98:
319:, was widely believed to have given a verbal promise to this effect before his succession to the Crown of England. Walsh as Recorder tried to persuade Waterford Corporation to proclaim James as King, but a riot broke out in which Walsh might have been killed had not his relatives on the Corporation intervened to quell the violence. Walsh, despite his record of service to the Crown, had never been popular, even in his native Waterford, and many of his acquaintances in the city sympathised with the rebels.
471:
22:
462:, which was the fate of most of their neighbours, and by converting to the Protestant faith and petitioning through the courts, Thomas succeeded in retrieving much of his father's lost property, which passed on his death to his eldest son John. The family used the suffix 'of Piltown' into the 18th century when the senior line of descent became extinct with the death of Col. Robert Walsh at
362:
By the ethical standards which are now expected of an Irish judge, Walsh acted improperly by sitting as a judge at Meade's trial; given his own experience in
Waterford, where he had almost been killed, he could hardly be viewed as an impartial judge at a trial concerning what was essentially the same
402:
was conducted according to the
Catholic ritual, much to the embarrassment of the Crown which he had served so loyally. Rothe told a similar story about Walsh's brother-in-law and judicial colleague, Gerald Comerford. Later generations of the Walsh family were mostly Protestant (and were thus able to
507:
Crawford describes Walsh as a highly successful politician and jurist, who through his diligence and loyalty to the Crown overcame what was then the serious handicap of Irish birth in attaining high office. Ball, rather cynically, suggests that his great wealth was probably the main reason for his
442:
and died fighting to protect his property from the threatened
English plantation. He married Mary Colclough of Tintern Abbey, a niece of his stepmother Jacquetta. His eldest son Thomas (1624–1670), remained at Clonmore until the 1640s: he married Eleanor, daughter of John de la Poer or Power, 5th
375:. In 1607, Walsh was one of the senior judges who entered the King's Inns, thus helping to revive an institution which had become almost moribund. He continued to hold assizes diligently, although by 1611 he was described as being "old and weak". He asked unsuccessfully to be made a
148:
of
Waterford, which he held for life. After the settlement of Munster, he was one of the three commissioners charged with the government of the province. He was accused of shameless "grabbing" of former rebels' lands, thus adding to his considerable fortune. He acquired lands in
846:
310:
broke out in some of the southern towns. The principal aim of the rebellion was to secure greater religious liberty. While the rebels could not hope to actually prevent James's accession to the throne, they evidently hoped to apply pressure to the Crown to relax the
359:, then secretary to the Lord Deputy of Ireland, with the wisdom of hindsight, said that no one who knew anything about Ireland should have expected an Irish jury to convict him. Meade proved the Crown's suspicions about his loyalty true by fleeing to Italy.
415:, but, as he was "the wealthiest commoner in Munster", this was only one of his estates; others were at Kinsalebeg and Piltown. He married firstly Catherine Comerford, and secondly Jacquetta Colclough, daughter of Anthony Colclough, who bought
234:
His membership of the House of
Commons, while he was also a sitting High Court judge, was unusual, but not unprecedented in Ireland (it would be impossible now), and paved the way for several similar elections – Sir Gerard Lowther the elder,
466:
in 1788. However, recent research shows that at least one lesser cadet branch, the
Walshes (or Welshes) of Canty and Woodstock, County Waterford, continued in occupation of Piltown lands into the late 19th century.
215:, while deploying the difficulties caused by the Queen's remoteness from Ireland. He rebuked Parliament for failing to vote the taxes required by the Crown, while maintaining that all three estates in society –
226:
It was a sign of Perrot's regard for him, and that of the Queen herself, that Walsh was appointed to the Privy
Council in 1587, though he had no specific functions on it. Crawford describes the appointment as
259:. When Perrot fell from power in 1588 Loftus moved to destroy Walsh as well, and he was threatened with prosecution for having conspired to wrongfully convict Perrot's former secretary, Henry Bird, of
243:– to the Parliament of 1613–15. He had the Queen's full support for this course of action: she wrote in 1587 of his good services both as Chief Justice of Munster and as justice of the Queen's Bench.
653:
Weidenfeld & Nicolson 1997 pp.38–41. The author concludes that a promise was in fact made, despite James' later denials, and that his perceived breach of faith was the principal cause of the
278:. He appears to have been a most conscientious judge: at a time when a perennial complaint against the Irish judges was their refusal to go on circuit, Walsh was extremely diligent about holding
856:
113:
in 1539 and 1547, and grandson of
Patrick Walsh, who was also Mayor of the town in 1528 and 1532. His father died young, and Nicholas and his sister Johanna were entrusted to the care of
355:, despite being composed largely of Protestants of undoubted loyalty to the Crown, insisted, despite strenuous efforts to coerce them to convict, on bringing in a verdict of not guilty.
