Henry Boyle, 1st Earl of Shannon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Boyle,_1st_Earl_of_Shannon

Henry Boyle, 1st Earl of Shannon, PC (Ire) (1682 – 28 December 1764) was a prominent Irish politician.

Boyle was the second son of Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Boyle, second son of Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery. His mother was Lady Mary O'Brien, daughter of Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin. In, 1707, he was elected to the Irish House of Commons for Midleton, a seat he held until 1713, and then sat for Kilmallock from 1713 to 1715. Between 1715 and 1756 he represented County Cork. He quickly gained a prominent role in Parliament and Sir Robert Walpole is said to have styled him "the King of the Irish House of Commons". In 1733 Boyle was admitted to the Irish House of Commons and appointed Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer. Later that year he was also made Speaker of the Irish House of Commons. He held these posts until 1756, when he was dismissed by the British government. As a way of compensation he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Castle Martyr, Viscount Boyle, of Bandon, and Earl of Shannon. He also acted several times as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.

In 1751, the Irish Treasury had a surplus, but Britain swooped in and claimed the the money in the name of the King. When1753 brought another surplus, the Irish Parliment, led by Henry Boyle, lobbied hard and retained the money. It was a hugh victory for Ireland and prompted the birth of a new group in Parliment--the Patriots. The Patriots still had a long fight ahead of them to achieve their ultimate goal of parity with Britain under the rule of the monarch.

Lord Shannon married, firstly, Catherine, daughter of Chidley Coote, in 1715. After her death in 1725 he married, secondly, Lady Henrietta Boyle, youngest daughter of Charles Boyle, 3rd Earl of Cork and 2nd Earl of Burlington, in 1726. Lord Shannon died in December 1764, in his 82nd year, and was succeeded in his titles by his son from his second marriage, Richard.

Other References

• Burke, Bernard, Sir. A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the peerage and baronetage of the British Empire. London : Harrison 1869. page 1001