James Fitzgerald (1742–1835) facts for kids
James Fitzgerald (1742–1835) was an important Irish politician. He came from a well-known family called the White Knights. His father, William Fitzgerald, was a lawyer in Ennis, and his brother, Maurice, worked for the government in Connaught.
Early Life and Becoming a Lawyer
James Fitzgerald was born in 1742. He went to college at Trinity College Dublin. In 1769, he became a lawyer, which was called being "called to the Irish Bar." He quickly became very good at his job. People knew him as a smart lawyer and a great speaker in court.
Time in Parliament
In 1776, James Fitzgerald became a member of the Irish House of Commons. This was like the parliament or law-making body for Ireland at the time. He represented the area of Fore until 1783.
Later, in 1783, he was elected to represent two different places, Killybegs and Tulsk. He chose to sit for Tulsk, a town in Roscommon. He was re-elected for Tulsk in 1784 and 1790. In 1798, he was chosen to represent Kildare Borough in the very last Irish Parliament.
James Fitzgerald was known for his amazing speaking skills in Parliament. He was considered one of the best speakers of his time, alongside famous people like Henry Grattan and Henry Flood. Even though he was a great speaker, he wasn't really a leader who created big new laws. However, he supported groups that wanted big changes. In 1782, he gave a very important speech where he suggested new laws to help Catholic people.
He married Catherine Vesey, who was from a respected family.
Moving Up and Retirement
James Fitzgerald didn't try to get the top political jobs, but he was happy to take important positions as a lawyer. He quickly became a "Serjeant of Ireland," which is a high-ranking lawyer for the government. He was the Third Serjeant in 1779, Second Serjeant in 1784, and then the Prime Serjeant in 1787.
Before Ireland's own parliament was ended, James Fitzgerald strongly spoke out against it. He was very much against the idea of the Union, which would join Ireland with Great Britain. Because of his strong opinions, he was removed from his job as Prime Serjeant in 1799. However, other lawyers in Ireland still showed him great respect and gave him the highest position in court.
After the Union Acts were passed, James Fitzgerald accepted the change. He then became a Member of Parliament for Ennis in the new United Kingdom Parliament from 1802 to 1808. He then gave up his seat to his son, William Vesey Fitzgerald. He was elected again in 1812 but retired from politics completely in 1813.
James Fitzgerald passed away in Booterstown, near Dublin, on January 20, 1835, at the age of 93. His wife had passed away a few years earlier. His youngest son, Henry Vesey-Fitzgerald, also became a religious leader, serving as the Dean of Emly and later the Dean of Kilmore.