761:
gentry in the sixteenth century- even staunch
Royalists like Walsh himself often found a knowledge of Irish useful in dealing with Gaelic neighbours who might not speak English.
204:
263:. Due to the friendship of Fitzwilliam, who wished to retain his services, and the support of Burghley, he escaped prosecution and soon regained his political influence.
866:
430:
He had at least one son, his namesake Sir
Nicholas Walsh the younger of Piltown (1590–1643), who is often confused with his father, sometimes being wrongly described as
826:
371:
In April 1605 he was instructed, with others, to carry out an inquisition into the lands of Sir Edmond Butler of Cloghgrenan, deceased. The commission is now in the
231:. Elizabeth I wrote "for the good opinion we have of his discretion, wisdom, and fidelity, that we think him meet to be one of our Privy Council in that realm".
423:, Co. Kilkenny. Through his successful and influential roles in the Ormonde administration, he acquired extensive property in Munster in the aftermath of the
347:
after making a full submission, but Meade remained defiant and the Crown, unwisely as it turned out, set up a special Court to try him for treason. The
298:
Walsh was cut off from Dublin, and was said to be in some danger of his life in the period 1599–1600. He incurred further danger on the accession of
881:
821:
282:, even when he was in his late 60s. In 1600 he was once again acting as Chief Justice of Munster, due to the refusal of the actual Chief Justice,
59:
851:
831:
51:. Perrot's downfall did some short-term damage to Walsh's career, but he soon regained his influence, as he was noted for his loyalty to the
876:
136:, who like Nicholas went on to become a trusted Crown official and a High Court judge, but died, still a relatively young man, in 1604.
891:
886:
871:
312:
267:
196:
114:
74:
in his home town of Waterford in 1603. Remarkably by modern standards, he was elected an MP while also serving as a High Court judge.
452:
177:
173:
861:
495:, concerning a mother and her fatherless child. The choice of Walsh as the addressee of the poem suggests that he not only spoke
271:
195:
During his time in Munster, he became friendly with Sir John Perrot. He was promoted to the position of second justice of the
125:. The Walsh family was wealthy, and this was no doubt was the foundation of Nicholas's great fortune. He was studying law at
97:
416:
122:
803:
86:
35:(1542–1615) was an Irish judge, politician and landowner of the late Tudor and early Stuart era. He was Speaker of the
372:
340:
266:
Having been previously promised "any office of advancement" that might be vacant, he was considered for the office of
236:
683:
256:
67:
376:
348:
343:, and an army officer, Lieutenant Christopher Morrogh. Morrogh was hanged after a summary trial. Sarsfield was
169:
63:
458:
Through their high-level connections the Piltown Walshes, in the person of Thomas, avoided transplantation to
184:'s court. Despite his growing importance in Munster politics, he played only a minor role in suppressing the
696:
435:
118:
793:
44:
36:
274:
was the appropriate Court for Irish-born judges and Walsh duly became its Chief Justice in 1597, with a
240:
200:
40:
841:
836:
252:
439:
316:
270:
but passed over, probably because of his Irish birth. There was an informal understanding that the
70:. His loyalty to the Crown led to his being attacked and narrowly escaping death during a serious
618:
299:
185:
110:
207:. He was also elected Speaker of the House, and in May 1586 delivered a lengthy oration at the
610:
499:
but had some interest in Gaelic culture, perhaps fulfilling the traditional role of "patron".
470:
424:
395:
786:
391:
336:
165:. His estates at Clonmore, County Kilkenny were the main source of food for Waterford city.
162:
145:
133:
126:
438:, Sir Nicholas Walsh the younger (of Piltown and Ballykeroge) became one of the leaders of
412:
351:
presided with Walsh and two other judges assisting him. The result was a fiasco since the
154:
383:
in 1609. In 1612 he was allowed to resign on health grounds; he died three years later.
