Richard Francis Blennerhassett
Marriage of Richard Blennerhassett,
31 Oct 1798
[Tralee CoI par records].
Richard Francis Blennerhassett,
Richard Blennerhassett, born 23 May 1772.
See
Wikitree
and
thepeerage.
Mary Agnes Hickson
in
[Hickson's annotated par records, 1880]
says he was called
"Dicky the Goose".
As you might expect,
"goose"
was Regency slang for a fool.
He lived when young at father's house, Churchtown, near Killarney.
Richard Francis Blennerhassett of Churchtown
witnessed
[Deed, 1794].
He was a magistrate of Co.Kerry.
Letter of
1 Mar 1814
seems to say he has been a Magistrate for 19 years (i.e. since 1795).
Richard Francis Blennerhassett of Churchtown
is party to his 1st cousin
Richard Yeilding's marriage settlement in
[Deed of Feb 1796].
Bill Jehan
says he was JP for Co.Kerry 1796.
Listed as
of Churchtown
in his cousin's
marriage settlement, May 1798.
Listed as of Blennerville, near Tralee,
at marriage Oct 1798.
He mar 31 Oct 1798 [Tralee CoI par records]
to Agnes Denny
[born 1768].
Marriage settlement in
[Deed of 30 Oct 1798].
Listed as of Blennerville in
[Deed, 1800] and
[Deed of Mar 1804].
He witnessed
[Deed, Mar 1804].
"Richard Francis Blennerhassett" of Tralee was elected church warden at Tralee, 23 Apr 1810
[Vestry Minutes Books, St.John's church, Tralee].
He is apparently "Richard Blennerhassett" mentioned in
letter to Daniel O'Connell, 10 Feb 1811.
See part 1
and part 2.
From p.246 (letter 321) of
[Correspondence of Daniel O'Connell, vol 1].
Duel with John O'Connell, 1813:
Richard
fought a duel in Jan 1813 with Daniel O'Connell's brother
John O'Connell (him age 40, O'Connell age 34).
The dispute began in Aug 1812.
[Letter from Richard Blennerhassett, 26 Nov 1812]
gives his side of the story.
[Basil O'Connell, 1948]
gives what might be called the O'Connell side.
The background was the argument over
Catholic emancipation.
There was a riot (according to Richard)
or a rowdy celebration (according to O'Connell)
about the issue in Tralee in August 1812.
Richard said that he used his powers as a magistrate to call out the army to quell the crowds.
O'Connell regarded him as endangering the lives of peaceful pro Catholic emancipation crowds.
O'Connell and Richard exchanged words.
Richard demanded a meeting to fight a duel.
Richard said O'Connell repeatedly would not meet him under satisfactory conditions.
After much argument, they met but were stopped by the Sheriff.
At time of writing in the letter of Nov 1812 they had not actually fought.
They finally
met to fight a duel with pistols on Tue 19 Jan 1813 at
Crotto.
Richard was supported by his friend Thomas Blennerhassett of Caherine [unidentified].
Richard had practiced hard.
He shot
O'Connell in the mouth.
O'Connell was seriously injured.
The duel is written about in:
-
Item
in Cork Mercantile Chronicle, 22 Jan 1813.
[NLI] microfilm.
-
Item
in The Times, 28 Jan 1813.
-
Long article
part 1 and
part 2
in Limerick Evening Post, 30 Jan 1813.
[NLI] microfilm.
It says:
"The families of the O'Connells and Blennerhassets had previously been on the most amicable terms."
-
The aftermath of the duel is referred to in
letter to Daniel O'Connell, 16 Feb 1813.
Though Richard Blennerhassett is not mentioned by name.
See part 1
and part 2.
From p.318 (letter 407) of
[Correspondence of Daniel O'Connell, vol 1].
Richard wrote a number of
letters in 1813-1814
to Dublin Castle:
- He wrote
on 13 Oct 1813
from Tralee
to Dublin Castle,
seeking a position as Surveyor in the Excise Department.
He names people who will support his application, including "Sir Rowland Blennerhassett (my father)".
-
He writes on
19 Jan 1814 from Tralee
to Dublin Castle,
seeking appointment as port surveyor to Tralee and Blennerville.
-
He writes on
1 Mar 1814 from Tralee
to Dublin Castle.
He notes that Dublin Castle replied on 9 Feb and could not offer him a position.
He says he intends to resign as a Magistrate.
-
Accused of offering a bribe:
William Gregory,
Under-Secretary for Ireland,
wrote an angry letter to him (at Tralee) on
6 June 1814.
Gregory says he is replying
to "your very improper letter of the 16th of May",
looking for a post as surveyor on the Customs House Quay,
and a further letter from Blennerhassett on 24 May.
