Earl of Westmeath is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1621 for Richard Nugent, Baron Delvin. During the Tudor era the loyalty of the Nugent family was often in question, and Richard's father, the sixth Baron, died in prison while awaiting trial for treason, a crime for which other members of the family had already been condemned. Richard himself when young was suspected of plotting rebellion and was imprisoned, but in later life, he was a staunch supporter of the Crown, which rewarded him richly for his loyalty. The fifth Earl was a Major-General in the British Army. The sixth Earl was sworn of the Irish Privy Council in 1758. His son by his first wife, Richard Nugent, Lord Delvin, was killed in a duel at an early age. Lord Westmeath was succeeded by his second son by his second wife, the seventh Earl. He sat in the House of Lords as one of the original 28 Irish Representative Peers; he was also involved in a much-publicised divorce following an action for criminal conversation against his wife and her lover. He was succeeded by his son, the eighth Earl. He was created Marquess of Westmeath in the Peerage of Ireland in 1822. He had no surviving male issue and the marquessate became extinct on his death in 1871. He was succeeded in the barony and earldom by his kinsman, Anthony Francis Nugent, the ninth Earl, who was a claimant to the title Baron Nugent of Riverston. The eleventh Earl was an Irish Representative Peer from 1901 to 1933.
Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell PC was an Irish politician, courtier and soldier.
Frances Talbot, Countess of Tyrconnell, also called La Belle Jennings, was a maid of honour to the Duchess of York and, like her sister Sarah, a famous beauty at the Restoration court. She married first George Hamilton and then Richard Talbot, Earl of Tyrconnell. She was vicereine in Dublin Castle while Tyrconnell was viceroy of Ireland for James II. She lived through difficult times after the death of her second husband, who was attainted as a Jacobite, but recovered some of his wealth and died a devout Catholic despite having been raised as a Protestant.
Godard van Reede, 1st Earl of Athlone, Baron van Reede, Lord of Ginkel, born in the Netherlands as Baron Godard van Reede, was a Dutch general who rose to prominence during the Williamite War in Ireland.
Henry Dillon, 8th Viscount Dillon was an Irish soldier and politician. In 1689 he sat in the Patriot Parliament. He fought for the Jacobites during the Wiiliamite War, defending Galway against Ginkel and surrendering it in 1691 after a short siege. He obtained the reversal of his father's attainder in 1696 recovering his father's lands.
Alexander MacDonnell, 3rd Earl of AntrimPC (Ire) (1615–1699) was a 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.
Justin McCarthy, 1st Viscount Mountcashel, PC (Ire), was a Jacobite general in the Williamite War in Ireland and a personal friend of James II. He commanded Irish Army troops during the conflict, enjoying initial success when he seized Bandon in County Cork in 1689. However, he was defeated and captured at the Battle of Newtownbutler later in the same year. He escaped and was accused of having broken parole. After the end of the war, he led an Irish Brigade overseas for service in the French Army. He died in French exile.
William Stewart, 1st Viscount Mountjoy (1653–1692), was an Anglo-Irish soldier.
Nicholas Barnewall, 3rd Viscount Barnewall (1668–1725) was an Irish nobleman who fought for the Jacobites but afterwards sat in William's Irish Parliament. He was buried in a beautiful monument at Lusk.
Sir Richard Nagle was an Irish Jacobite politician and lawyer. He held the positions of Attorney-General for Ireland, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, Lord Justice of Ireland and Secretary of State and War for Ireland under King James II. He fled to France in 1691, joining James II at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, where he resumed his duties as nominal Secretary of State and War. He later served as Commissioner of the Household.
Sir Stephen Rice (1637–1715) was Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland and a notable supporter of James II.
Richard Nugent, 2nd Earl of Westmeath was an Irish nobleman.
Christopher Nugent, Lord Delvin was the eldest son of Richard Nugent, 2nd Earl of Westmeath and his wife and cousin Mary Nugent, daughter of Sir Thomas Nugent and widow of Christopher Plunkett. His brother was Thomas Nugent, 1st Baron Nugent of Riverston.
Hyacinth Richard Nugent, 2nd Baron Nugent of Riverston, born after 1684, died 5 March 1738.
William Nugent, 3rd Baron Nugent of Riverston was a grandson of Richard Nugent, 2nd Earl of Westmeath via his son Thomas Nugent, 1st Baron Nugent of Riverston,. He resided at Pallas, in east County Galway.
William Thomas Nugent, 5th Baron Nugent of Riverston.
Anthony Francis Nugent, 9th Earl of Westmeath, was an Irish peer.
Sir William Talbot, 3rd BaronetPC (Ire) was the last of the Talbot baronets of Carton: his title was forfeited on account of his loyalty to King James II of England. He was an Irish politician and judge, who served briefly as Master of the Rolls in Ireland.
Carey or Cary Dillon, 5th Earl of Roscommon, PC (Ire) (1627–1689) was an Irish nobleman and professional soldier of the seventeenth century. He held several court offices under King Charles II and his successor King James II. After the Glorious Revolution he joined the Williamite opposition to James and was in consequence attainted as a traitor by James II's Irish Parliament in 1689. In that year he fought at the Siege of Carrickfergus shortly before his death in November of that year.
Baron Nugent of Riverston, in County Westmeath, is a title of the Jacobite peerage in the Peerage of Ireland of complex status.
