Richard Southwell was an Irish politician.

He was the only son of Sir Thomas Southwell, 1st Baronet and his wife Elizabeth Starkey, daughter of William Starkey. Southwell was elected 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...

 for Askeaton

Askeaton (Parliament of Ireland constituency)

Askeaton was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until 1800.-History:In the Patriot Parliament of 1689 summoned by King James II, Askeaton was represented with two members.-Members of Parliament, 1614–1801:...

 in 1661, representing the constituency until 1666.

He married Lady Elizabeth O'Brien, daughter of Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin

Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin

Murrough McDermod O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin and 6th Baron Inchiquin , was known as Murchadh na dTóiteán ....

. They had five sons and two daughters. Having predeceased his father, Southwell's oldest son Thomas

Thomas Southwell, 1st Baron Southwell

Thomas Southwell, 1st Baron Southwell PC , known as Sir Thomas Southwell, 2nd Baronet from 1681 to 1717, was an Irish peer and politician.-Background:...

 succeeded his grandfather as baronet and was later elevated to 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,...

 as Baron Southwell. His third son William

William Southwell

-Background:He was the third son of Richard Southwell of Castle Mattress, Co. Limerick, and his wife Lady Elizabeth O'Brien, daughter of Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin. His older brothers were Thomas Southwell, 1st Baron Southwell and Richard Southwell...

 and his fifth son Richard

Richard Southwell (Limerick politician)

Richard Southwell was an Irish politician.He was the fifth and youngest son of Richard Southwell and his wife Lady Elizabeth O'Brien, daughter of Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin. His older brothers were Thomas Southwell, 1st Baron Southwell and William Southwell...

 sat both in the Parliament of Ireland

Parliament of Ireland

The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...

.