Thomas Browne, 4th Viscount Kenmare facts for kids
Thomas Browne, 6th Baronet & 4th Viscount Kenmare (born April 1726 – died 11 September 1795) was an important Irish landowner and politician. He inherited a large estate and worked to improve his community. He also played a key role in helping Roman Catholics gain more rights in Ireland.
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Thomas Browne's Early Life and Family
Thomas Browne's father was Valentine Browne (1695–1736). He was the 5th Baronet and 3rd Viscount Kenmare. His family was one of the few Roman Catholic landowners left in Ireland. Thomas was the second child of Valentine and his first wife, Honora Butler.
In 1726, Thomas's father built Kenmare House in Killarney, County Kerry. This house became the main home for the Browne family for the next 300 years. When his father died in 1736, Thomas inherited the estate and the house. However, he didn't live there permanently until the mid-1750s.
In 1750, Thomas married Anne Cooke. She was the daughter of Thomas Cooke of Painstown, County Carlow. They had two children, Valentine (born 1754) and Katherine. The family lived in Dublin for a short time in 1753-1754. After that, they settled in Killarney.
In 1761, the Browne family had to move again. Records suggest they moved for the children's education and Lady Kenmare's health. They also faced problems from laws against Catholics. During the 1760s, they traveled around Europe. They visited London, Paris, and Lille. They returned to Killarney from time to time. By 1788, Thomas Browne was living in Kenmare House once more.
Thomas Browne's Education
Thomas Browne went to Westminster School until his father passed away in 1736. His older brother, Valentine, had died in 1728. This meant that ten-year-old Thomas inherited the title of Viscount. He also inherited a huge estate of over 120,000 acres. This land stretched across Kerry, Cork, and Limerick.
Thomas was then looked after by his aunt Katherine. She was married to Don Louis da Cunha, the Portuguese ambassador in London. In 1736, she sent Thomas to study at an English seminary in Douai. He studied there for four years. After that, he moved to Oxford.
During his studies, many people tried to make him change his faith to the Church of England. But Thomas refused to become Protestant. Because of this, he could not officially join Oxford University. He also lost a chance to be part of the English House of Commons. He finished his studies at the Academy of Turin. There, he earned the respect of the King and the royal family of Sardinia.
Thomas Browne's Role in Politics
The Viscount Kenmare Title
The title Viscount Kenmare was given to the Browne family by King James II in March 1689. This was an Irish noble title. It was created after King James II was removed from the English throne. At that time, he was still the king of Ireland.
The first and second Viscounts Kenmare fought for King James II. They were strong Catholics. They were never officially punished by King William III. So, their noble title stayed on the Irish records. However, the Protestant government did not officially recognize it.
Helping Catholics in Ireland
Because he was a nobleman and a large landowner, Thomas Kenmare played a big part in Catholic politics. He wanted to show that Roman Catholics could be loyal citizens in Ireland.
In the early 1760s, he suggested forming an Irish army group. This group would have Catholic officers and soldiers. It would officially serve Portugal but help Britain in the Seven Years' War. This idea was not successful.
At the same time, some Protestants thought Kenmare and other Catholic leaders were behind the Whiteboy riots. These were farmer protests in Munster. They suspected it was a plot to gain power with French help.
To show their loyalty, important Catholics formed the Catholic Committee. This group worked to get more rights for Catholics in Ireland. In the 1770s, Kenmare joined with other noblemen and bishops. They formed a group within the committee. They believed that Catholics would get rights by showing loyalty. They also wanted to keep good relations with the governments in Dublin and London. This group became very powerful in the committee.
Kenmare also talked with Edmund Burke, a British politician. Kenmare supported Britain in the American War of Independence. He helped recruit soldiers in Ireland to fight for Britain. His efforts began to pay off. Important laws called Relief Acts were passed in 1778 and 1782. These laws gave Catholics more rights. Other things also helped, like growing Irish pride and changes in the British Empire.
After Ireland gained more law-making power in 1782, there was a lot of political excitement. People wanted more citizens to be able to vote. This raised the question of whether Catholics should be included. Kenmare and his group on the committee did not want to get involved in this campaign. They never even discussed it.
In 1783, a politician named George Ogle said he had a letter from a Catholic nobleman. The letter said that Catholics did not want any more rights than they already had. This stopped the debate on Catholic claims. The letter was supposedly from Kenmare. But it was actually written by his cousin, Sir Boyle Roche. Roche was Protestant and spoke for Kenmare in the government. Kenmare could deny writing the letter. This helped him stay on good terms with the government and avoid arguments within the Catholic Committee.
Improving Killarney
Making Killarney Better
When Thomas Browne became an adult in 1747, he took over the Kenmare Estate. He returned to Killarney and saw that the area was "a large barren waste." He wanted to improve it.
To make Killarney better, he drained wet lands and built or fixed roads and houses. He planted trees and divided the land into fields. He gave his tenants long leases and cheap rent. In return, they had to improve their homes. Most of the physical work was done by Browne's tenants. This work was seen as charity at the time. People earned good wages for these jobs.
He also used the money from his salmon fishing business to pay for public works. Killarney grew over time. However, the living conditions of his tenants did not always improve. He spent about £30,000 and lived among them for ten years. But his efforts to help everyone did not fully succeed.
Despite this, Browne's impact on Killarney is still remembered. He was one of the first people to suggest Killarney as a place for tourists to visit.
Killarney as a Tourist Spot
Browne quickly realized that Killarney's beauty could be a big advantage. He started a plan to promote Killarney as a tourist destination. He built inns and lodges where visitors could stay during the summer.
The people of Killarney were encouraged to welcome tourists. Local guides offered private tours, showing visitors around the town and the lakes. Boats that sailed the lakes often stopped at Inisfallen Island. The 7th-century Abbey there had been turned into a dining hall at Viscount Kenmare's request.
Browne's family also helped with this tourism plan. His sister traveled around Europe. She encouraged people to visit Killarney, praising the town's beauty.
Death and Legacy
Lord Kenmare died in Killarney on 11 September 1795. His son, Valentine Browne (1754–1812), took over his title. Valentine continued his father's political ideas. In 1801, he was given the new title of earl of Kenmare.
See also
- Ireland 1691–1801
