High Sheriff of Queen's County


The High Sheriff of Queen's County was the British Crown's judicial representative in Queen's County, Ireland, Ireland from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Offaly County Sheriff. The sheriff had judicial, electoral, ceremonial and administrative functions and executed High Court Writs. In 1908, an Order in Council made the Lord-Lieutenant the Sovereign's prime representative in a county and reduced the High Sheriff's precedence. However, the sheriff retained his responsibilities for the preservation of law and order in the county. The usual procedure for appointing the sheriff from 1660 onwards was that three persons were nominated at the beginning of each year from the county and the Lord Lieutenant then appointed his choice as High Sheriff for the remainder of the year. Often the other nominees were appointed as under-sheriffs. Sometimes a sheriff did not fulfil his entire term through death or other event and another sheriff was then appointed for the remainder of the year. The dates given hereunder are the dates of appointment. All addresses are in Queen's County unless stated otherwise.

High Sheriffs of Queen's County

George III, 1760–1820

  • 1760: Lewis Moore II of Durrow
  • 1763: Stephen Cassan of Sheffield House
  • 1764:
  • 1772: Richard Croasdaile of Rynn
  • 1773:
  • 1779: Stewart Weldon
  • 1780: John Brereton
  • 1782: Jonathan Chetwode of Woodbrook
  • 1782: John Adair of Rath
  • 1783: Matthew Cassan of Sheffield House
  • 1784: Henry Moore of Cremorgan
  • 1785: Thomas Fitz-Gerald of Corbolly
  • 1786:
  • 1787:
  • 1790: Edward Dunne of Brittas
  • 1791: Charles Henry Coote of Forest Lodge
  • 1792: Sir John Allen Johnson, 1st Baronet, later Sir John Allen Johnson-Walsh, 1st Baronet
  • 1794: John or George Hartpole
  • 1795: Joshua Kemmis of Knightstown
  • 1799: Thomas Murray Prior
  • 1800: Sir Erasmus Dixon Borrowes, 6th Baronet
  • 1801: Richard Warburton of Garryhinch
  • 1802:
  • 1804: Coghran Palmer
  • 1805: John Bland
  • 1806: Robert Laurenson
  • 1807: Gilbert fitz Gerald
  • 1808: Sir George Pigott
  • 1809: Thomas Cosby of Stradbally Hall
  • 1810: Frederick Thompson
  • 1811: Lancelot Croasdaile of Rynn
  • 1812: John Alien Johnston-Walsh
  • 1813: Hon Lord Sidney Osborne
  • 1814: Lord Henry Seymour Moore
  • 1815: Charles White of Charleville
  • 1816: James White of Aghavoe
  • 1817: Sir Walter Dixon Borrowes, 7th Baronet
  • 1818: Robert White of Old Park
  • 1819: Sir Robert Staples
  • 1820: Hugh Aldborough-Bowen

George IV, 1820–1830

  • 1821: Pierce Moore
  • 1822: George Adair of Rath
  • 1823: Hon. Lionel Dawson
  • 1824: Henry Smith, of Mount Henry
  • 1825: Edward John Johnson-Walsh, later Sir Edward Johnson-Walsh, 2nd Baronet of Ballykilcavan.
  • 1827: Hon. John Vesey, of Abbeyleix
  • 1828: Lewis Moore III
  • 1829: John Warburton of Garryhinch

William IV, 1830–1837

Victoria, 1837–1901

Edward VII, 1901–1910

George V, 1910–1936