James Donnellan facts for kids
Sir James Donnellan (born around 1588, died 1665) was an important Irish lawyer and politician. He became a top judge, known as the Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas, in 1660. What made him special was that he came from a Gaelic Irish family. It was also unusual that he served as a judge during the time of Oliver Cromwell, but still kept his job after King Charles II returned to power.
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About James Donnellan's Family Life
James Donnellan was the third son of Nehemiah Donnellan, who was an Archbishop. His mother was Elizabeth O'Donnell.
He married twice. His first wife was Anne Barry. His second wife was Sarah Wheeler. Sarah was the daughter of Jonas Wheeler, who was a Bishop. With Sarah, James had a son named Nehemiah Donnellan, who also became a very important judge. James also had several daughters.
His grandson, Nehemiah Donnellan, had two daughters. One was Anne Donnellan, who helped start the famous Donnellan lectures at Trinity College Dublin. The other was Katherine Donnellan, who married Robert Clayton, a Bishop.
James Donnellan's main home was in Rathswire, County Westmeath. He is buried in Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin.
James Donnellan's Education and Early Career
James Donnellan had a very good education at Trinity College Dublin. He later represented the college in the Irish Parliament. He became a scholar in 1607 and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1610. He became a Fellow in 1612 and a Master of Arts in 1613.
In 1616, he began studying law at Lincoln's Inn in London. He became a lawyer in 1623. The same year, he joined the King's Inn in Dublin, which is another important place for lawyers. He was the Treasurer there in 1639.
Donnellan's Political and Judicial Career
James Donnellan was elected to the Irish Parliament in 1634. In 1627, he became a judge in Connacht, a region in Ireland. He was promoted to Chief Justice of Connacht in 1634.
He got this promotion thanks to the Lord Deputy of Ireland, the Earl of Strafford. The Earl hoped that by appointing a few judges of Gaelic origin, he could make the Old Irish families happy. In 1637, James became a judge in the High Court. He was made the third justice of the Court of Common Pleas in Ireland.
Service During the Civil War and Restoration
When the English Civil War began, James Donnellan first supported the King. He was close to Ulick Burke, a powerful Earl whom King Charles I trusted a lot. The King even asked Donnellan to meet with the Irish Confederacy to discuss peace.
In 1651, he was one of four people chosen to manage justice in Leinster. He also served on the High Court of Justice in 1653. In 1655, he returned to the Court of Common Pleas as its second judge.
After King Charles II returned to power in 1660, James Donnellan was back in royal favor. He was made Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, given the title of Knight, and became a member of the Privy Council of Ireland.
He was quite old for the time, and his health started to fail. Even before he died, the English Government thought about replacing him. However, a powerful leader named Ormonde asked them to wait until Donnellan actually passed away. James Donnellan remained in his important job until he died in 1665.
