Terence O'Dempsey, 1st Viscount Clanmalier facts for kids

Terence O'Dempsey, 1st Viscount Clanmalier (Irish: Toirdelbach Ó Díomasaigh; died 1638) was an important Irish nobleman, also known as an aristocrat. He lived during a time of big changes in Ireland, from the late 1500s into the early 1600s.

Who Was Terence O'Dempsey?

Terence O'Dempsey was the son of Dermot O'Dempsey. His family, the Dempseys, were a well-known group, or "sept," from Queen's County in Ireland. The family's right to their lands was officially recognized by the English government through a policy called "surrender and regrant". This meant Irish lords would give up their land to the English King and then get it back, but under English law. This helped the English Crown gain more control.

His Important Jobs

Terence O'Dempsey held several important positions:

• He was the sheriff of Queen's County. A sheriff was like the main law enforcement officer in a county.
• In 1599, he was made a knight by Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex. Being knighted was a great honor, showing he was a loyal and respected person.
• In 1631, King Charles I gave him even higher titles in the English nobility, known as the English peerage. He became a Viscount and a Baron. His full titles were Viscount Clanmaliere and Baron Philipstown.

His Family Life

Terence O'Dempsey was married three times during his life.

• His first wife was Mary FitzGerald. She came from a branch of the family of the Earl of Kildare, another very important Irish noble family.
• His second wife was Genet (or Jenet) Finglas. She had been married twice before to other important men, including John Bathe, who was a top lawyer for Ireland, and the brave soldier Sir William Warren.
• His third wife was Margaret Whittie. She was the widow of John Ichingham. Interestingly, Margaret's daughter from her first marriage, Martha, later married Terence's grandson, Lewis.

It seems that all of Terence's children were from his first marriage.

His Faith and Family

Terence O'Dempsey appeared to follow the Church of Ireland, which was the official church supported by the English Crown at the time. However, his second wife, Genet, was a very religious Roman Catholic. Her children from her first marriage were also Catholic, and two of her sons even became priests. Because of this, the English Crown sometimes watched Genet closely, as they were concerned about the loyalty of Catholics during that period.

His Descendants

Terence O'Dempsey's eldest son, Owny (also known as Anthony) O'Dempsey, passed away before his father. Because of this, Terence was succeeded by his grandson, Lewis O'Dempsey, 2nd Viscount Clanmalier.

• Lewis O'Dempsey was involved in the Irish Rebellion of 1641. For his part in the rebellion, he lost his titles and some of his lands.
• However, after the Restoration (when the King was brought back to power), Lewis had his title and some of his family's estates given back to him.

Other Notable Family Members

Terence O'Dempsey's family had many connections to other important Irish families:

• His daughter Eleanor married Peter Sarsfield of Tully Castle in County Kildare. The Sarsfields were a rich "Old English" family, meaning they were descendants of English settlers who had lived in Ireland for centuries. Eleanor was the grandmother of Patrick Sarsfield, who became a very famous general for the Jacobite side during the Williamite War in Ireland.
• Another daughter, Joan, married Felim O'Neill from the Clandeboye O'Neill family, another powerful Irish clan.
• Terence O'Dempsey's sister, Giles, was the mother of Roche MacGeoghegan, who became the Bishop of Kildare. Giles's grandson, through her son Niall, was Conall the Historian, a well-known writer of history.