Lucius O'Brien, 13th Baron Inchiquin


Lucius O'Brien, 13th Baron Inchiquin, known as Sir Lucius O'Brien, 5th Baronet from 1837 to 1855, was an Irish politician and nobleman.

Biography

He was born at Dromoland Castle in 1800, the eldest son of Sir Edward O'Brien, 4th Baronet and Charlotte Smith. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating B.A. in 1825. In 1826, he replaced his father as Tory Member of Parliament for Clare, but was unseated in 1830 by the Whig candidates. He unsuccessfully contested the county again in 1835, but was appointed High Sheriff of Clare for that year instead. Upon the death of his father in 1837, he succeeded to the baronetcy, and he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Clare in 1843.
He again contested Clare in 1847, topping the poll and ousting Cornelius O'Brien. In 1848, he published a book, Ireland in 1848: the late famine and the Poor Laws. During the same year, his brother William Smith O'Brien, a Liberal, led an abortive rebellion and narrowly escaped hanging. O'Brien did not contest Clare in 1852.
In 1855, he inherited the title of Baron Inchiquin from a distant cousin, the last Marquess of Thomond, although this was not confirmed until 1862. He was elected a representative peer for Ireland in 1863. He died in 1872 at Dromoland and was succeeded by his son Edward O'Brien, 14th Baron Inchiquin.

Family

O'Brien married Mary, daughter of William FitzGerald and together they had the following children;