Members of the 1689 Irish Parliament facts for kids

The Patriot Parliament was the name given to the Irish Parliament that met in Dublin in 1689. It was called by King James II during a war in Ireland (the Williamite War) that lasted from 1689 to 1691. This Parliament was the first of its kind since 1666 and only met for a short time, from May 7 to July 20, 1689.

The House of Commons was missing 70 members because no elections were held in Fermanagh and Donegal. Most of its members were Old English and Catholic. Sir Richard Nagle was chosen as the Speaker, who is like the leader of the House. The House of Lords was led by Baron Fitton. It included five Protestant nobles and four Church of Ireland bishops, with Anthony Dopping, Bishop of Meath, acting as the main person who disagreed with the King's plans.

Who Were the Members?

The Patriot Parliament was very different from earlier Irish Parliaments. Most of its members were Catholic, which was unusual for the time.

Members of the House of Lords

The leader of the House of Lords was Baron Fitton. He was chosen by King James II. The Lords included several important people, both Catholic and Protestant. For example, there were five Protestant nobles and four bishops from the Church of Ireland. Bishop Anthony Dopping was a key figure who spoke out against the King's policies.

Here are some of the important members of the House of Lords:

Members of the House of Commons

The House of Commons had 70 fewer members than it should have. This was because no elections happened in Fermanagh and Donegal in the north. Only six members were Protestant, while the other 224 were Catholic. Most of these Catholic members were from the "Old English" families, who had lived in Ireland for a long time. A smaller number were from the "Old Irish" or Gaelic families.

The Speaker, or leader, of the House of Commons was Sir Richard Nagle. He was a rich Catholic lawyer and a close friend of Tyrconnell, a powerful figure at the time.

Here are some of the members of the House of Commons, listed by county: