Henry Talbot of Templeogue
Sir Henry Talbot an Irish Catholic landowner, who was elected MP for Newcastle Borough in 1640. His marriage made him a brother-in-law of Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell.
Birth and origins
Henry was born in about 1600, probably at Templeogue, County Dublin, the second son of Robert Talbot and his wife Eleanor Colley. His father was a member of the landed gentry, seated at Templeogue. Richard Talbot of Templeogue, Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas, MP and judge, was one of his great-grandfathers. His father's family was a cadet branch of the Talbots, an Old English family.His mother was the second daughter of Henry Colley, of Carbury Castle, County Kildare, by his second wife, Catherine Cusack.
Henry had an elder brother John, who inherited the estate at their father's death in 1616, but died childless in 1627. The Talbots of Templogue were Catholics.
Marriage and children
Talbot married Margaret, the third daughter of Sir William Talbot, 1st Baronet of Carton, County Kildare, and his wife Alison Netterville. The marriage made him a brother-in-law of Richard Talbot, who would later become Earl of Tyrconnell.Henry and Margaret had two sons:
- James, colonel in the Irish army, married Bridget Bermingham, daughter of Francis de Bermingham, 12th Baron Athenry, and was killed at the Battle of Aughrim
- William, his successor, married Lucy, widow of George Holmes and daughter of William Hamilton of Liscloony, King's County
- Elizabeth, married John Talbot of Belgard Castle, County Dublin
- Bridget, married Gerrit Dillon of Manin, co. Mayo
- Mary, married Theobald Dillon, 7th Viscount Dillon and was accidentally killed during the Siege of Limerick
- Alice, married Edmund Moore of Cloonbigny, "Co. Mayo" .
- Ellen, married Laurence Cruise, of Cruisetown, co Meath.
- Barbara, married Dominick Browne, of Breaghwy, co. Mayo.
Later life
Talbot was elected MP for Newcastle Borough in 1640.In August 1642, Talbot together with John Dongan went to see Charles I in England and then stayed there and fought for him in the English Civil War. He was knighted by James Butler, Marquess of Ormond, in October 1646 at Kilkenny. In 1648 he was imprisoned, together with his wife. He was then transplanted to Roscommon and held 2,500 acres there.
After the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, Talbot was accused of treasonous participation in the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s. However, he was acquitted after being found to be an "innocent Papist", allowing him to recover his estates, which had been confiscated by the English Republic during the Cromwell era. His brother-in-law Richard was an influential figure at court and helped him to demonstrate his innocence and recover his lands.