Butler dynasty

Butler (Irish: de Buitléir) is the name of a noble family whose members were, for several centuries, prominent in the administration of the Lordship of Ireland and the Kingdom of Ireland. They rose to their highest prominence as Dukes of Ormonde. The family has produced multiple titles such as Baron Cahir, Baron Dunboyne, Viscount Ikerrin, Viscount Galmoye, Viscount Mountgarret, Viscount Thurles, Earl of Carrick, Earl of Kilkenny, Earl of Ormond, Earl of Ossory, Marquess of Ormonde and Duke of Ormonde. Variant spellings of the name include le Boteler and le Botiller. The Butlers were descendants of Anglo-Norman lords who participated in the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. The surname has its origins in the hereditary office of "Butler (cup-bearer) of Ireland", originating with Theobald Walter, 1st Chief Butler of Ireland. The arms of later family members depicted three cups in recognition of their original office.

Butler
de Buitléir
noble house
CountryLordship of Ireland Lordship of Ireland
Founded1185 (1185)
FounderTheobald Walter, 1st Chief Butler of Ireland
Titles
Butler arms at Kilkenny Castle

Origin

The family descended from Theobald Walter (d. 1205), eldest son of Hervey Walter and Maud de Valoignes. During the reign of Henry II of England Theobald held the position of pincerna (Latin) or boteillier (Norman French), the ceremonial cup-bearer or butler to Prince John, Lord of Ireland. He also held the office of Chief Butler of England and was the High Sheriff of Lancashire during 1194.[1]

His younger brother Hubert Walter (c.1160-1205) became the Archbishop of Canterbury and Justiciar and Lord Chancellor of England.

Butlers of Ormond

The Ormond line is the senior branch of the family and later produced the Earls, Marquesses and Dukes of Ormond.

Edmund Butler was created the first Earl of Carrick in 1315 in reward for his service during the Bruce campaign in Ireland. Although the earldom did not pass to his son James, the latter was created the first Earl of Ormond in 1328 by Edward III.

Subsidiary titles for the earl in the Peerage of Ireland were later added: Earl of Ossory (1538) and Viscount Thurles (1536). James Butler, 12th Earl of Ormond served as the commander of the Cavalier forces in Ireland and was made Marquess of Ormond in 1642, which title became extinct in 1758. He was made Duke of Ormonde in 1661, and with the title created in the Peerage of England in 1682; after 1682, the spelling "Ormonde" was used almost universally. Subsidiary titles for the duke in the Peerage of England were added: Earl of Brecknock (1660) and Baron Butler (1660).

James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde; a Jacobite sympathiser, his titles became forfeit in 1715

James Fitzjames Butler succeeded his grandfather and became the second duke. Accused of treason during the Jacobite rising of 1715, he was attainted and his English peerages declared forfeit. In 1758 his brother Charles, the de jure third duke (Irish), died and the dukedom and marquessate became extinct.

The eighteenth earl, James Wandesford Butler, was created as Baron Ormonde of Llanthony, in the county of Monmouth in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1821 on the coronation of George IV. Later, he was created the Marquess of Ormonde in the Peerage of Ireland in 1816. On his death in 1820, that title became extinct and the earldoms passed to his brother, for whom the title "Marquess of Ormonde" was re-created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1825. That title became extinct in 1997, while the earldom became dormant.

Lands

The Lordship of Ireland in 1450
Norman Lordships and native kingdoms.

The family seat, since 1391, was Kilkenny Castle;[2] their main estate was previously at Gowran Castle.[3] From Kilkenny, the Butlers claimed overlordship of the surrounding Gaelic kingdoms of Ormond, Éile, Ikerrin and part of Osraige.

