Henry Conyngham, 1st Earl Conyngham facts for kids

Henry Conyngham, 1st Earl Conyngham (1705 – 3 April 1781) was an important Anglo-Irish nobleman and politician. He held significant land and political power in both Ireland and Great Britain during the 18th century.

Who Was Henry Conyngham?

Henry Conyngham was born in 1705. He was the second son of General Henry Conyngham and Mary Williams. His family was well-known and owned a large estate.

Early Life and Family Estate

Henry's family lived at Slane Castle. When his older brother William passed away, Henry inherited the family's large properties. This made him a very wealthy and influential person.

A Powerful Landowner and Politician

Henry Conyngham owned vast amounts of land in counties Meath and Donegal in Ireland. However, he spent most of his time living outside of Ireland. People who owned land but lived elsewhere were called absentee landlords.

Even though he was a British Member of Parliament (MP), he also had a lot of control in Irish politics. He controlled a special type of voting area called a pocket constituency in Newtown Limavady. This meant he could largely choose who would represent that area. He also served as an MP for Killybegs in the Irish House of Commons from 1727 to 1753.

Important Political Role

In 1765, Henry Conyngham was given a very important position. He became a Privy Councillor of Ireland. This meant he was a trusted advisor to the King on Irish affairs.

Later Life and Legacy

Henry Conyngham married Ellen Merrett. They did not have any children. When he passed away on April 3, 1781, most of his special titles ended. However, his title of Baron Conyngham continued. It was passed on to his nephew, Francis Burton. Francis then took on the Conyngham family name.