Luke Plunket, 3rd Earl of Fingall

Luke Plunket, 3rd Earl of Fingall (1639–1684) was an Irish soldier and politician. He was one of the signatories of the Catholic Remonstrance of 1661.

Luke Plunket
Earl of Fingall
Tenure	1649–1684
Predecessor	Christopher, 2nd Earl of Fingall
Successor	Peter, 4th Earl of Fingall
Born	1639
Died	1684
Spouse(s)	Margaret MacCarthy
Issue Detail	Peter, & others
Father	Christopher, 2nd Earl of Fingall
Mother	Mabel Barnewall

Birth and origins

Luke was born in 1639 in Ireland. He was the eldest son of Christopher Plunket and his wife Mabel Barnewall. His father was the 2nd Earl of Fingall (since 1637). As the eldest son, Luke held from birth on the courtesy title of Baron of Killeen.^[1] His father's family was Old English and attested in Ireland since the 11th century.^[2]

Luke's mother was the daughter of Nicholas Barnewall, 1st viscount Kingsland, and Lady Bridget FitzGerald. His parents had married in January 1636.^[3] Lucas had four brothers and one sister, who are listed in his father's article.

Family tree

Luke Plunkett with his wife, parents, and other selected relatives.[a] Elizabeth FitzGerald Luke 1st Earl d. 1637 Susanna Brabazon d. 1623 Charles 1st Viscount Muskerry d. 1641 Christopher 2nd Earl d. 1649 Mabel Barnewall Donough 1st Earl Clancarty 1594–1665 Eleanor Butler 1612–1682 Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 Mary Plunket Luke 3rd Earl 1639–1684 Margaret MacCarthy d. 1704 Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 Peter 4th Earl 1678–1718 Frances Hales John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 Justin 5th Earl d. 1734 Legend XXX Subject of the article XXX Earls of Fingall XXX Viscounts Muskerry, & Earls of Clancarty XXX Earls of Ormond

Early life

His father fought for the insurgents in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and the Irish Confederate Wars. After the dissolution of the Irish Catholic Confederation in 1649,^[10] he continued his fight in the Royalist Alliance against the Parliamentarians during the Cromwellian Conquest. On 2 August 1649 his father fought under James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond at the Battle of Rathmines for the Royalist alliance against the Parliamentarians.^[11] He was wounded and taken prisoner by the Parliamentarians. He died two weeks later of his wounds while in captivity at Dublin Castle.^[12]

Killeen succeeded his father as 3rd Earl of Fingall in August 1649 at the age of about ten. His father's estates were forfeited by the Parliamentarians.

Marriage and children

Some time before 1666, Fingall married Margaret MacCarty, second daughter of Donough MacCarthy, 1st Earl of Clancarty and Eleanor Butler.^[13][14]

Luke and Margaret had three sons (of which the elder two died young and are not known by name):

1. Peter (1678–1718), his successor^[15]

—and three daughters:

1. Elizabeth, married to Rowland Eyre, Esq., of Hassop, Derbyshire, and of Estwell in Staffordshire^[16]
2. Helena, married first in 1681 to Sir FitzGerald Aylmer, Baronet, of Donadea in County Kildare and secondly to Michael Fleming, Esq., of Staholmog in County Meath^[17]
3. Amelia, married Theobald Taaffe, 4th Earl of Carlingford, the last earl of Carlingford^[18]

The marriage was a troubled one, giving constant anxiety to friends and family. The couple seem to have spent much time apart.

Later life

In December 1661 Lord Fingall was one of the signatories of the Catholic Remonstrance and presented the document personally to James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond, for submission to the king.^[19]

Litigation over the recovery of his estates before the Court of Claims dragged on for years, causing one of the commissioners for claims to remark that Lord Fingall's case "was suspended between Heaven and earth". He had recovered most of his estates by 1677. Though he had been politically prominent in the 1660s, he seems to have spent his later years in retirement. During the Popish Plot Lady Fingall, who was living apart from her husband in London, was named as a Catholic conspirator, but no action was taken against her.

Death and timeline

Fingall died in 1684 and was succeeded by his eldest son Peter.^[20]

Timeline
Age	Date	Event
0	1639	Born[1]
9–10	1649, 30 Jan	King Charles I beheaded.[21]
9–10	1649, 2 Aug	Battle of Rathmines. Michael Jones defeats James Butler, Marquess of Ormond before Dublin.[22]
9–10	1649, Aug	Succeeded his father as 3rd Earl of Fingall
20–21	1660, 29 May	Restoration of King Charles II[23]
22–23	1662	Recovered his lands[24]
38–39	1678	Peter, his third but only surviving son, born[25]
45–46	1685, 6 Feb	Accession of King James II, succeeding King Charles II[26]
44–45	1684	Died[20]