The patrimony of the Butlers of Ormond encompassed most of the modern counties of Tipperary, Kilkenny and parts of County Carlow. Only the earldom of Desmond would have had more extensive land holdings than Ormond in the Lordship and Kingdom of Ireland. Following the successful Norman Invasion, the ancient Gaelic lands would have been annexed to the crown and passed as baronies or fiefs to the supporters of the crown (the victorious barons). These (administrative) baronies corresponded to the (Irish) túath ("country") or trícha cét ("thirty hundred [men]") of a Gaelic chief, for example Éile. However, sometimes baronies combined small territories, or split a large one, or were created without regard for the earlier boundaries. In the Norman period most Gaelic chiefs were killed, expelled, or subordinated by the new Norman lord; in the Tudor period, many Gaelic and Hibernicized lords retained their land by pledging allegiance to the Crown under the policy of surrender and regrant.

In 1837, the remains of the following Butler castles were recorded in County Kilkenny alone by Lewis.

"Granny or Grandison Castle, in Iverk, is one of the most considerable: it was the residence of Margaret Fitzgerald, the great Countess of Ormond, a lady of uncommon talents and qualifications, who is said also to have built the castles of Balleen and Coolkill, with several others of minor note. The Butlers owned the castles of Knocktopher, Gowran, Dunfert, Poolestown, Nehorn, Callan, Ballycallan, Damagh, Kilmanagh, and Urlingford..... The castles of Drumroe, Barrowmount, and Low Grange, are said to have belonged to Lord Galmoy;"[4]

Members of the Butler family continued to live in Kilkenny Castle until 1935.

Notable family members

Kilkenny Castle, side view

Butlers of Dunboyne

The Baron Dunboyne peerage originated with Thomas Butler, 1st Baron Dunboyne (1271–1329), the son of Theobald Butler, 4th Chief Butler of Ireland.

Notable family members

Butlers of Clonamicklon and Ikerrin

This branch sprang from John Butler of Clonamicklon (1305–1330), the youngest son of Edmund Butler, Earl of Carrick (1268–1321) and Joan FitzGerald, Countess of Carrick (1282–1320).He was the brother of James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond (1305–1337). From this branch descended the Viscounts Ikerrin and the Earls of Carrick (of the second creation).

Notable family members

Butlers of Cahir

Cahir Castle, Tipperary County, Ireland
Cahir Castle, view of the walls

This branch sprang from James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond (died 1405). The family seat, Cahir Castle, is built on an island in the River Suir. Much of the barony of Iffa and Offa West was controlled by the Butler Barons Cahir.

Notable family members

  • Thomas Butler of Cahir (died 1476)

Barons of the first creation

  • Thomas Butler, 1st Baron Cahir (died 1558), son of Thomas Butler of Cahir. His brother, Piers Butler of Cahir, would later supply future barons when his own line failed to produce any other male heirs upon the death of his own son.
  • Edmund Butler, 2nd Baron Cahir (died 1560), son of the 1st baron. Died without issue.

Barons of the second creation

Butlers of Polestown and Roscrea

This branch also sprang from the 3rd Earl. Three distinct branches are associated with this branch of the family. The family tree splits firstly with Edmund MacRichard Butler; his eldest son, Sir James, founded the most illustrious sub-branch with his progeny going on to supply the 8th Earl of Ormond; his second son, Walter, founded the lesser sub-branch with his progeny going on to become baronets of Polestown. This sub-branch split thirdly to found a Roscrea branch in the barony of Ikerrin, County Tipperary, beginning with Walter's grandson.

Note: "Polestown" is also spelled in the records as Poolestown". It is now identified with the town of Paulstown in Gowran, County Kilkenny.

Notable family members

Butlers of Mountgarret, Cloughgrennan, Kilcash & Duiske

The common ancestor here is Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond. Three minor family branches sprang from his eldest son – James; Cloughgrenan, Kilcash and Duiske / Galmoye, His younger son, Richard Butler, founded the junior but long lasting Mountgarret line.

