John Patrick Prendergast facts for kids

John Patrick Prendergast (born March 7, 1808 – died February 6, 1893) was an important Irish historian and someone who managed large estates. He was known for his detailed studies of Irish history and for supporting fair treatment for people who rented land.

Who Was John Patrick Prendergast?

Early Life and Education

John Patrick Prendergast was born in Dublin, Ireland, on March 7, 1808. His father, Francis Prendergast, held an important job in a court in Ireland. John went to school in England at Reading grammar school. After that, he studied at Trinity College Dublin, a famous university in Ireland, and finished his studies in 1825. By 1830, he became a lawyer in Ireland.

Working for Landowners

In 1836, John Prendergast took over managing the large land estates for a wealthy nobleman called Lord Clifden. He did this job for many years. His experiences showed him how important it was for people who rented land (tenants) to have fair rights. Because of this, he became a strong supporter of early efforts to make land laws fairer in Ireland.

A Voice for Fairness

Prendergast believed that tenants should be treated well and have secure rights to their land. He supported people who wanted to change the land laws in Ireland to help these tenants. He was involved in important discussions about how Ireland should be governed.

John Patrick Prendergast passed away in Dublin on February 6, 1893, when he was 84 years old.

His Work as a Historian

Studying Ireland's Past

In 1840, Prendergast began researching family histories in County Tipperary. This work led him to deeply study how Ireland was settled after the time of King Charles II and also during the time of Oliver Cromwell. His most famous book, The History of the Cromwellian Settlement of Ireland, was published in 1863. This book explained a period in the 1600s when a lot of land in Ireland changed hands.

Important Historical Projects

In 1864, Prendergast was chosen to work on a special project with Charles William Russell. Their job was to find and copy important official papers about Ireland from the Carte manuscripts at the Bodleian Library. They wrote a report about their findings in 1871. They continued to organize and summarize these papers until 1877. Prendergast kept working on this project until 1880.

Other Writings and Views

Prendergast also wrote other historical works. He privately shared a book called The Tory War in Ulster in 1868. In 1881, he wrote an introduction for a book by Charles Haliday about the Scandinavian Kingdom of Dublin, which was about Viking rule in Dublin. In 1887, he published Ireland from the Restoration to the Revolution, covering another important period in Irish history.

He was also an expert on Irish family histories and old artifacts or sites (archaeology). He wrote articles for a historical journal, including one called The Plantation of Idrone by Sir Peter Carew. He also wrote anonymously in Dublin newspapers about the old houses in the city. In politics, he was a liberal. He wrote for the Nation newspaper and responded to talks given by historian James Anthony Froude about Irish history. Prendergast wrote many short articles on different topics. He did not support "Home Rule," which was the idea that Ireland should govern itself. From 1878, he disagreed with Charles Stewart Parnell, a major Irish political leader who supported Home Rule.

His Family and Legacy

Prendergast left his collection of handwritten notes and documents to the King's Inn, Dublin, a famous legal institution.

On September 1, 1838, Prendergast married Caroline Ensor. They had one son, Francis, who moved to California and became an American citizen.