Jonah Barrington (judge) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Jonah Barrington, K.C. K.C.
Member of Parliament for Clogher
In office 1798 – January 1800
Member of Parliament for Tuam
In office 1790–1798
Personal details
Born	Knapton, Abbeyleix, Queen's County, Ireland 1756/7
Died	8 April 1834 (aged abt 77) Versailles, France
Political party	Patriot Party
Alma mater	Trinity College Dublin
Military service
Branch/service	Irish Volunteers

Sir Jonah Barrington (1756/57 – 1834) was an important Irish lawyer, judge, and politician. He is best known for his funny and popular books about life in Ireland in the late 1700s. He also famously opposed the Act of Union in 1800. In a very rare event, he was removed from his job as a judge by the British Parliament in 1830.

Early Life and Family Background

Jonah Barrington was born in County Laois, Ireland, around 1756 or 1757. He was the third of many children in his family. His father, John Barrington, was a landowner, but his family was not very rich.

Jonah was raised and went to school in Dublin by his grandparents. In 1773, at age 16, he started studying at Trinity College Dublin. However, he left college without finishing his degree.

Joining the Irish Volunteers

In the early 1780s, Jonah joined the Irish Volunteers. This was a group of armed citizens in Ireland. He also supported the Irish Patriots, a political group that wanted more power for the Irish Parliament.

Jonah's father and older brother were also involved with the Volunteers. His father led two groups, and his brother led two others. Jonah's father even got him a job as an officer in a military group.

However, Jonah learned that his group might be sent to America to fight in the American Revolution. He was scared of dying in battle. So, he asked to be replaced, saying he was "too tender" to be useful. Sadly, the person who took his place was killed in their first battle.

Jonah Barrington's Career

Becoming a Lawyer and Politician

In 1788, Jonah Barrington became a lawyer in Ireland. The next year, he married Catherine Grogan, and they had seven children. In 1790, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Tuam in the Irish Parliament. He bought this position, which was common at the time.

In 1793, he got a job at the Dublin customhouse that paid a lot of money (£1,000 a year). He also became a King's Counsel, which is a special title for experienced lawyers. He generally supported Henry Grattan, a famous Irish politician.

In 1798, he became a judge in the Admiralty court, which handles cases about the sea. That same year, he became an MP for Clogher. He voted against the Act of Union in 1799 and 1800. This Act joined the parliaments of Ireland and Great Britain. He even turned down a high-ranking job offer because he opposed the Union.

His Political Impact

Barrington's strong opinions against the Act of Union were very important. Later, groups like the Young Ireland movement and the Irish Parliamentary Party looked back at his words. They hoped to bring back a self-governing Irish Parliament, similar to the one before the Union.

His book, The Rise and Fall of the Irish Nation (1833), helped create a romantic idea of this earlier Irish Parliament. This idea was very popular with Irish politicians in the late 1800s.

Challenges as a Judge

As an Admiralty court judge, Barrington earned £500 a year. However, there wasn't much work to do in his court. Also, not having a college degree made it hard for him to find other ways to earn money to support his expensive lifestyle. Even when he was made a knight in 1807, it didn't bring him more income.

He made a mistake by ordering the sale of two old ships and putting the money into his own bank account. Around 1810 or 1811, he moved his family to England. After 1814, he moved to France to avoid people he owed money to, and he never returned to Ireland. He still kept his judge's salary, though, with others doing his work.

Losing His Job

In 1828, officials found out about his money problems. Barrington went to London to say he was innocent, but he wouldn't answer questions about the evidence. In 1830, a special group in Parliament suggested he be removed from his job. They found that he had used court money for himself in 1805, 1806, and 1810.

Both parts of the British Parliament voted to ask King William IV to remove him. The King agreed, and Barrington was dismissed. This was a very unusual event. Barrington was the first and, to this day, the only judge in the United Kingdom to be removed from office in this specific way.

Duel with Richard Daly

According to one of his personal stories, which were sometimes exaggerated, Barrington had a duel on March 20, 1780. He faced Richard Daly in Donnybrook.

Daly was known for fighting many duels, but no one had ever been seriously hurt. Barrington didn't have pistols, so he and his friend made some from old parts the night before. At the duel, Daly's friend tried to stop it, saying it was a mistake. Barrington was okay with stopping, but his friend insisted they follow the dueling rules. Rule No. 7 said, "No apology can be received after the parties meet, without a fire."

So, they took their positions. Barrington quickly fired, and Daly cried, "I'm hit, Sir." The bullet didn't go through, but it pushed a small brooch into his chest. Only then did Barrington ask why they were even dueling! The rule book said that if someone accepts a challenge without asking why, the challenger doesn't have to explain later.

His Famous Memoirs

Barrington is most remembered today for his books of memories. These books included funny and sometimes harsh descriptions of Irish lawyers, judges, and politicians of his time. His Personal Sketches also shared stories about many different kinds of Irish people.

His books were printed many times with new titles and additions:

• Historic Anecdotes and Secret Memoirs of the Legislative Union between Great Britain and Ireland (1809)
• Personal Sketches of his Own Times (3 volumes, 1827–1832)
• Historic Memoirs of Ireland (2 volumes, 1833)
• The Rise and Fall of the Irish Nation (1833)

Impact of His Writings

Since his death, Barrington's work has been used by many writers. They often focus on two main things: the political drama around the Act of Union and the colorful way of life in Ireland in the 1700s.

• The historian Roy Foster called his Personal Sketches a lively account of the "half-mounted gentlemen" of Ireland.
• The famous poet W. B. Yeats used a character from Barrington's books in his poem The Tower.
• James Joyce mentioned Barrington's "Reminiscences" in his famous novel Ulysses.
• John Mitchel, a historian, quoted Barrington in his History of Ireland when talking about the events leading up to the 1798 rebellion.

Images for kids

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  Barrington's former home, 14 Harcourt Street, Dublin. The plaque gives his birth year as 1760.

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  Knapton House at Abbeyleix, County Laois in 1942-44