Sir Thomas Fitzwilliam, 1st Viscount Fitzwilliam
(see here),
of Merrion,
born 1581, succ 1595,
mar 23rd Aug 1605 to Margaret Plunkett
[descendant of Edward I], [Ball, vol.2, 1903] tells of an incident in 1608
when the Lord Deputy's messenger delivered an order to the hall door of Merrion Castle,
"and how on returning to town he met Lord Fitzwilliam
at the cross roads at St. Stephen's Green
riding home with his wife and eight attendants",
Sheriff of Co.Dublin 1609,
cr Baron Fitzwilliam of Thorncastle
and Viscount Fitzwilliam of Merrion
in 1629 by Charles I,
letters patent is in Wilton House,
loyal to the crown in rebellion of 1641,
Merrion Castle and Baggotrath were garrisoned with soldiers to defend Dublin,
Merrion Castle was overrun by the rebels in June 1642,
loyal to Charles I,
cr Earl of Warrington by him during English Civil War 1644,
but it was not upheld,
this letters patent is also in Wilton,
Merrion Castle was taken and was garrisoned by the Parliamentarians as at 1648,
the 1st Duke of Ormonde
was fortifying Baggotrath for the Royalists in Aug 1649
when he was surprised and dislodged by the Parliamentarians,
a crucial point in the end to resistance to
Cromwell
in Ireland,
see [Ball, vol.2, 1903],
Catholic, died c.1655, age c.74 yrs, having had issue:
The Fitzwilliams stayed Catholic through the 1600s,
and under their protection the
Catholic parish priest of Booterstown
was able to function, with a continuous history from 1616 to today.
