Life
The son of Alexander McDonnell, 9th Earl of Antrim, [1] and a grandson of the sculptor Angela Sykes, [2] the present Lord Antrim was educated at Gresham's School and Worcester College, Oxford, [3] [4] where he graduated in Modern History. [5] He is the brother of Lady Flora McDonnell. [3]
After Oxford, Viscount Dunluce, as he then was, embarked on a career in asset management in the City of London. In 1992, when he was twenty-five, his father put him in charge of the Glenarm Castle estate, and in that role he diversified to achieve sustainability, investing in Glenarm Shorthorn Beef, Glenarm Organic Salmon, and hydro-electric power. [5] Glenarm Castle was first built in 1603 by Antrim’s ancestor Randal MacSorley MacDonnell. [6] [7]
In 1998 he began to work at Sarasin & Partners LLP, where he has been chairman since 2008, taking responsibility for the investment mandates of the firm’s largest customers and its charitable endowments. He is a non-executive director of Aberdeen Standard Asia Focus PLC. [5] In 2002, he was a member of three London clubs, the Savile, the Turf, and the Beefsteak. [8]
As Lord Dunluce, Antrim married Aurora Gunn in 2004. [4] They have a son, Alexander, Viscount Dunluce (born 2006) and a daughter, Lady Helena McDonnell (born 2008), both at school in England. [5] Lady Antrim is a documentary filmmaker and member of the Board of the Royal Parks. [9]
When his father died on 21 July 2021, Antrim inherited his peerages and estates. [2]
In November 2021, Antrim, Edwin Poots, and local children planted the first trees of 350 hectares of new native woodland on Antrim’s estate at Glenarm Forest. Poots, Minister Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, announced this as Northern Ireland’s first Queen's Commonwealth Canopy forest conservation project. [10]
Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of LondonderryPC (Ire) (1739–1821), was a County Down landowner, Irish Volunteer, and member of the parliament who, exceptionally for an Ulster Scot and Presbyterian, rose within the ranks of Ireland's "Anglican Ascendancy." His success was fuelled by wealth acquired through judicious marriages, and by the advancing political career of his son, Viscount Castlereagh. In 1798 he gained notoriety for refusing to intercede on behalf of James Porter, his local Presbyterian minister, executed outside the Stewart demesne as a rebel.
Marquess of Downshire is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1789 for Wills Hill, 1st Earl of Hillsborough, a former Secretary of State.
Marquess of Donegall is a title in the Peerage of Ireland held by the head of the Chichester family, originally from Devon, England. Sir John Chichester sat as a Member of Parliament and was High Sheriff of Devon in 1557. One of his sons, Sir Arthur Chichester, was Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1605 to 1616. In 1613, he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Chichester, of Belfast in County Antrim. He died childless in 1625 when the barony became extinct.
Earl of Antrim is a title that has been created twice, both times in the Peerage of Ireland and both times for members of the MacDonnell family, originally of Scottish origins.
Glenarm is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies on the North Channel coast north of the town of Larne and the village of Ballygalley, and south of the village of Carnlough. It is situated in the civil parish of Tickmacrevan and the historic barony of Glenarm Lower. It is part of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and had a population of 568 people in the 2011 Census. Glenarm takes its name from the glen in which it lies, the southernmost of the nine Glens of Antrim.
Randal MacDonnell, 1st Marquess of Antrim (1609–1683) was a Roman Catholic landed magnate in Scotland and Ireland, son of the 1st Earl of Antrim. He was also chief of Clan MacDonnell of Antrim. He is best known for his involvement, mostly on the Royalist side, in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
Randal Macsorley MacDonnell, 1st Earl of Antrim was called "Arranach" in Irish/Scottish Gaelic having been fostered in the Gaelic manner on the Scottish island of Arran.
Dunluce Castle is a now-ruined medieval castle in Northern Ireland, the seat of Clan McDonnell. It is located on the edge of a basalt outcropping in County Antrim, and is accessible via a bridge connecting it to the mainland. The castle is surrounded by extremely steep drops on either side, which may have been an important factor to the early Christians and Vikings who were drawn to this place where an early Irish fort once stood.
Claud Hamilton, 2nd Baron Hamilton of Strabane was the founder of the Strabane branch of the Hamiltons. He died relatively young at about 32 and his wife, Jean Gordon, married Phelim O'Neill, one of the leaders of the 1641 rebellion, after his death.
Alexander Randal Mark McDonnell, 9th Earl of Antrim,, known as Alexander Dunluce, was a Northern Irish landowner, peer, artist, and art restorer.
Glenarm Castle, Glenarm, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, is the ancestral home of the Earl of Antrim.
Events from the year 1620 in Ireland.
Alexander MacDonnell, 3rd Earl of AntrimPC (Ire) (1615–1699) was a Roman Catholic peer and military commander in Ireland. He fought together with his brother Randal on the losing side in the Irish Confederate Wars (1641–1653); and then, having succeeded his brother as the 3rd Earl of Antrim in 1683, fought in the Williamite War (1688–1691), on the losing side again. Twice he forfeited his lands and twice he regained them.
Randal William MacDonnell, 1st Marquess of Antrim was an Irish peer.
Ellis MacDonnell, Countess of Antrim was an Irish aristocrat of the late Elizabethan and early Stuart eras.
Randal John Somerled McDonnell, 8th Earl of Antrim (1911–1977) was a diplomat, activist, soldier and administrator from Northern Ireland. He became chairman of the National Trust in 1965.
Angela Christina MacDonnell, Countess of Antrim, also known as Angela Antrim, was Countess of Antrim, a sculptor, a cartoonist, and an illustrator.
The Hon. Hector John McDonnell is a Northern Irish painter, etcher, and author, specializing in architectural art, landscape, and portrait work.
Hercules Langford Rowley PC was an Irish politician and landowner.
Randal Mark Kerr McDonnell, 7th Earl of Antrim DL (1878–1933) was a landowner and peer in Northern Ireland, known as Viscount Dunluce until 1918.
