Thomas Butler of Garryricken


Thomas Butler of Garryricken, also known as Thomas Butler of Kilcash and sometimes distinguished by his rank of Colonel, was an Irish landowner. He succeeded to the estates of his grandfather Richard Butler of Kilcash. His brother Christopher was the Catholic Archbishop of Cashel and Emly. Thomas Butler fought for the Jacobites in the Williamite war and was taken prisoner at the Battle of Aughrim. His son John became, de jure, the 15th Earl of Ormond.

Birth and origins

Thomas was probably born at Garryricken, as the eldest son of Walter Butler and his wife Mary Plunkett. His father, known as Walter Butler of Garryricken, belonged to a cadet branch of the Butler Dynasty, being the son of Richard Butler of Kilcash, who was a younger brother of the 1st Duke of Ormond. He had built Garryricken House around 1660. Thomas's mother was the only daughter of Christopher Plunkett, 2nd Earl of Fingall.


Thomas is known as Thomas Butler of Garryricken or as Thomas Butler of Kilcash because he lived at Kilcash Castle and owned half of the Garryricken Manor; his brother John had the other half and lived at Garryricken House.

Williamite War

He fought for James II during the Williamite War in Ireland, being the colonel of an infantry regiment, known as "Thomas Butler's Foot". Colonel Thomas Butler was taken prisoner at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691.

Marriage and children

In 1696, he married Lady Margaret Burke, eldest daughter of William Burke, 7th Earl of Clanricarde, widow of Bryan Magennis, Viscount Iveagh. She is remembered by the Irish song Kilcash.
The couple had three sons:
  1. Richard, who died of a fall from his horse at Kilcash;
  2. Walter, who died of smallpox while at the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in Paris; and
  3. John, who became the de jure 15th Earl of Ormond and inherited the Ormond estate;
—and five daughters:
  1. Mary, who married Bryan Kavanagh, of Borris, County Carlow;
  2. Honora, who married Valentine Browne, 3rd Viscount Kenmare, in 1720;
  3. Hellen, who married firstly Captain Richard Esmond, brother of Sir Laurence Esmond, Baronet, and secondly, Richard Butler of Westcourt;
  4. Margaret, who married George Matthew of Thurles, afterward of Thomastown; and
  5. Catharine, who became the third wife of James Mandeville, of Ballydine.

    Grandfather's succession

His father, Walter of Garryricken, died in 1700; his grandfather, Richard of Kilcash, followed in 1701. His father therefore predeceased his grandfather by a year. His grandfather's estate was the Garryricken Manor given to him in 1639. The manor's lands were divided between Thomas and his brother John. Thomas received Kilcash while John received Garryricken.

Death, succession, and timeline

Thomas Butler died in 1738. He was succeeded by his son John, who would become the de jure 15th Earl of Ormond in 1658.