Barry Yelverton, 1st Viscount Avonmore facts for kids

Barry Yelverton, 1st Viscount Avonmore (born May 28, 1736 – died August 19, 1805) was an important Irish judge and politician. He is famous for a law called Yelverton's Act in 1782. This law helped the Parliament of Ireland become more independent. However, his support for the Act of Union 1800, which ended Ireland's independent Parliament, later damaged his good name. He also faced criticism for his role in the trial of William Orr, which many people believed was unfair.

Who Was Barry Yelverton?

His Early Life and Education

Barry Yelverton was born in County Cork, Ireland. His father, Francis Yelverton, passed away when Barry was only ten years old. He went to school in Charleville and Midleton College. Later, he studied at Trinity College Dublin, where he earned degrees in arts and law. His family was not wealthy, so for some time, he worked as an assistant teacher.

In 1761, he married Mary Nugent. Her family had some money, which helped him study law. He joined the Middle Temple in London to become a barrister.

Becoming a Lawyer

Barry Yelverton became a lawyer in 1764. Even without powerful family connections, he quickly became successful. This was because he was very good at law, charming, and an excellent speaker. He became a senior lawyer (known as "taking silk") just eight years later.

His Time in Parliament

Barry Yelverton was elected to the Irish House of Commons in 1774. He first represented Donegal Borough. Later, he chose to represent Carrickfergus and served there until 1784. People at the time said he was a fantastic speaker, which made him a very important person in Parliament. He also served as the Recorder of Carrickfergus, a legal role for the town, from 1778 until his death.

His Career as a Judge

In 1782, Barry Yelverton became the Attorney-General for Ireland, a top legal position. The next year, he was made a senior judge, the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. He was given the title Baron Yelverton in 1795 and then Viscount Avonmore in 1800. As a judge, he disagreed with the idea of adding more judges to the courts. He thought that having too many judges could make it harder for them to agree on decisions.

The William Orr Trial

In 1797, Barry Yelverton was the judge in a very famous and controversial trial. This was the trial of William Orr, a member of the Society of the United Irishmen. Orr was accused of making a soldier take an oath to the United Irishmen, which had recently become a serious crime.

The main witness against Orr later admitted he had not told the truth. Despite a strong defense by another lawyer, Orr was found guilty and sentenced. Many people believed the trial was unfair. Some even said that Judge Yelverton might have decided Orr was guilty too early. A journalist who wrote about the trial was later punished for criticizing Yelverton. This trial caused a lot of debate and affected Yelverton's public image.

His Political Views and Key Laws

Barry Yelverton generally supported Henry Grattan and the Whigs, who wanted more independence for Ireland. He strongly believed that the Irish Parliament should be independent.

Yelverton's Act

He played a key role in important changes to Irish law in 1782. He helped create a law known as "Yelverton's Act." This law changed an older rule called Poynings' Law. Before Yelverton's Act, all new laws for Ireland had to be approved by the Irish and then the English governments before the Irish Parliament could even discuss them.

Yelverton's Act removed the need for the Irish government's approval. This meant the Irish Parliament could start making laws more freely. For the next 17 years, the Irish Parliament had much more independence.

The Act of Union

Later in his life, Barry Yelverton changed his mind about Irish independence. He supported the Act of Union 1800, which joined the Parliaments of Ireland and Great Britain into one. His title of Viscount was given to him as a reward for this support. Many of his old friends never forgave him for this decision. Some people felt that while he had many good qualities, he might not have always had a strong sense of right and wrong when it came to politics.

His Family and Death

Barry Yelverton passed away in 1805 at his home, Fortfield House, in Terenure, County Dublin. He had built this large house around 1785.

He had three sons and one daughter. His title was passed down through his family.

• Hon. William Charles Yelverton, 2nd Viscount Avonmore (1762–1814)
• Hon. Barry Yelverton (1763–1824)
• Hon. Walter Aglionby Yelverton (1772–1824)
• Hon. Anna Maria Yelverton (1775–1865)

Images for kids

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  Fortfield House, Terenure, where Barry Yelverton lived.