699:
1937 Article 34, by which judges must swear an oath to act with absolute impartiality.
654:
647:
496:
488:
463:
295:
815:
380:
356:
332:
307:
283:
52:
21:
847:
Members of the Parliament of Ireland (pre-1801) for County Waterford constituencies
81:". He took some interest in traditional Gaelic culture: the well-known Irish poem,
758:
474:
Tintern Abbey, Wexford, home of Nicholas Walsh's second wife Jacquetta Colclough
448:
444:
387:
328:
220:
208:
181:
150:
48:
379:
to give him equal rank with the other Chief Justices. He was Treasurer of the
275:
158:
614:
303:
106:
487:. This related the true story of a judgment given in the eighth century by
168:
Walsh became second justice of the Provincial Court of Munster in 1570 and
459:
344:
216:
212:
189:
622:
403:
hold on to their lands), although Nicholas's eldest son was a Catholic.
602:
492:
420:
399:
279:
260:
78:
757:
A knowledge of the Irish language was not in itself unusual among the
534:
A Star Chamber Court in Ireland- the Court of Castle Chamber 1571–1641
419:
in 1575. Sir Nicholas Walsh the elder founded the dynasty of Walsh of
483:
Tuileagna Ó Maoil Chonaire addressed to Sir Nicholas Walsh his poem
77:
He acquired a great fortune and was called "the richest commoner in
603:"Nicholas Walsh's Oration to the Irish House of Commons, May 1586"
469:
132:
His sister Johanna married another protégé of the Earl of Ormond,
96:
66:, on which he held an office which has been compared to that of a
188:(1579–83). He spent much of 1587 in England prosecuting private
352:
71:
199:, and when Perrot called the last of the three Elizabethan
203:
in 1585, Walsh sat in the House of Commons as member for
223:, and democracy – had a right to a voice in government.
211:
of the parliament, in which he praised the virtues of
251:His closeness to Perrot earned Walsh the enmity of
857:Speakers of the Parliament of Ireland (pre-1801)
286:, to sit as a judge or attend Council meetings.
172:in 1576. He was on good terms with Lord Deputy
8:
651:The Gunpowder Plot- Terror and Faith in 1605
117:, who sent them to live in the household of
681:Sir John Davies and the Conquest of Ireland
331:caused the Crown to make an example of the
55:, and enjoyed the Queen's personal regard.
775:
528:
526:
524:
522:
520:
867:Chief justices of the Irish Common Pleas
716:
714:
634:
632:
589:Chronicle of the Law Officers of Ireland
451:and his wife Ruth Pyphoe, and sister of
20:
827:Members of the Privy Council of Ireland
583:
581:
579:
577:
516:
315:: James, the son of a Catholic mother,
60:Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas
554:
552:
550:
548:
546:
544:
542:
536:Four Courts Press Dublin 2005 pp.107–8
794:Speaker of the Irish House of Commons
724:Irish Academic Press Dublin 1992 p.83
722:King's Inn and the Kingdom of Ireland
327:A similar and more serious rising in
16:Irish judge, politician and landowner
7:
411:His main residence was at Clonmore,
562:John Murray London 1926 Vol.1 p.221
386:There is a story, originating with
176:and was a regular correspondent of
43:of 1585–86 and a close ally of the
268:Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer
115:Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond
14:
708:National Library of Ireland D3412
453:Richard Power, 1st Earl of Tyrone
560:The Judges in Ireland 1221–1921
323:Cork- the case of William Meade
272:Court of Common Pleas (Ireland)
180:, the elder statesman of Queen
882:17th-century Irish politicians
822:16th-century Irish politicians
434:Walsh. On the outbreak of the
398:on his deathbed, and that his
123:Master of the Rolls in Ireland
109:, son of James Walsh, who was
1:
852:People of Elizabethan Ireland
832:Lawyers from Waterford (city)
733:Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh
747:Burke's Irish Family Records
735:Burke's Irish Family Records
601:HUTCHINSON, MARK A. (2014).
485:Labhrann ar iongaibh Éireann
479:Patron of the Irish language
302:in 1603, when a short-lived
144:His first official post was
83:Labhrann ar Iongaibh Éireann
62:in 1597. He also sat on the
373:National Library of Ireland
908:
877:Second Justices of Munster
684:Cambridge University Press
587:Smyth, Constantine Joseph
503:Personality and reputation
394:, that Walsh converted to
257:Lord Chancellor of Ireland
87:Tuileagna Ó Maoil Chonaire
68:Minister without portfolio
892:17th-century Irish judges
887:16th-century Irish judges
872:Chief justices of Munster
800:
791:
783:
778:
377:Serjeant-at-law (Ireland)
349:Lord President of Munster
670:London 1861 Vol. II p.17
591:London Butterworths 1839
335:, Thomas Sarsfield, the
170:Chief Justice of Munster
89:, was addressed to him.
