Matthias Finucane facts for kids
Matthias Finucane (1737–1814) was an Irish barrister (a type of lawyer) and a judge who lived in the late 1700s and early 1800s. He is mainly remembered for ending his marriage in a special way, which was very unusual at that time.
Early Life and Career
Matthias Finucane was born in Ennis, County Clare, Ireland. He was the only son of Andrew Finucane and Joanna Hewitt. His father was an apothecary (like a pharmacist), and he did very well in his business.
Matthias went to Trinity College Dublin in 1755. He then studied law at Middle Temple in London starting in 1759. In 1764, he became a lawyer in Ireland, joining the Irish Bar. He became a senior lawyer, known as King's Counsel, in 1784.
In 1794, Matthias Finucane was chosen to be a judge in the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland). Many people believed he got this important job because he was friends with John Fitzgibbon, 1st Earl of Clare, who was a very powerful legal figure.
However, Matthias Finucane was also highly respected as a judge. A writer named William Norcott praised him in a poem for being honest and having good common sense.
Judge Finucane was involved in some important trials during his career. He presided over trials after the Irish Rebellion of 1798. He was also part of a special group of judges who tried rebels after the Irish rebellion of 1803.
He retired from his job as a judge in 1806. Matthias Finucane passed away in County Clare in 1814.
He owned several homes, including a house in Kildare Street in Dublin. He also had an estate in Lifford, County Clare, and Ennistymon House. He gained Ennistymon House through his marriage.
Family Life
In 1775, Matthias Finucane married Anne O'Brien. She was the daughter of Edward O'Brien of Ennistymon, County Clare. Anne was about sixteen years old when they got married.
Matthias and Anne had three children together. Their only son and heir was named Andrew. They also had two daughters, Susanna and Jane.
Susanna later married a politician named William Nugent Macnamara. Jane married her cousin, James Finucane.
Ending a Marriage
Matthias and Anne Finucane's marriage was not a happy one. At that time, it was very difficult to end a marriage. It usually required a special Act of Parliament.
In 1796, Matthias Finucane asked the Irish Parliament for permission to end his marriage. This was a rare and complicated process. The Parliament agreed and passed a special law just for him.
This law allowed Matthias Finucane to end his marriage to Anne. It also allowed Anne to marry another man named Donal O'Connell.
Anne and Donal did get married after the special law was passed. They had several children together. Anne passed away in 1844. Even though the law allowed Matthias to remarry, he never did.
Matthias Finucane's only son, Andrew, did not have any children. When Andrew died in 1843, the family's properties went to the descendants of his sister Susanna Macnamara. Susanna had passed away in 1819.
One of Susanna's descendants was the famous author Caitlin Thomas. She was married to the well-known poet Dylan Thomas.
Sources
- Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921 London: John Murray, 1926
- Burke, Bernard The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales London: Harrison, 1884
- Genealogy of the Finucane Family of County Clare with illustration of arms, compiled by Philip Crosbie 1929 National Library of Ireland Genealogical Office Ms. 558
- Irish Times; May 12, 2012
- Speech of John Philpot Curran in defence of Mr. Peter Finnerty on 22 December 1797
