Richard Butler of Kilcash

Richard Butler of Kilcash (1615–1701) was an Irish landowner, the third son of Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles and brother of James, 1st Duke of Ormonde. Richard's descendants would succeed to the earldom of Ormond following the failure in 1658 of the senior branch of the family.

Birth and origins

Richard was born in 1615, probably at Thurles Castle. He was one of six children, and the third son, of Thomas Butler and his wife Elizabeth Pointz. His father, who was styled Viscount Thurles, was the eldest son and heir apparent of Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond, called "Walter of the rosary beads". The Butlers were an Old English family that played an important role in southern Ireland since the Norman invasion of that country. Richard's mother was English but Catholic, a daughter of Sir John Pointz of Iron Acton in Gloucestershire and his second wife Elizabeth Sydenham.

Family tree

Richard Butler with wife, parents, and other selected relatives. Walter 11th Earl 1559–1633 'Beads' Helen Butler d. 1631 Thomas Viscount Thurles bef. 1596 – 1619 Elizabeth Pointz 1587–1673 James 1st Duke 1610–1688 Elizabeth Preston 1615–1684 Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 Frances Tuchet Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 Mary Plunkett James 2nd Duke 1665–1745 Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 John Butler John de jure 15th Earl d. 1766 Walter de jure 16th Earl d. 1783 Ellen Morres d. 1794 Legend XXX Richard Butler XXX Earls and dukes of Ormond This family tree is partly derived from the condensed Butler family tree pictured in Dunboyne.[1] Also see the list of siblings in the text.

Richard listed among his siblings

He appears among his siblings as the fourth child: James (1610–1688), became the 1st Duke of Ormond;[2] John (died 1636), died unmarried in Naples on his travels;[3] Eleanor (1612–1682), married Donough MacCarty, 1st Earl of Clancarty;[4] Richard (1615–1701); Elizabeth (died 1675), married James Purcell, titular Baron of Loughmoe;[5] and Mary (died 1680), married Sir George Hamilton, 1st Baronet, of Donalong.[6]

Career

In 1639 Mr Richard Butler was confirmed in the ownership of the lands of Kilcash, Garryricken, and many others in the counties of Tipperary and Kilkenny by the Commission of Grace with special remainder to the heirs male of his grandfather, Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond and some other family members.[7][8] These lands would form the Manor of Garryricken.[9]

In 1641 he sided with the rebellion and was made Governor of County Waterford by the Irish Confederation. In January he was asked to take the city of Waterford but was prevented by the mayor and council. He nevertheless reduced the town of Cappoquin and other places.

On the morning of the 4 June 1643 he scouted the position of an detachment of Inchiquin's troops at Cloughleagh Castle, which allowed the Confederate Munster Army commanded by Lord Muskerry to launch an surprise attack on this troop that led to the Confederate victory of the Battle of Cloughleagh, won by James Tuchet, 3rd Earl of Castlehaven.[10]

In October 1645 the Confederate Supreme Council sent him to welcome Giovanni Battista Rinuccini in Ireland. He met Rinuccini on his way from Kenmare to Limerick and escorted him to that town.[11]

Marriage and children

He married Frances Tuchet (or Touchet), youngest daughter of Mervyn Tuchet, 2nd Earl of Castlehaven.[12] This marriage made him the brother-in-law of Lord Castlehaven.

Richard and Frances had five children, two sons:

1. Walter (died 1700), known as Walter Butler of Garryricken and married Mary Plunkett, only daughter of Christopher Plunkett, 2nd Earl of Fingall;[13][14][15]
2. John (died 1714), married Catharine, daughter of James Aylmer, of Cragbryen, County Clare;[16]

—and three daughters:

1. Lucia (died 1685), married Sir Laurence Esmond, of Clonegall, County Carlow;[17]
2. Mary (died 1737), married Christopher, Lord Delvin;[18]
3. Frances (died 1709), married Patrick Barnewall, 3rd Baronet of Crickstown Castle.[19]

He and his family lived in Kilcash Castle at the foot of Slievenamon. About 1660 his son Walter built a house at Garryricken and started to live there with his family[20].

Death, succession, and timeline

Mr Richard Butler died in 1701 at Kilcash Castle, aged 85 or 86.[21]

He was succeeded by his grandson Colonel Thomas Butler of Garryricken, the heir of his eldest son, Walter Butler of Garryricken. Richard's descendants, dubbed the Garryricken branch, would take over the earldom of Ormond following the failure by the death of Charles Butler, 1st Earl of Arran in 1658 of the senior branch of the family (see Family tree). Charles had been de jure 3rd Duke of Ormond and 14th Earl.

