The High Sheriff of Meath was the British Crown’s judicial representative in County Meath

County Meath

County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...

, Ireland from the conquest until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Meath 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 Meath unless stated otherwise.

High Sheriffs of County Meath

• 1373: Sheriff killed by the Cenal-Fiachaidh
• 1385: Richard Drake of Drakerath
• 1404: Sir John D'Arcy
• 1409: Christopher Plunket
• 1415: Sir John D'Arcy
• 1424: Richard Nugent, Baron of Delvin
• 1435: John Barnewall
• 1472: James Fleming
• 1542: James Everard

William III, 1689–1702

• 1698: Joseph Pratt
• 1700: Henry Cadogan
• 1702: James Naper of Loughcrew

George II, 1727–1760

• 1733: Benjamin Chapman of St Lucy's, Co. Westmeath
• 1734: Richard Wesley, 1st Baron Mornington
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• 1743: Sir Quaile Somerville, 2nd Baronet
• 1748: John Wade
• 1753: John Graham
• 1754: Dixie Coddington

George III, 1760–1820

• 1766: Richard Hamilton, 4th Viscount Boyne
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• 1772: Robert Wade of Clonebraney
• 1774: Gustavus Hamilton, 5th Viscount Boyne
• 1785: Henry Coddington
• 1781: Michael Tisdall (1755–1794)
• 1783: Sir John Meredyth, Kt,, later Sir John Meredyth, 1st Baronet of Carlandstown
• 1786: Thomas Taylour, Marquess of Headfort
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• 1795: Thomas Everard
• 1798: Nicholas Coddington
• 1803: James O'Reilly of Baltrasna
• 1811: Charles Arthur Tisdall

George IV, 1820–1830

• 1824: .J. Charles Preston, of Swainstown
• 1827: John Nicholson, of Balrath, Kells
• 1828: Robert George Bomford and Richard Bolton

William IV, 1830–1837

• 1831: The Honorable Edward Anthony John Preston of Gormanston Castle, Balbriggan
• 1832: Robert George Bomford
• 1834: Hon. Randle E. Plunket of Dunsany Castle, Dunshaughlin
• 1836: Henry Meredyth, later Sir Henry Meredyth, 4th Baronet of North Dublin

Victoria, 1837–1901

• 1840: Robert Craven Wade of Clonebraney
• 1842: Richard Chaloner
• 1843: Henry Barry Coddington of Oldbridge
• 1844: Thomas Taylour, 3rd Marquess of Headfort
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   of Headford House, Kells
• 1845: Lord Killeen, of Killeen Castle
• 1849: William Martley Blackburne, of Tankardstown-Hall, Slane
• 1850: Michael Thunder of Lagore, Dunshaughlin
• 1860: George Bomford
• 1862: T. Boylan, Hilltown,Drogheda.
• 1871: Robert Fowler
• 1871: Jenico Preston, 14th Viscount Gormanston
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• 1878: George Augustus Rotheram of Kilbride Castle, Trim.
• 1875: Mervyn Pratt
• 1882: Robert Grimshaw Dunville
• 1883: Nugent Talbot Everard, Bt
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• 1889: Nathaniel Hone Dyas, J.P., of Athboy House & Staholmack, Co Meath
• 1894: Thomas Boylan
• 1899: Robert Henry Fowler
• 1901: Gustavus Francis William Lambart, Bt