Gregory says Blennerhassett seems to have offered a bribe. He threatens Blennerhassett with a criminal prosecution.
As Blennerhassett is a Magistrate of Co.Kerry,
Gregory says he will be removed from that position.
Seemingly unabashed by the angry response in June 1814,
Richard
wrote further
letters in 1814-1815
to Dublin Castle:
-
He writes on
21 Sept 1814 from Tralee
to Dublin Castle.
He asks for a favour for
George Washington Busteed of Tralee,
a somewhat distant cousin of his through Mason.
-
He writes on
17 Oct 1815 from Tralee
to Dublin Castle. He says there is agitation against tithes.
And from Tralee on 24 Oct.
Richard Blennerhassett of Blennerville
is party to
[Deed, Feb 1816]
with his father.
He wrote a number of
letters in 1817
to Dublin Castle:
- Letter of 19 Feb 1817 from Tralee.
- Letter of 2 May 1817 from "Blennerville Town".
He offers help with a "Revenue Establishment" on the Valentia River
(i.e. at Caherciveen).
He lays out a proposal with costs.
- Letter of 15 May 1817 from
Westwood Lodge, Caherciveen.
He gives unwanted advice on how to organise the customs service for Kerry, including
Tarbert,
Tralee,
Blennerville
and Waterville.
- Letter of 24 May 1817 from Blennerville.
More unwanted advice.
-
William Gregory
writes letter of 31 May 1817 to
Robert Peel,
Chief Secretary for Ireland.
He
shows him the recent letters from
Blennerhassett.
He refers to the letter of 6 June 1814,
and says Dublin Castle should ignore Blennerhassett's correspondence.
- Letter of 29 June 1817 from Westwood Lodge.
More unwanted advice.
- Letter of 5 Aug 1817 from Blennerville.
A long rambling letter in praise of Robert Peel. His point is unclear.
He does come across as an eccentric, which his nickname "Dicky the Goose"
may allude to.
- Letter of 25 Sept 1817 from Blennerville.
He mentions his father Sir Rowland
and says he has been granted a commission as Second Lieutenant "in his Corp of Yeomanry".
It is unclear what this refers to.
His father was Colonel of a regiment of the Kerry Volunteers, but that was in an earlier period.
Richard also in the letter invites Robert Peel to visit Kerry.
- Letter of 6 Oct 1817 from Blennerville.
- Letter of 16 Oct 1817 from Blennerville.
He seeks a job in the customs service.
He names his father as his guarantor.
Richard dies, 1817:
He
died without issue, Fri 28 Nov 1817 at Cahirciveen of a violent fever, age 45 yrs.
Probably died at Westwood Lodge.
See Limerick Evening Post, Thur 4 Dec 1817.
See notice
in The General Advertiser, or Limerick Gazette,
5 Dec 1817.
Bill Jehan
says he was bur 5 Dec 1817.
Where?
See notice in
Saunders's News-Letter, 9 December 1817.
See notice on
p.630
of "The Gentleman's Magazine",
Dec 1817.
Agnes is party to
[Deed, Mar 1825] and
[Deed, Mar 1827].
Listed as of Tralee.
Widow of Richard Francis, late of Tralee.
Agnes dies, 1842:
Her will
dated 16 Mar 1842.
She is described as of Denny St, Tralee.
She died 11 Dec 1842, Tralee, age 74 [death notice].
Think NOT 19 Dec.
See notice
in Freeman's Journal, 21 December 1842.
Will proved at Ardfert and Aghadoe, 10 Jan 1843.
Executor James Huggard.
Extract from
1790-1798 notes
from Hickson's
annotated parish records.
Showing Richard's nickname "Dicky the Goose".
The duel of 1813
The dispute with
John O'Connell began in Aug 1812.
Ended in a duel in Jan 1813.
Richard Blennerhassett signs his
public letter of 26 Nov 1812,
explaining the dispute with John O'Connell.
Account of the dispute and the duel.
From notes on John O'Connell,
in O'Connell Family Tracts,
by Basil O'Connell, No.2, 1948.
Richard Francis Blennerhassett writes in May-June 1817 from Westwood Lodge,
Caherciveen, Co.Kerry.
He died at Caherciveen in Nov 1817, presumably at Westwood Lodge.
Where this was is uncertain.
Richard writes on
29 June 1817 from Westwood Lodge.
See
full size.
Image used with the kind permission of the British Library.
The Observatory in Garranebane townland, SW of Caherciveen.
From 1887 to 1913 map.
This Observatory is now called "Westwood House".
See modern map
and street view.
See drone video.
However it is not the old Westwood Lodge.
The OSI map shows this building did not exist on the
1829 to 1842 map.
- In fact "Westwood" was an alternative name for the neighbouring townland,
Garranearagh.
