baroness Offaly.[5] Her family was English and Protestant.

Irish Wars edit

His father was a protestant like his wife and sided with the government during the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and the ensuing Irish Confederate Wars. He died in 1643 in his early thirties, probably killed in action while fighting the Confederates. Dromana castle had been lost to the insurgents in 1642 or 1643 when his mother surrendered the castle to them. Murrough O'Brien, 6th Baron Inchiquin retook the castle in April 1647.[6]

First marriage and child edit

FitzGerald married first in 1658 Katharine, daughter of John Power, 5th Baron Curraghmore[7][8] and sister of Richard Power, 1st Earl of Tyrone.[9]

John and Katherine had an only daughter:

FitzGerald's first wife died on 22 August 1660.[10]

Second marriage edit

FitzGerald married secondly Helen, daughter of Donough MacCarty, 1st Earl of Clancarty.[11] The marriage was childless.[12]

House of Commons edit

When Charles II summoned the Irish Parliament of 1661–1666, FitzGerald stood for Dungarvan Bourough and was elected[13] as one of its two representatives.

Death edit

FitzGerald died in 1662[14] or 1664.[11]

Notes and references edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ This family tree is based on genealogies of the FitzGeralds of Dromana[1] and the Powers of Curraghmore.[2]

Citations edit

  1. ^ Burke 1866, p. 561.
  2. ^ Cokayne 1895, pp. 285–287.
  3. ^ Mackenzie 1907, p. 112. "his [Gerald's] son John, at this time [1643] about eight years old ..."
  4. ^ Burke 1866, p. 204, right column. "II. Sir Gerald More FitzGerald, ancestor of the FitzGeralds of Dromana, County Waterford, Lords of Decies"
  5. ^ Burke 1838, p. 462, left column. "2. Mabel m. [married] first to Gerald Fitzgerald, esq. of Dromana, in the county of Waterford; and secondly, to Donagh O'Brien, of Arragh."
  6. ^ Bagwell 1895, p. 323, left column, line 14. "Cappoquin and Dromana against which he had cherished designs since 1642 were easily taken. There was a little fighting at Dungarvan ... This was early in May [1647]."
  7. ^ Cokayne 1895, p. 286. "He [John Power] was born about 1599, being 8½ years old in 1607, and was sent to England for education and admitted to the Inner Temple 1614. Having been a lunatic for above 21 years before 1654, he escaped 'transplantation'.&mnsp... He d. 1661."
  8. ^ Mackenzie 1907, p. 119. "In 1658 ... John FitzGerald of Dromana ... took unto himself as a wife Katharine, daughter of John Power, 5th Lord Power of Carroghmore."
  9. ^ Burke & Burke 1909, p. 1839, line 54. "1. Katherine, m. [married] 1658, John FitzGerald of Dromana, Lord of the Decies, and d. [died] 22 Aug. 1660."
  10. ^ Burke 1866, p. 561, line 72. "Sir John FitzGerald, of Dromana, Knt., M.P. for Dungarvan, m. [married] 1st Catherine, dau. [daughter] of John, Lord Poer, she d. [died] 22 August 1660, and 2ndly Helen, dau. of Donogh MacCarthy; he d. 1 March 1664 ..."
  11. ^ a b Burke 1866, p. 561, line 72. "Sir John FitzGerald, of Dromana, Knt., M.P. for Dungarvan, m. [married] 1st Catherine, dau. [daughter] of John, Lord Poer, she d. [died] 22 August 1660, and 2ndly Helen, dau. of Donogh MacCarthy; he d. 1 March 1664 ..."
  12. ^ Mackenzie 1907, p. 124. "John had no children by his second marriage, and when he died in 1664, his daughter Katherine was left as the sole heiress of all his broad acres."
  13. ^ House of Commons 1878, p. 635. "1661 / 11 April / John FitzGerald, esq. / Dromana / ditto [Dungarvan Borough]"
  14. ^ Fuller 1904, p. 11. "To make matters still worse, her [Catherine's] father died in 1662."

Sources edit

Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Dungarvan Borough
1661–1666
With: Sir Allan Broderick
Succeeded by