High Sheriff of Donegal
Encyclopedia
The High Sheriff of Donegal was the British Crown’s judicial representative in County Donegal
, Ireland from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Donegal County Sheriff. The sheriff had judicial, electoral, ceremonial and administrative functions and executed High Court Writs. In 1908, an Order in Council made the Lord-Lieutenant the Sovereign's prime representative in a county and reduced the High Sheriff's precedence. However the sheriff retained his responsibilities for the preservation of law and order in the county. The usual procedure for appointing the sheriff from 1660 onwards was that three persons were nominated at the beginning of each year from the county and the Lord Lieutenant then appointed his choice as High Sheriff for the remainder of the year. Often the other nominees were appointed as under-sheriffs. Sometimes a sheriff did not fulfil his entire term through death or other event and another sheriff was then appointed for the remainder of the year. The dates given hereunder are the dates of appointment. All addresses are in County Donegal unless stated otherwise.
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Donegal County Sheriff. The sheriff had judicial, electoral, ceremonial and administrative functions and executed High Court Writs. In 1908, an Order in Council made the Lord-Lieutenant the Sovereign's prime representative in a county and reduced the High Sheriff's precedence. However the sheriff retained his responsibilities for the preservation of law and order in the county. The usual procedure for appointing the sheriff from 1660 onwards was that three persons were nominated at the beginning of each year from the county and the Lord Lieutenant then appointed his choice as High Sheriff for the remainder of the year. Often the other nominees were appointed as under-sheriffs. Sometimes a sheriff did not fulfil his entire term through death or other event and another sheriff was then appointed for the remainder of the year. The dates given hereunder are the dates of appointment. All addresses are in County Donegal unless stated otherwise.
High Sheriffs of County Donegal
- 1686: John Forward
- 1686: Lancelot Carleton
- 1694: Francis Hamilton, 3rd Baronet
- 1697: William Stewart, of Fort Stewart
- 1731: John Galbraith
- 1755: Ralph Gore, 1st Earl of RossRalph Gore, 1st Earl of RossGeneral Ralph Gore, 1st Earl of Ross , known as Sir Ralph Gore, 6th Baronet from 1746 until 1764, subsequently as The Lord Gore until 1768 and then as The Viscount Belleisle until 1772, was an Irish soldier, politician and peer.-Background:Born at Belle Isle Castle, he was the second son of Sir...
- 1757: Henry Hamilton, later Sir Henry Hamilton, 1st Baronet of Mount Cunningham
- 1761: Richard Bateson
- 1764: Captain Robert McClintock of Dunmore
- 1773: Alexander MontgomeryAlexander Montgomery (1720–1800)Colonel Alexander John Montgomery was an Irish politician.He was born in 1720, the eldest son of Thomas Montgomery, M.P. for Lifford, and his wife Mary Franklin...
- 1822: Robert Bateson, 2nd Baronet
- 1824: George Knox, of Prehen
- 1825: Sir Charles Style, of Cloghar-lodge.
- 1827: Connolly Gage, of Castle Finn
- 1828: John Hart, of Kilderry, Londonderry
- 1831: Alexander Robert Stewart, of Ards House, Creslough.
- 1832: Sir James Stewart, 8th Baronet of Fort Stewart
- 1834: John Creighton, of Lifford.
- 1834: Thomas Brooke of Manor Brooke and Lough Eske
- 1835: Robert McClintock of Dunmore
- 1840: John Robert Boyd of Dunduan House
- 1841: The Honorable James Hewitt of Munglass, Stranorlar
- 1845: Lord G. A. Hill, Ballygar.
- 1848: Thomas Conolly
- 1849: James Hamilton, of St. Ernan's
- 1850: John Fergusen, of Castle Forward, Londonderry.
- 1852: Thomas Alexander of Buncrana
- 1858: Horatio Granville Murray-Stewart, of Broughton
- 1861: William John Forster, of Londonderry
- 1862: George Knox, of Prehen
- 1863: Arthur Saunders William Charles Fox Gore, 5th Earl of Arran of the Arran Islands
- 1867: John Henry Crichton, 4th Earl ErneJohn Crichton, 4th Earl ErneJohn Henry Crichton, 4th Earl Erne KP, PC , known as Viscount Crichton from 1842 to 1885, was an Anglo-Irish peer and Conservative politician....
of Crom Castle - 1871: Charles Frederick Stewart
- 1875: John Stouppe Charley
- 1877: Captain Baptist Johnston
- 1878: Robert McClintock of Dunmore
- 1879: Ernest Grey Lambton Cochrane
- 1884: Sir Samuel Hercules Hayes, 4th Baronet of Drumboe Castle
- 1887: Thomas Butler Stoney
- 1890: Captain William Knox of Clonleigh
- 1901: James Boughey Monk Lingard-Monk
- 1903: William McClintock of Dunmore
- 1905: Sir Harry Jocelyn Uruquhart Stewart, 11th Baronet of Fort Stewart