Barry Yelverton, 1st Viscount Avonmore, PC (Ire)

Privy Council of Ireland

The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...

 KC (28 May 1736 – 19 August 1805) was an Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 judge and politician.

Life

He was the eldest son of Francis Yelverton of Blackwater, County Cork. Educated at Trinity College Dublin, he was for some years an assistant master under Andrew Buck in the Hibernian Academy. In 1761 he married Mary Nugent, a lady of some fortune, and was then enabled to read for the bar. He was called in 1764, his success was rapid, and he took silk eight years afterwards. He was returned to the Irish House of Commons

Irish House of Commons

The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...

 as member for Donegal Borough

Donegal Borough (Parliament of Ireland constituency)

Donegal Borough was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until 1800. It is now represented in the Dáil.-History:In the Patriot Parliament of 1689 summoned by King James II, Donegal Borough was not represented.-1689–1801:...

 from 1774 to 1776. In that year, Yelverton was elected for Belfast

Belfast (Parliament of Ireland constituency)

Belfast was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until 1800.-History:Belfast in County Antrim was enfranchised as a borough constituency in 1613...

 and Carrickfergus

Carrickfergus (Parliament of Ireland constituency)

Carrickfergus was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons from 1326 to 1800.-Boundaries and Boundary Changes:This constituency was the borough of Carrickfergus in County Antrim. It returned two members to the Parliament of Ireland to 1800.-History:In the Patriot Parliament of 1689...

. He chose to sit for the latter and represented the constituency until 1784. He became Attorney-General for Ireland

Attorney-General for Ireland

The Attorney-General for Ireland was an Irish and then United Kingdom government office. The holder was senior to the Solicitor-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters...

 in 1782, but was elevated to the bench as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in 1783. He was created Baron Yelverton in 1795, and in 1800 Viscount Avonmore in the Peerage of Ireland

Peerage of Ireland

The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...

. In 1797 he attained a degree of infamy for presiding over what was widely regarded as a show trial which led to the execution of the United Irishman

United Irishman

The United Irishman title has been a very popular newspaper title in Ireland and a number of newspapers have been published under the title.*...

, William Orr

William Orr

William Orr was a member of the United Irishmen who was executed in 1797 in what was widely believed at the time to be "judicial murder" and whose memory led to the rallying cry “Remember Orr” during the 1798 rebellion.-Background:...

. He died at Forthfield, County Dublin

County Dublin

County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...

.

Among his colleagues at the Irish bar Yelverton, was a popular and charming companion. Of insignificant appearance, he owed his early successes to his remarkable eloquence, which made a great impression on his contemporaries; as a judge, he was inclined to take the view of the advocate rather than that of the impartial lawyer. He gave his support to Henry Grattan

Henry Grattan

Henry Grattan was an Irish politician and member of the Irish House of Commons and a campaigner for legislative freedom for the Irish Parliament in the late 18th century. He opposed the Act of Union 1800 that merged the Kingdoms of Ireland and Great Britain.-Early life:Grattan was born at...

 and the Whigs

British Whig Party

The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...

 during the greater part of his parliamentary career, but in his latter days became identified with the court party and voted for the union, for which his viscounty was a reward.

Family

He had three sons and one daughter, and the title descended in the family.

Children of Barry Yelverton and Mary Nugent:

• Lady Anna Maria Yelverton
• William Yelverton (5 April 1762 – 28 November 1814)
• Hon. Walter Aglionby Yelverton (1772 – 3 June 1824)
• Hon. Barry Yelverton (1772 – June 1824)