Oliver Grace
Encyclopedia
Oliver Grace, of Shanganagh, (now Gracefield) was chosen in 1689 as the representative in Parliament
of the borough of Ballynakill, in the Queen's County, Ireland
.
of the Irish Exchequer
and a member of the Privy Council
of King James II
.
Although a supporter of Catholic King James II
during the Williamite War in Ireland
, Oliver Grace was trusted and respected by the Protestant Landed Gentry of Queen’s County. When the Jacobites
held the upper hand in Ireland, several large Protestant estates were assigned over to him in trust whose proprietors relied solely on his honor for their restoration. When the forces of William of Orange
ultimately triumphed, Irish Protestants prevailed on King William III
to grant Oliver Grace a pardon for his adherence to James II
, which he received on May 21, 1696.
, Lord of Carney, Tipperary
, and M.P.
for that County in 1559. He married Mary, daughter of Sir Gerald Fitzgerald, 3rd Lord Decies
, by his wife Ellice, daughter of Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormonde
.
Oliver Grace married Elizabeth, only surviving child of John Bryan, of Bawnmore, County Kilkenny
, and by her had issue :
Oliver Grace died on June 8, 1708 and is buried in the south wing of Arles Church (or Grace's Chapel) of which he was the founder.
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
of the borough of Ballynakill, in the Queen's County, Ireland
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...
.
Political career
Oliver Grace was Chief RemembrancerRemembrancer
The Remembrancer was originally one of certain subordinate officers of the English Exchequer. The office itself is of great antiquity, the holder having been termed remembrancer, memorator, rememorator, registrar, keeper of the register, despatcher of business...
of the Irish Exchequer
Exchequer
The Exchequer is a government department of the United Kingdom responsible for the management and collection of taxation and other government revenues. The historical Exchequer developed judicial roles...
and a member of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
of King James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
.
Although a supporter of Catholic King James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
during the Williamite War in Ireland
Williamite war in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland—also called the Jacobite War in Ireland, the Williamite-Jacobite War in Ireland and in Irish as Cogadh an Dá Rí —was a conflict between Catholic King James II and Protestant King William of Orange over who would be King of England, Scotland and Ireland...
, Oliver Grace was trusted and respected by the Protestant Landed Gentry of Queen’s County. When the Jacobites
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
held the upper hand in Ireland, several large Protestant estates were assigned over to him in trust whose proprietors relied solely on his honor for their restoration. When the forces of William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
ultimately triumphed, Irish Protestants prevailed on King William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
to grant Oliver Grace a pardon for his adherence to James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, which he received on May 21, 1696.
Ancestry and Family
Oliver Grace’s 3rd great-grandfather, Sir Oliver Grace, was Knight of Ballylinch and Legan Castles, County KilkennyCounty Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
, Lord of Carney, Tipperary
Tipperary
Tipperary is a town and a civil parish in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 4,415 at the 2006 census. It is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, and is in the historical barony of Clanwilliam....
, and M.P.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for that County in 1559. He married Mary, daughter of Sir Gerald Fitzgerald, 3rd Lord Decies
Gerald Fitzgerald, 3rd Lord Decies
Sir Gerald Fitzgerald, 3rd Lord Decies was the son of John Fitzgerald and Ellen, daughter of Maurice FitzGibbon, the White Knight, and was the third of the Lords of Decies....
, by his wife Ellice, daughter of Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormonde
Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormonde
Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond and 1st Earl of Ossory , also known as Red Piers, was from the Polestown branch of the Butler family of Ireland.-Claims to the title:...
.
Oliver Grace married Elizabeth, only surviving child of John Bryan, of Bawnmore, County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
, and by her had issue :
- Michael, his heir, who died November 19, 1760
- Robert
- Sheffield, who died in 1699
- Lettice, who married John Grace, Baron of Courtstown
- Anne, married first, to Richard, eldest son of Sir Richard Nagle, Secretary of StateSecretary of StateSecretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
for IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, temp. James II; married secondly, Edmond Butler, 8th Lord DunboyneBaron DunboyneThe Barony of Dunboyne was created by patent in the Peerage of Ireland in 1541. The barons are alternately numbered from the early 14th century by numbers ten greater than the number dating to the patent...
, and was mother of the 9th, 10th, and 12th lords - Ellis, or Alicia, who married Samuel Gale, of the Ashfield GalesAshfield GalesThe Ashfield Gales consisted of six generations of a Gale family who owned the Ashfield estate in Killabban Parish, Queens County, Ireland from the mid-17th Century until 1851.-History:...
, Queen's County
Oliver Grace died on June 8, 1708 and is buried in the south wing of Arles Church (or Grace's Chapel) of which he was the founder.