George Hamilton of Greenlaw and Roscrea facts for kids

Sir George Hamilton (who died sometime between 1631 and 1657) was an important person in the history of Ireland. He was known for helping with the 'Plantation of Ulster', a big project where Scottish and English people moved to Ireland.

George was born in Scotland. By 1611, he had moved to Ireland with his first wife to live on the land he was given. Later, in 1630, he married his second wife. He then moved to Roscrea in southern Ireland. His father-in-law, the Earl of Ormond, let him use the lands there as part of his wife's dowry.

Some historians used to confuse Sir George Hamilton with his nephew, who was also named George Hamilton. This led to some misunderstandings about who was where during the Irish Confederate Wars in the 1640s.

Early Life and Family

George Hamilton was born in Scotland, likely between 1575 and 1590. He was probably born in Paisley. His father was Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley. His mother was Margaret Seton.

His father became Lord Paisley in 1587. George's family, the Hamiltons, were very old and important in Scotland. They were known as the House of Hamilton. They got their lands from Robert the Bruce way back in the 1300s.

Both of George's parents came from Scottish families. They were also Catholic. They supported Mary, Queen of Scots. George's father even fought for her in a battle in 1568. George had five brothers and sisters.

First Marriage

Between 1602 and 1609, George Hamilton married his first wife, Isobel Leslie. She was also from Scotland. Isobel had been married before, but her first husband passed away in 1602.

Isobel's family, the Leslies, were Protestants. Her grandfather also fought for the Queen at the Battle of Langside. George and Isobel did not have any children who survived.

The Plantation of Ulster

The 'Plantation of Ulster' was a major event in Irish history. It happened after some powerful Irish leaders, called "the earls," left Ireland in 1607. This made way for the English and Scottish crowns to take control of a lot of land in Ulster, in the north of Ireland.

Like his older brothers, George Hamilton became an "undertaker" in this plantation. This meant he was given land to develop. He had to bring Scottish or English settlers to live and work on the land.

In 1610, George received a large area of land in a place called Strabane. His oldest brother, James, was the main undertaker in that area. By 1611, George had already moved to Ireland. He lived on his new lands with his wife.

A report from 1611 said he was already a knight. When his older brother Claud died in 1614, George also took charge of Claud's lands.

By 1619, George Hamilton owned two main areas of land: Largie (about 1,500 acres) and Derrywoon (about 1,000 acres). On Largie, he built a stone house and a strong wall called a "bawn." He also built a village there. Today, the villages of Artigarvan and Ballymagorry are on this land. On Derrywoon, he also built a bawn and a village.

Second Marriage and Son

In 1630, George Hamilton married his second wife, Mary Butler. She was the sixth daughter of Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond. As part of their marriage agreement, Mary's family was supposed to pay a large sum of money.

However, her father had trouble paying. So, in 1631, he agreed to let George use the castle, town, and lands of Roscrea for 21 years. This was to help pay off the dowry.

George and Mary had one child who survived:

• James (who died in 1659). He never married.

Roscrea Under Attack

In 1646, Ireland was in the middle of the Irish Confederate Wars. On June 5, 1646, a famous Irish general named Owen Roe O'Neill won a big battle. After this victory, O'Neill marched his army south.

On September 17, 1646, O'Neill's army attacked and captured Roscrea. This was where George Hamilton's family lived. The soldiers spared George's family, meaning they were not harmed. However, everyone else in the town was killed.

Later Life and Death

George Hamilton likely died sometime between 1631 and 1657. It is thought he probably passed away in the early or mid-1640s. This means he was probably already dead when Roscrea was attacked in 1646. If he was alive, he might have been away for some reason.

He was survived by his son, James. However, James died unmarried in 1659, so George's direct family line ended.