Senior line - earls of Ormond, heirs of the 8th earl
Mountgarret line - heirs of the second son of the 8th earl
Cloughgrenan line - heirs of the second son of the 9th earl
Kilcash and Thurles line - heirs of the third son of the 9th earl
Garryricken line - heirs of the third son of the 11th earl
Duiske and Galmoye line - heirs of the 10th earl

Butlers of Mountgarret

Mountgarret may take its name from the townland of Tifeaghna (Mount Garret) in the civil parish of Sheefin, in the barony of Galmoy or from Clomantagh (Mount Garret) in the civil parish of Clomantagh in the County of Crannagh. Both baronies are in the northwestern corner of County Kilkenny. The Viscounts are recorded as significant landowners there (where they occupied lands around Clomantagh Castle for many centuries), as well as holding lands in the neighbouring civil parish of Coolcashin.[5] It may also refer to a district of the town of New Ross in County Wexford. This branch was in turn an offshoot of the Polestown branch.

Notable family members

Nidd Hall, North Yorkshire, England

Butlers of Cloughgrenan

The second son of James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond was Sir Edmund Butler of Cloughgrenan who occupied lands at Cloughgrenan (a townland near Carlow town). Tulleophelim (or Tullowphelim) is near the town of Tullow in County Carlow. The castle of Tulleophlim had been built by James Butler, 4th Earl of Ormond before 1450.

Notable family members

Butlers of Kilcash and Thurles

Ormonde Castle, Carrick-on-Suir

The third son of James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond, was John who occupied lands in Kilcash, near Clonmel, County Tipperary. His heirs went on to provide four immediate heirs to the earldom of Ormond when the senior line failed through lack of legitimate male issue.

Notable family members

Butlers of Garryricken

This branch is an offshoot of the Kilcash branch. Garryricken is a townland in the barony of Kells, County Kilkenny.

Notable family members
  • Walter Butler of Garryricken, eldest son of Richard Butler of Kilcash, great-grandson of the 11th Earl.
  • Colonel Thomas Butler of Garryricken, eldest son of Walter.
  • John Butler, 15th Earl of Ormonde, son of Colonel Thomas, great-grand-nephew of the 1st Duke. He succeeded to the earldom (but not the dukedom) when the last member of senior Kilcash line, Charles, failed to produce a legitimate male heir.
  • John Butler of Garryricken, second son of Walter and brother of Colonel Thomas, grand-nephew of the 1st Duke.
  • Walter Butler, 16th Earl of Ormonde, son of John, great-great-great-grandson of the 11th Earl and the first cousin of the 15th Earl.

Butlers of Duiske and Galmoye

Duiske takes its name from Duiske Abbey in Graiguenamanagh, County Kilkenny. Galmoy is a village in the Barony of Galmoy, northwestern Kilkenny. This branch also sprang from the 9th Earl. His younger son was James Butler of Duiske.

Notable family members

Sub-families and houses

Hever Castle, Kent, England
Blickling Hall, Gardens and Park

House Butler was a large dynasty with many titles, large amounts of land and a considerable amount of wealth, with close ties to the royal families of England and later other countries. Consequently, it has numerous descendants and sub-houses throughout the world, particularly in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.

For example, Lady Margaret Butler of Kilkenny Castle was married to Sir William Boleyn of Blickling Hall and Hever Castle and was the grandmother of Queen Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry VIII of the House of Tudor, connecting the Butler family to the Tudor dynasty. The Butler family has expanded going to America.

See also

Family tree

Family tree
Theobald Walter, 1st Chief Butler of Ireland
(1165- 1206)
Theobald le Botiller, 2nd Chief Butler of Ireland
(1201- 1230)
Theobald Butler, 3rd Chief Butler of Ireland
(1224–1248)
Theobald Butler, 4th Chief Butler of Ireland
(1242–1285)
Theobald Butler, 5th Chief Butler of Ireland
(1269–1299)
Edmund Butler
Earl of Carrick

(1268–1321)
Thomas Butler
1st Baron
Dunboyne

(1271- 1329)
James Butler
1st Earl of Ormond

(1305–1338)
John Butler
of Clonamicklon

(1305- 1330)
Piers Butler
2nd Baron
Dunboyne

(1294- 1370)
James Butler
2nd Earl of Ormond

(1331–1382)
Edmond Butler
of Lismalin
(1325- 1372)
Thomas Butler
3rd Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1370)
William Butler
4th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1406)
James Butler
3rd Earl of Ormond