Timeline
As his birth date is uncertain, so are all his ages.
Age	Date	Event
0	1615, about	Born.
24	1639, 24 Jun	Confirmed in his ownership of his estates.[8]
28	1643, 4 Jun	Scouts the enemy on the morning of the Battle of Cloughleagh.[10]
30	1645, Oct	Welcomes Giovanni Battista Rinuccini on the road from Kenmare to Limerick.[11]
86	1701, 24 Jun	Died at Kilcash Castle.[21]

Notes and references

1. Dunboyne 1968, pp. 16–17: "Butler Family Tree condensed"
2. Lodge 1789, p. 39, line 27: "James, successor to his grandfather, created Duke of Ormond, one of the ablest statesmen, and worthiest person of the age in which he flourished."
3. Lodge 1789, p. 39, line 30: "John who died unmarried at Naples, on his travels, in 1636."
4. Lodge 1789, p. 39, line 33: "Daughter Ellen, married to Donogh, Earl of Clancarthy, and dying in April 1682, AEt. 70, was buried 24 in the Chancel of St. Michan's church."
5. Lodge 1789, p. 39, line 36: "Elizabeth, first married to James Purcell, Esq.; titular baron of Loughmoe, by whom she had one son Nicholas, and two daughters;"
6. Lodge 1789, p. 40, line 14: "Mary, married to Sir George Hamilton, ancestor by her to the Earl of Abercorn, and died in August 1680."
7. Lodge 1789, p. 40: "Richard Butler of Kilcash, Esq.; the youngest son, had a confirmation (by virtue of the commission of grace) 24 June 1639, of the lands of Kilcash, Garryricken, and many others in the counties of Tipperary and Kilkenny; with a limitation thereof to his heirs male; remainder to the respective heirs male of Walter Earl of Ormond; Pierce Butler Fitz-Walter ..."
8. Burke 1949, p. 1540, left column, line 82: "Richard of Kilcash, who had a confirmation, 24 June 1639, of that place Garryricken and other lands in cos. Kilkenny and Tipperary, with a limitation thereof to his heirs male."
9. Carrigan 1905, p. 318, line 21: "... these townlands to be created the Manor of Garryrickin."
10. Castlehaven 1815, p. 40: "My brother Richard Butler of Kilcash, brother to the now Duke of Ormond, was sent out the same night to discover the enemy, and in the morning word was brought us ..."]
11. Bagwell 1909, p. 102: "... Ormonde's brother Richard, specially sent by the Supreme Council, was among those that escorted him."
12. Burke 1949, p. 1540, left column, line 86: "he [Richard of Kilcash] m. Lady Frances Touchet, yst dau. of 2nd Earl of Castlehaven and had ..."
13. Burke 1949, p. 1540, left column, line 88: "WALTER, m. Lady Mary Plunkett, dau. of 2nd Earl of Fingal ..."
14. Carrigan 1905, p. 319: "[Walter Butler] dying at Garryricken in 1700, one year before his father, was buried in the church of Kilcash."
15. Cokayne 1895, p. 153, line 10: "... Walter BUTLER of Garryricken (who d. 1700) ..."
16. Burke 1949, p. 1540, left column, line 100: "John, of Westcourt, co. Kilkenny, Col in the army, m. Katherine widow of Sir Nicholas Plunkett ..."
17. Lodge 1789, p. 41, line 23: "Lucia, married to Sir Lawrence Esmond, of Clonegall, county. of Carlow, son and heir to Sir Thomas of Ballytroman, county of Wexford, Bart. and she died 7 April 1685, leaving issue ..."
18. Burke 1949, p. 1540, left column, line 106: "Mary, m. Christopher, Lord Delvin, eldest son of 2nd Earl of Westmeath, and died 28 March 1737, leaving issue."
19. Burke 1949, p. 1540, left column, line 108: "Frances, m. Sir Patrick Barnewall, 3rd Bt. of Crickstown, and died 1709, leaving issue."
20. Carrigan 1905, p. 318, line 25: "He [Walter Butler] built the old Garryricken Ho., and made it his residence, about the year 1660."
21. Carrigan 1905, p. 318, line 22: "Mr. Butler [Richard] died at Kilcash, at a very advanced, age in 1701."

• Bagwell, Richard (1909), Ireland under the Stuarts and under the Interregnum, 2, London: Longmans, Green, and Co. - 1642–1660
• Burke, Bernard (1949), A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire (99th ed.), London: Burke's Peerage Ltd.
• Carrigan, Rev William (1905), The History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory, 4, Dublin: Sealy Bryers & Walker
• Castlehaven, James Tuchet (1815), [https:archive.org/details/earlcastlehaven00anglgoog/ The Earl of Castlehaven's Review], Dublin: George Mullens
• Cokayne, George Edward (1895), The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant, 6 (1st ed.), London: George Bell and Sons – N to R (for Ormond)
• Dunboyne, Patrick Theobald Tower Butler, Baron (1968), Butler Family History (2nd ed.), Kilkenny: Rothe House
• Lodge, John (1789), The Peerage of Ireland, 4, Dublin: James Moore – Viscounts (for Butler, Viscount Mountgarrett)

External links

• Genealogy of Colonel Hon. Richard Butler on The Peerage website