High Sheriff of Kildare


The High Sheriff of Kildare was the British Crown's judicial representative in County Kildare, Ireland from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Kildare County Sheriff. The high 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 serve his full term due to death or another event, and another sheriff was then appointed for the remainder of the year. The dates given in this article are the dates of appointment.
In Ireland, the County Sheriffs were selected or "pricked" by the Lord Lieutenant. All addresses are in County Kildare unless stated otherwise.

List of High Sheriffs of County Kildare

Pre-17th century

Source: Kildare Archaeological Society
  • 1299 : William Alysaundre
  • 1301: Albert de Kenley
  • 1303 Sir Waleran de Wellesley, knight, killed in battle with the Irish, October 1303, aged 70. Son of Waleran de Wellesley, justice in eyre, ancestor of the Duke of Wellington;
  • 1306: Sir Hugh Canoun, or Canon.
  • 1310–1314: David le Maryner
  • 1355: Richard Penkiston
  • 1368: William De Wellesley u
  • 1372: William de Wellesley
  • 1373: William Ballymore
  • 1374: Walter fitz John le Faunt
  • 1375: John Creef
  • 1376: Adam de Lyt
  • 1378: Robert FitzEustace.
  • 1384 William De Wellesley
  • 1386: Sir Maurice FitzEustace
  • 1391: William de Wellesley
  • 1392: John Fitz Maurice
  • 1394: Patrick Flatesbury
  • 1403: William de Wellesley
  • 1414: Sir Richard FitzEustace
  • 1415–16: Sir Richard De Wellesley of Dangan, County Meath and of Pollardstown, County Kildare
  • 1419: Sir Richard De Wellesley
  • 1421: Sir Richard De Wellesley of Dangan, County Meath and of Pollardstown, County Kildare
  • 1422: Sir Richard De Wellesley
  • 1423: Sir Edward FitzEustace, Knt.
  • 1424: Robert Griffin
  • 1428: Sir Edward FitzEustace, Knt.
  • 1446: Robert Flatesbury
  • 1452: Christopher De Wellesley of Alasty
  • 1456: Robert FitzEustace of Ballycutland
  • 1465: Christopher Flatesbury of Osbertown
  • 1472: Philip Eustace of Newland
  • 1484: Lawrence Sutton of Barbystown
  • 1493: Richard Eustace of Eilgon
  • 1494: Bartholomew Aylmer of Lyons
  • 1495: Bartholomew Aylmer
  • 1496: Sir William De Wellesley
  • 1498: Laurence Sutton of Tipper
  • 1499: Maurice Eustace of Ballyoutland
  • 1502: Sir William Wogan of Rathcoffey
  • 1507: William Eustace of Newland
  • 1508: Laurence Sutton of Tipper
  • 1509: William Eustace of Cradockstown
  • 1523: Thomas Eustace, 1st Viscount Baltinglass of Henryston
  • 1527: Thomas Netterfeld, snr.
  • 1535: John Eustace of Harriston
  • 1536: James FitzGerald of Osberdiston.
  • 1537–38: Philip fitzMaurice FitzGerald, of Allen.
  • 1540: William Birmingham of Dunfert.
  • 1541: James FitzGerald of Ballysonnane.
  • 1542: Nicholas Wogan of Rathcoffey
  • 1543: Richard Aylmer of Lyons
  • 1544: William Eustace of Mone
  • 1556: Nicholas Eustace of Cradockston
  • 1557: Patrick Sarsfield of Castledillon
  • 1558: Redmund Fitzgeralde of Rathangan
  • 1558–1560: Francis Cosby of Even
  • 1560: Maurice FitzGerald of "Gerardston"
  • 1567: John Eustace of Castlemartin
  • 1571: Robert Pypho
  • 1573: Piers Fitz-Gerald of Ballysonan
  • 1576: John Eustace of Castle Marten
  • 1578: Peter Fitz-Gerald of Ballysonan
  • 1580: John Eustace of Castle Marten
  • 1581: Piers Fitz-Gerald of Ballysonan
  • 1583: Redmond Bermingham of the Grange
  • 158n: Thomas Fitz-Gerald of Timahoe, County Kildare
  • 158n: William Eustace
  • 1592: Maurice Eustace
  • 1593: Sir Richard Fitzgerald
  • 1594: John Sarsfield
  • 1595: Sarsfield
  • 1596: John Fitz-Gerald
  • 1597: Sir Henry Duke
  • 1598: James Fitz-Gerald

    17th century

18th century

19th century

20th century