(1362-1405)
James Butler
of Lismalin
(1361- 1405)
Pierce Butler
5th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1415)
Edmond Butler
6th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1419)
James Butler
7th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1445)
James Butler
4th Earl of Ormond

(1393–1452)
Richard Butler
of Poletown

(1396-1443)
James Butler
(1400-1434)
Edmond Butler
8th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1498)
James Butler
5th Earl of Ormond

(1420–1461)
John Butler
6th Earl of Ormond

(1422-1476)
Thomas Butler
7th Earl of Ormond

(1426–1515)
Edmund
MacRichard
Butler

(1420-1464)
Pierce Butler
(1425-1526)
James Butler
9th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1508)
James Butler
(d. 1487)
Walter Butler
of Polestown
James Butler
(1473-1538)
James Butler
10th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1538)
Piers Butler
8th Earl of Ormond
1st Earl of Ossory

(1467–1539)
Edmond Butler
of Poletown
Piers
Butler
(1521-1578)
Edmund Butler
1st/11th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1567)
James Butler
9th Earl of Ormond
2nd Earl of Ossory

(1496–1546)
Richard Butler
1st Viscount
Mountgarret

(1500–1571)
Walter Butler
of Poletown
James Butler
(d. 1601)
James Butler
2nd/12th Baron
Dunboyne

(1547–1625)
Thomas Butler
10th Earl of Ormond
3rd Earl of Ossory

(1531–1614)
John Butler
of Kilcash

(d. 1570)
Edmund Butler
of Cloughgrenan

(1534–1602)
Edmund Butler
2nd Viscount
Mountgarret

(d. 1602)
Peter Butler
of Roscrea
Richard Butler
of Poletown

(d. 1619)
Pierce Butler
1st Viscount
Ikerrin

(1587- 1661)
John Butler
(d. 1602)
Piers Butler
(d. 1626)
Edward Butler
Piers FitzThomas
Butler

(d. 1601)
Walter Butler
11th Earl of Ormond
4th Earl of Ossory

(1569–1632)
Theobald Butler
1st Viscount Butler
of Tulleophelim

(c. 1560–1613)
Richard Butler
3rd Viscount
Mountgarret

(1578–1651)
Walter Butler
of Roscrea
Edmond Butler
of Poletown

(1595–1636)
James Butler
(c.1616- 1638)
Edmund Butler
3rd/13th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1640)
Edmund Butler
(d. 1641)
James Butler
Viscounts GalmoyeThomas Butler
Viscount Thurles

(d. 1619)
Edmund Butler
4th Viscount
Mountgarret

(1595–1679)
Butler
baronets
of Polestown
Pierce Butler
2nd Viscount
Ikerrin

(1637–1680)
James Butler
4th/14th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1662)
Pierce Butler
5th/15th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1690)
Edward Butler
James Butler
1st Duke of Ormonde

(1610–1688)
Richard Butler
of Kilcash

(1615–1701)
Richard Butler
5th Viscount
Mountgarret

(d. 1707)
James Butler
3rd Viscount
Ikerrin

(d. 1688)
James Butler
6th/16th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1701)
Michael Butler
(d.1776)
Thomas Butler
Earl of Ossory

(1634–1680)
Richard Butler
1st Earl of Arran

(1639–1686)
Walter Butler
of Garryricken
Edmund Butler
6th Viscount
Mountgarret

(1663–1735)
Pierce Butler
4th Viscount
Ikerrin

(1679–1711)
Thomas Butler
6th Viscount
Ikerrin

(1683–1720)
Pierce Butler
7th/17th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1718)
Edmund Butler
8th/18th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1732)
James Butler
(d. 1784)
James Butler
2nd Duke of Ormonde

(1665–1745)
Charles Butler
1st Earl of Arran
3rd Duke of Ormonde

(1671–1758)
Thomas Butler
of Garryricken

(d. 1738)
Richard Butler
7th Viscount
Mountgarret

(1691–1736)
James Butler
8th Viscount
Mountgarret

(d. 1742)
Edmund Butler
9th Viscount
Mountgarret

(d. 1752)
Somerset Butler
1st Earl of Carrick

(1718–1774)
James Butler
9th/19th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1768)
Pierce Butler
10th/20th Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1773)
John Butler
12th/22nd Baron
Dunboyne

