Patrick Barnewall (died 1622) facts for kids

Sir Patrick Barnewall (died 1622) was an important person in Ireland during the late 1500s and early 1600s. His family was well-known and powerful. His father, Sir Christopher Barnewall, lived at Turvey House in County Dublin. His grandfather, also named Patrick Barnewall, was a lawyer who became a top judge in Ireland. Patrick's mother, Marion Sherle, later married another famous judge, Sir Lucas Dillon.

Sir Patrick's Family Life

Sir Patrick's father, Sir Christopher Barnewall, was the Sheriff of County Dublin in 1560. A sheriff was like a chief law enforcement officer for a county. People described Sir Christopher as a very wise and educated man who wanted to improve Ireland.

Patrick Barnewall was one of the first sons of important Irish families to be sent abroad for his education. He took over his family's estates in 1575.

He married twice. His first marriage to Mary St. Lawrence was ended in 1579. In 1582, he married Mary Bagenal. They had one son and four daughters. Mary Bagenal's sister, Mabel Bagenal, was famous for running away to marry Hugh O'Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone, a powerful Irish leader. Mabel lived with Patrick and Mary at Turvey House for a time. After Mary's brother died, Patrick became the guardian of his children.

Starting His Career

Patrick Barnewall went to study law in London, England. This showed his loyalty to the English Crown (the King or Queen of England). Because of this loyalty, Queen Elizabeth I gave him a special lease for some lands in 1582.

Even though he was loyal to the English Crown, Patrick Barnewall also strongly defended the interests of Ireland and the Roman Catholic faith. He was not afraid to speak up if he felt the government was harming Ireland or the rights of Catholics.

Why Patrick Barnewall Was Imprisoned

In December 1605, Patrick Barnewall was brought before the Privy Council of Ireland in Dublin. This council was a group of advisors to the King or Queen. He was accused of helping to organize a petition from Irish lords and gentlemen. This petition supported people who refused to attend Protestant church services, which was required by law at the time.

Patrick said he didn't write the petition, but he strongly defended it. Because of his firm stance, the authorities believed he was deeply involved. He was put in prison in Dublin and later sent to England, where he was held in the Tower of London. This happened soon after the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot in England, a plan to blow up the Parliament. Even though Patrick had nothing to do with the Gunpowder Plot, the timing of his petition made the authorities very suspicious.

Release and Later Years

Because he became ill, Patrick Barnewall was eventually allowed to leave the Tower of London and stay in his own lodgings. On December 31, 1606, he was sent back to Ireland. He had to promise to appear before the Lord Deputy of Ireland and the Privy Council.

While in London, it was thought that he worked to get the law about attending Anglican church services relaxed for Catholics. Whether he did or not, his strong opposition to the law made it very difficult to enforce. After his efforts, the government in Ireland stopped trying to fine people for not attending Protestant churches.

In 1613, Patrick Barnewall strongly disagreed with the creation of new towns (boroughs) in Ireland. He believed these new boroughs were only being created to help the government win votes. Because of his opposition, he was called to England again to explain himself to the Council. He died on January 11, 1622.

Sir Patrick's Children

• His son, Nicholas (1592-1663), later became a Viscount, a type of noble title.
• His daughter Eleanor married Christopher Fleming, the 12th Baron Slane. Their son, Thomas, became the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin.
• Sarah, another daughter, married Sir Piers Crosby but had no children who survived.
• Jane married Rory O'More, an Irish noble from Laois. They had two sons and four daughters.
• Margaret (or Mabel) married twice. Her first husband was Luke Netterville, and they had children. Her second husband was Sir Richard Bolton, who was a very important judge in Ireland. Margaret was still alive in 1663 and asked the Crown for financial help because she and her second husband had become very poor.
• Mary married Valerian Wellesley in 1602, but their marriage was ended in 1606. The Wellesley name later became famous through the family of the Duke of Wellington.