64:Privy Council of Ireland
697:Constitution of Ireland
436:Irish Rebellion of 1641
237:Sir John Blennerhassett
101:Waterford city by night
475:
102:
45:Lord Deputy of Ireland
37:Irish House of Commons
29:
473:
241:Christopher Sibthorpe
197:Court of King's Bench
100:
27:Azure, six mullets or
24:
787:Sir James Stanihurst
862:Irish MPs 1585–1586
679:Pawlisch, Hans ed.
558:Ball, F. Elrington
440:Confederate Ireland
317:Mary Queen of Scots
290:The Waterford riots
779:Political offices
737:London 1976 p. 254
607:Analecta Hibernica
476:
300:James I of England
186:Desmond Rebellions
111:Mayor of Waterford
103:
33:Sir Nicholas Walsh
30:
810:
809:
801:Succeeded by
532:Crawford, Jon G.
425:Desmond Rebellion
396:Roman Catholicism
201:Irish Parliaments
58:He was appointed
899:
784:Preceded by
776:
771:
768:
762:
755:
749:
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738:
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639:
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598:
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569:
563:
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392:Bishop of Ossory
337:Recorder of Cork
247:Judicial career
163:County Waterford
134:Gerald Comerford
907:
906:
902:
901:
900:
898:
897:
896:
812:
811:
806:
804:Sir John Davies
797:
789:
774:
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745:
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668:History of Cork
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661:
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540:
531:
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481:
413:County Kilkenny
409:
369:
325:
292:
249:
155:County Kilkenny
142:
105:He was born in
95:
25:Arms of Walsh:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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773:
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763:
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739:
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688:
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659:
655:Gunpowder Plot
648:Antonia Fraser
640:
628:
593:
573:
564:
538:
515:
513:
510:
504:
501:
489:Niall Frossach
480:
477:
408:
405:
368:
365:
324:
321:
296:Nine Years War
291:
288:
248:
245:
141:
138:
119:Nicholas White
94:
91:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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720:Kenny, Colum
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669:
666:Gibson, C.B.
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649:
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641:
635:
633:
629:
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620:
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612:
609:(45): 35–52.
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584:
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417:Tintern Abbey
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366:
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357:Fynes Moryson
354:
350:
346:
342:
341:William Meade
338:
334:
333:Mayor of Cork
330:
322:
320:
318:
314:
309:
308:English Crown
305:
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297:
289:
287:
285:
284:William Saxey
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178:Lord Burghley
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139:
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127:Lincoln's Inn
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99:
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65:
61:
56:
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53:English Crown
50:
46:
42:
38:
34:
28:
23:
19:
792:
766:
753:
746:
742:
734:
729:
721:
704:
691:
680:
675:
667:
662:
650:
643:
606:
596:
588:
567:
559:
533:
506:
484:
482:
457:
431:
429:
427:after 1579.
410:
385:
370:
361:
326:
306:against the
293:
265:
250:
233:
228:
225:
194:
167:
143:
140:Early career
131:
104:
82:
76:
57:
32:
31:
26:
18:
842:1615 deaths
837:1542 births
759:Anglo-Irish
638:Ball p.242
449:Curraghmore
445:Baron Power
388:David Rothe
363:rebellion.
294:During the
253:Adam Loftus
221:aristocracy
209:prorogation
182:Elizabeth I
174:FitzWilliam
151:County Cork
49:John Perrot
816:Categories
798:1585–1586
770:Ball p.153
686:1985 p.104
571:Ball p.312
512:References
491:, King of
381:King's Inn
367:Last years
313:Penal Laws
276:knighthood
159:Kinsalebeg
93:Early life
41:Parliament
615:0791-6167
508:success.
304:rebellion
205:Waterford
129:in 1561.
107:Waterford
623:24589226
460:Connacht
345:pardoned
239:and Sir
217:monarchy
213:monarchy
190:lawsuits
146:Recorder
121:, later
493:Aileach
421:Piltown
400:funeral
280:assizes
261:forgery
79:Munster
39:in the
621:
613:
407:Family
255:, the
229:unique
47:, Sir
619:JSTOR
497:Irish
432:Judge
85:, by
695:cf.
611:ISSN
464:Bath
353:jury
329:Cork
157:and
72:riot
447:of
161:in
818::
713:^
631:^
617:.
605:.
576:^
541:^
519:^
455:.
390:,
339:,
219:,
192:.
153:,
657:.
625:.
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