(1731–1800)
John Butler
15th Earl of Ormonde
8th Earl of Ossory

(d. 1766)
John Butler
of Garryricken
Edmund Butler
10th Viscount
Mountgarret

(d. 1752)
Henry Butler
2nd Earl of Carrick

(1746–1813)
Pierce Butler
11th/21st Baron
Dunboyne

(d. 1785)
James Butler
13th/23rd Baron
Dunboyne

(1780–1850)
Walter Butler
16th Earl of Ormonde
9th Earl of Ossory

(1703–1783)
Edmund Butler
11th Viscount
Mountgarret

(1745–1793)
Somerset Butler
3rd Earl of Carrick

(1779–1838)
Henry Butler
(1780–1856)
Theobald Butler
14th/24th Baron
Dunboyne

(1806–1881)
John Butler
17th Earl of Ormonde
10th Earl of Ossory

(1740–1795)
Edmund Butler
1st Earl of Kilkenny

(1771–1846)
Henry Butler
(1773–1842)
Henry Butler
4th Earl of Carrick

(1834–1846)
Somerset Butler
5th Earl of Carrick

(1835–1901)
Charles Butler
(1823–1854)
James
Clifford-Butler
15th/25th Baron Dunboyne

(1839–1899)
Robert Butler
16th/26th Baron Dunboyne

(1844–1913)
Walter Butler
1st Marquess
of Ormonde

(1770–1820)
James Butler
1st Marquess
of Ormonde

(1777–1838)
Henry Butler
13th Viscount
Mountgarret

(1816–1900)
Charles Butler
6th Earl of Carrick

(1851–1909)
Fitzwalter Butler
17th/27th Baron Dunboyne

(1874–1945)
John Butler
2nd Marquess
of Ormonde

(1808–1854)
Henry Butler
14th Viscount
Mountgarret

(1844–1912)
Charles Butler
7th Earl of Carrick

(1873–1931)
James Edward
Butler
3rd Marquess
of Ormonde

(1844–1919)
James Arthur
Butler
4th Marquess
of Ormonde

(1849–1943)
James Theobald
Butler
(1852–1929)
Edmund Butler
15th Viscount
Mountgarret

(1875–1918)
Piers Butler
16th Viscount
Mountgarret

(1903–1966)
Theobald Butler
8th Earl of Carrick

(1903–1957)
Patrick Butler
18th/28th Baron Dunboyne

(1917–2004)
James George
Butler
5th Marquess
of Ormonde

(1890–1949)
James Arthur
Butler
6th Marquess
of Ormonde

(1893–1971)
James Hubert
Butler
7th Marquess
of Ormonde

(1899–1997)
Richard Butler
17th Viscount
Mountgarret
26th Earl of Ormonde
(not proved)

(1936–2004)
Brian Butler
9th Earl of Carrick

(1931–1992)
John Fitzwalter Butler
19th/29th Baron Dunboyne

(1951-2013)
James Anthony Butler
Viscount Thurles
(1916–1940)
Piers Butler
18th Viscount
Mountgarret
27th Earl of Ormonde
(not proved)

(b. 1961)
David Butler
10th Earl of Carrick

(1953–2008)
Thomas Butler
11th Earl of Carrick

(b. 1975)

References

  1. ""The Butlers of Ormond(e)", Kilkenny Castle". Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  2. A History of St. Mary’s Church. Text by Imelda Kehoe. Published by the Gowran Development Association 1992
  3. Webb. Alfred. "Butler, James, 3rd Earl of Ormond", A Compendium of Irish Biography, Dublin, M.H. Gill & Son, 1878
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.
  5. Griffith's Primary Valuation, Tithe Applotment Books Year, 1825

Bibliography

  • Empley, C A, The Butler lordship in Ireland (1970), Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland)
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