Stephen Woulfe facts for kids

Stephen Woulfe (born 1787 – died 2 July 1840) was an Irish barrister (a type of lawyer) and a Whig politician. The Whigs were a political group in Britain. He held important legal jobs, serving as the top lawyer for Ireland, called Solicitor-General, in 1836. He then became the Attorney-General in 1838. Stephen Woulfe was the first Roman Catholic person to be appointed Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer, a very high legal position. He passed away at a young age because he was often sick and worked very hard.

Stephen Woulfe's Early Life and Education

Stephen Woulfe was born in 1787 at Tiermaclane House, near Ennis, in County Clare, Ireland. He was the second son of Stephen Woulfe and Honora Woulfe. His mother, Honora, was the daughter of Michael Macnamara.

His father was a distant cousin of the famous general, James Wolfe. His mother's brother was Admiral James Macnamara. Since Stephen was a younger son, the family's main lands went to his older brother, Peter.

Stephen Woulfe received his education at a special college for non-clergy students at St Patrick's College, Maynooth. After that, he was one of the first Catholic students to attend Trinity College Dublin. There, he studied law. He officially became a barrister in 1814, meaning he could argue cases in court.

Political Career and Key Ideas

In 1835, Stephen Woulfe was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of Cashel. An MP is a person elected to represent their area in the country's government. He kept this job until 1838, when he left the House of Commons, which is a part of the British Parliament.

He didn't speak much in the debates because he was often unwell. However, he was very passionate about Catholic Emancipation. This was a movement to give Roman Catholics the same rights as other citizens.

Woulfe had a disagreement with Daniel O'Connell, a very important Irish leader. Woulfe believed the government should have a say in choosing Catholic bishops (religious leaders). O'Connell strongly disagreed with this idea. He even made fun of Woulfe in public, asking if "the sheep were to be left to the mercy of this wolf (Woulfe)."

Despite this, Woulfe's views were liked by the government. This, along with his clear legal skills, helped him quickly get promoted to important legal roles.

Stephen Woulfe also created the phrase "racy of the soil." This phrase is now strongly linked with the Young Ireland movement, a group of Irish nationalists. Woulfe first used it in a speech where he supported creating local governments, called municipal corporations, in Ireland.

Stephen Woulfe's Family Life

Stephen Woulfe was married to Frances Hamill. Her father was Roger Hamill from Dowth, in County Meath. Stephen and Frances had a son and a daughter.

His son, Stephen Roland Woulfe, inherited the family lands from his uncle Peter in 1865. However, the original family home, Tiermacrane House, was in ruins by then.

Stephen Woulfe's grandson was Edward Sheil. Edward was the son of Woulfe's daughter, Mary Leonora Woulfe. Mary married Sir Justin Sheil. Edward Sheil later became an Irish Nationalist MP, fighting for Irish rights. Mary Leonora Woulfe, also known as Lady Sheil, wrote a book called Glimpses of Manners and Life in Persia in 1856.

Another of Stephen Woulfe's daughters, Laura, married a Spanish diplomat named Pedro de Zulueta. Their son was Francis de Zulueta, who became a very important law professor at the University of Oxford.

Stephen Woulfe's sister, Mary, married Terence Flanagan. Their son, Stephen Woulfe Flanagan, followed his uncle into law. He became a judge in the Court of Chancery (Ireland).

Becoming Chief Baron and His Final Years

The Court of Exchequer (Ireland) was a very busy court during Stephen Woulfe's time. The person in charge, the Chief Baron, needed to be very strong and healthy to handle all the work.

Even though Stephen Woulfe was a very skilled lawyer, his ongoing health problems made him a poor choice for this demanding job. He actually didn't want the position. He suggested other lawyers, Maziere Brady and Edward Pennefather, for the role.

However, his political party strongly asked him to take the job, and he finally agreed. It is said that the intense work of this position sadly led to his death within two years. He traveled to Baden-Baden in Germany, hoping to get better. But his health did not improve. He passed away there on 2 July 1840, after an operation that was not successful.

Character and How He Was Described

People described Stephen Woulfe as a man who "didn't care much about his clothes." He was also seen as a bit "awkward" in his movements. However, when he spoke, he was very effective and clear. He wasn't known as a deeply complex lawyer, but he was quick to observe things and very clever.