Page:The Complete Peerage Ed 1 Vol 2.djvu/266

CLARE. 265 !.<: " CLARE " Viscounty [1.1, (Nugent), cr. 1767 ; See "Nugent," Earidom of [I.], or. (with a spec, rem.) 1770 ; the Viscountcy of Glare (contrari- wise) becoming extinct (uu the death of the grantee) iu 1788. Earldom [I.] 1. John Km Gibbon, 2ml, but 1st surv. s. of John I 1705 ^ ITI! tilm) " N ot Mount Shannon, co. Limerick, fa Barrister at Dulilin of some repute, H.P. in various Paris. [I.]),, by Eleanor, da. of John Grove of Ballyhimock, co. Cork, entered Dublin Univ. (as a Fellow Commoner), 1763, obtaining at almost every exam, every collegiate honour; matric. at Oxford (Ch. Ch.), 7 June 1769, being then aged 21 ; was incor- porated B.A., 2 March 17~0; M.A., 9 May 1770; and, having greatly distinguished him- self at the Bar, was in Nov. 17 S3, made Attorney Gen. Id.], and in June 1789 Lord Chancellor [1.], (an office he held till his death), being 6 July 1789, cr. BARON FITZ GIBBON OF LOWElt CONNELLO, co. Limerick [I.], on 6 Dec. 1793, cr. VIS- COUNT FITZ GIBBON OF LIMERICK, co. Limerick [I.], on 12 June 1795, EARL OF CLARE [I.J, and, finally, 24 Sep. 1799, BARON FITZ GIBBON OF SIDBPRY, co. Devon [G.B.]. Vice- Chancellor of Dublin Univ., 22 June . 1791. He was a great promoter of the Irish Union and incurred accordingly the bitter hatred of its opposers.^ 1 ) He St., 1 July 1786, Anne, 1st da. of Richard Chapel Wiiai.kv of W'haley Abbey, co. Wicklow. He d. in Ely Place, Dublin, 28 Jany. 1802, aged 03. His widow d., 13 Jany. 18-11. Her mil pr., Feb. 1844. IT. 1802. John (Fm Gibbon), Earl of Clark, &c. [L], also Bahox Fitz Gibbon ok Sidbuuy [G.B.], 1st s. and h., h. 10 June 1792 in Dublin ; ed at Harrow School,^) matric. at Oxford (Ch. Ch.), 1 Feb. 1S10 j B.A, 1812 ; M.A., 1819 ; Lord Lieut, of co. Limerick ; Govkrnoh Gen. ok Bombay, 1830-34; P.O., 1S30; G.C.H., 1834; K.P., 20 Sep. 1845. Hem. 14 April 1826, at Richmond, Surrey, Elizabeth Julia Georgians, 3d da. of Peter (Buruei.l), 1st Baron GwTDIit, by Priacilla Barbara Elizabeth, siw jure, Baroness WnxounUBV de Eresby. He d. s.p. at Brighton, IS Aug. 1S51. aged 59. Will pr. Sep. 1851. His widow, who was b. 25 March 1793, died 30 April 1879, at Ryde, where she had built a Roman Catholic church some 30 years previously. III. 1851, 0. Kicuari) Hobart (Frrz Gibbon), Earl of Clare to [1795, I.], Viscount Fitz Gibbon ok Limerick [1793, I.], and Baron 1SG4. Fitz Gibbon ok Lower Connei.lo [1789, I.], also Baron Fitz Gibbon ok Sidbuuy [1799, G.B.], bf. and h. He was b. 2 Oct. 1793, in Dublin ; was sometime an officer in the Army, serving at Oporto, Talavera, &c. ; Col. of the Limerick Militia, ISIS ; M.P. for co. Limerick, 1818-41 ; Usher and Registrar of Affidavits in Chancery [I.], till the abolition of that office in 1S36 ; Lord Lieut, of co. Limerick, 1851. He m. at Dunkirk, in France, 11 July 1825, and again 9 Jany. 1826, at St. James, Westm., Diana (whose marriage iu 1S14 (") Such a one was Sir Jonah Barringtou, whose character of him, in his " Rise and Fail of the Irish Nation," is a masterly piece of eloquent vituperation. He considers, indeed, that the Union " effected his total overthrow," inasmuch as " his importance had expired with the Irish Pari." — " during the twenty momentous and eventful years, the life of Lord Clare is, in fact, the history of Ireland — as in romance, some puissant and doughty chieftain appears prominent in every feat of chivalry — the champion in every strife — the hero of every encounter — and, after a life of toil and battle, falls, surrounded by a host of foes, a victim to his owu ambition and temerity." Sir Egertou Brydges, in his " Biographical Peerage, 1S0S," (on the other hand) thus mites of him " He was a man of a vigorous and bold mind ; of superior talents and undaunted loyalty, who stemmed the torrent of rebellion in Ireland, unawed by threats and unbroken by the dreadful difficulties of the crisis." ( h ) Where he formed the friendship with Lord Byron, of wdiose " Childish Recollec- tions" he is the " Lycus." Byron,, also, addressed two poems to him, ouo beginning " Friend of my youth."