-
Westwood Lodge was probably in Garranearagh townland.
The five entries
for Westwood
in [Tithe Survey, 1826].
They are beside the entries for Garranebane townland, Caher parish, which makes sense.
References
Correspondence of Robert Peel.
[BL] Add MS 40181-40617.
Robert Peel
was Chief Secretary for Ireland
1812-1818.
Letters are
bound in volumes (with volume numbers).
Each volume is given a Ms number, which is the BL reference (not the volume number).
The Peel papers have letters to and from
Richard Francis Blennerhassett of Tralee
in 1813-17.
Also correspondence with
William Gregory,
Under-Secretary for Ireland
1812-1831.
See
catalogue.
Images used with the kind permission of the British Library.
- Add MS 40231. Vol. LI.
- Folio 54. Letter of 13 Oct 1813 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
See p.1
and p.2
and back.
- Add MS 40233. Vol. LIII.
- Folio 119. Letter of 19 Jan 1814 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
- Add MS 40235. Vol. LV.
- Folio 5.
Letter of 1 Mar 1814 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
See p.1
and p.2
and back.
- Add MS 40198. Vol. XVIII.
- Folio 324. Letter of 6 June 1814 from Gregory to Blennerhassett.
See p.1
and p.2.
- Add MS 40239. Vol. LIX.
- Folio 58.
Letter of 21 Sept 1814 from Blennerhassett to Dublin Castle.
See p.1
and back.
- Add MS 40248. Vol. LXVIII.
- Folio 65. Letter of 17 Oct 1815 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
See p.1
and p.2
and p.3
and p.4.
- Folio 168. Letter of 24 Oct 1815 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
See p.1
and p.2
and back.
- Add MS 40263. Vol. LXXXIII.
- Folio 106. Letter of 19 Feb 1817 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
See p.1
and back.
- Add MS 40204. Vol. XXIV.
- Folio 195.
Letter of 2 May 1817 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
See p.1
and p.2
and p.3.
- Folio 197.
Letter of 15 May 1817 from Blennerhassett to Dublin Castle.
See p.1
and p.2
and p.3.
- Folio 201.
Letter of 24 May 1817 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
See p.1
and p.2.
- Folio 193.
Letter of 31 May 1817 from Gregory to Peel.
See p.1
and p.2.
- Add MS 40267. Vol. LXXXVII.
- Folio 207. Letter of 29 June 1817 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
See p.1
and back.
- Add MS 40269. Vol. LXXXIX.
- Folio 40. Letter of 5 Aug 1817 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
See p.1
and p.2
and p.3
and p.4
and back.
- Add MS 40270. Vol. XC.
- Folio 199. Letter of 25 Sept 1817 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
See p.1
and back.
- Folio 321. Letter of 6 Oct 1817 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
See p.1
and back.
- Folio 426. Letter of 16 Oct 1817 from Blennerhassett to Peel.
See p.1
and p.2
and back.
William Gregory, Under-Secretary for Ireland,
accuses Blennerhassett of attempted bribery and says he will be dismissed as a Magistrate.
From letter on
6 June 1814.
"you may be assured that your corrupt attempt will preclude you from holding any office under the Government."
See
full size.
Image used with the kind permission of the British Library.
Will of Agnes Denny, widow of Richard Francis Blennerhassett.
Will dated 16 Mar 1842.
See index of
Ardfert wills.
See
entry
in
Irish will index 1842-43.
Will would be burnt in 1922.
However notes survive, made before the fire.
See notes on
p.20
of
[D950/1/9].
Notes from will of Agnes Denny before it was burnt.
From
[D950/1/9, p.20].
Used with permission of The Deputy Keeper of the Records, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
Sources yet to be consulted
- Richard Blennerhassett dispute and duel.
- Western Herald and Kerry Advertiser, 15 Dec 1812.
-
Limerick Chronicle, 23 Jan 1813.
See transcript
posted here.
Not in
[NLI] microfilm.
(todo) Try hardcopy.
- Richard Blennerhassett death.
-
Limerick Chronicle, 5 Dec 1817.
Not in
[NLI].
- See
[O'Carroll, 2007, pp.174-176]
for more background of the arguments over Catholic emancipation at Tralee
around 1812.
Not particularly relevant to Blennerhassett.
-
Report of Catholic emancipation meeting in Tralee,
Cork Mercantile Chronicle, 24 Jan 1812.
[NLI] microfilm.
NOT 1813.
-
John O'Connell was shot and wounded in an argument on 13 Nov 1812 with Maurice O'Connor.
See item
in Limerick Gazette (or General Advertiser), 24 Nov 1812.
[NLI] microfilm.
See item
in Limerick Gazette,
4 Dec 1812.
[NLI] microfilm.
