There have been two creations of the title Baron Offaly, both in the Peerage of Ireland.

Two earlier medieval creations as Baron of Offaly existed for an earlier FitzGerald, who owned land in County Kildare, Ireland,[1][2] including what was then "Offelan", a word that derived from the Irish Uí Faelain and not from what is now County Offaly.[3] The original grant of the lordship of Offelan was in 1175 to Maurice FitzGerald, one of Strongbow's main supporters.[4]

In 1538–50 the title was recreated for Brian O'Connor Faly, who was based in neighbouring County Offaly.[5]

The first modern creation by Queen Mary I was for Gerald FitzGerald on 13 May 1554, who was also created Earl of Kildare at the same time and later restored to the senior earldom of Kildare (forfeit by his half-brother, Thomas) in 1569. The title (as well as the second creation of the earldom), became extinct in 1599 when the 13th earl's branch of the family became extinct and the senior earldom passed to his cousin, Gerald.

The second creation of the title was for Lettice Digby on 29 July 1620. She was the daughter of Gerald FitzGerald, Lord Offally (1559–1580; the eldest son of the 11th earl, who predeceased his father) and the wife of Sir Robert Digby. Her eldest son, Robert, was created Baron Digby on the same day. The patent of the barony stipulated that it was not to pass to Lord Digby, but instead to the head of the House of Kildare, who, at the time of Baroness Offaly's death in 1658, was George FitzGerald, 16th Earl of Kildare. The 20th earl was later created Duke of Leinster in 1766 and the dukedom and barony remain united.

FitzGerald Barons of Offaly

for further Barons of Offaly, see Duke of Leinster

O'Conor Faly Barons of Offaly

Barons Offaly, first creation (1554–1599)

Barons Offaly, second creation (1620–present)

for further Barons Offaly, see Duke of Leinster

See also

References

  1. ^ Cokayne, George Edward, ed. (1895). Complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct or dormant (N to R). Vol. 6 (1st ed.). London: George Bell & Sons. p. 113. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  2. ^ Cokayne, George Edward, ed. (1890). Complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct or dormant (D to F). Vol. 3 (1st ed.). London: George Bell & Sons. p. 358. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  3. ^ Note on earlier barony and "Offelan" by Goddard Henry Orpen. Offelan was also sometimes spelt Ophelan. The Uí Faelain were a branch of the former Gaelic-era Leinster dynasty
  4. ^ Journal of the Co. Kildare Archaeological Soc, 1893, p.186 Online version here
  5. ^ "Note on the O Conor Faly barony (published in 1914)". Archived from the original on 7 June 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  6. ^ Lundy, Darryl. "p. 15487 § 154864". The Peerage.[unreliable source]
  7. ^ Cokayne, George Edward, ed. (1892). Complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct or dormant (G to K). Vol. 4 (1st ed.). London: George Bell & Sons. p. 368.

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