The Esmonde Baronetcy, of Ballynastragh in the County of Wexford, is a title in the Baronetage of Ireland. It was created on 28 January 1629 for Thomas Esmonde. He raised a cavalry regiment for Charles I and commanded a regiment during the Siege of La Rochelle. Esmonde was the only son of Sir Laurence Esmonde, who had abandoned the Roman Catholic faith during the reign of Queen Elizabeth and was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Esmonde in 1632. Lord Esmonde married firstly a Roman Catholic wife Margaret O'Flaherty, daughter of Murrough O'Flaherty, Chief of Iar Connacht, and they had a son, Thomas, the first Baronet. She feared that the boy would be raised a Protestant and ran away with him, raising him as a strict Roman Catholic. Lord Esmonde then repudiated Margaret and made a second marriage to Ellice Butler. As he would not admit his son's legitimacy (even though he had no son by his second marriage) Thomas was not allowed to succeed to the barony, which became extinct on his father's death in 1646. He did however gain possession of the family estates in County Wexford.
Several of the later baronets enjoyed distinguished political careers. The ninth and tenth Baronets represented Wexford and County Waterford respectively in the House of Commons, the ninth additionally serving as High Sheriff of Wexford in 1840. The eleventh Baronet was also a Member of Parliament as well as a Senator of the Irish Free State. The twelfth Baronet was Cumann na nGaedhealTD for Wexford from 1923 to 1936. The fourteenth Baronet was Member of Parliament for Tipperary North from 1915 to 1918 and Fine Gael TD for Wexford from 1937 to 1944 and from 1948 to 1951. The fifteenth Baronet was Fine Gael TD for Wexford from 1951 to 1973. The sixteenth Baronet was a Circuit Court judge who had been Fine Gael TD for Wexford from 1973 to 1977. John Joseph Esmonde, father of the fourteenth and fifteenth Baronets, was also a politician. Two of his sons from his second marriage also gained prominence. John Witham Esmonde (1907–1983) was a captain in the Royal Navy while Eugene Esmonde was a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm and recipient of the Victoria Cross and also the DSO. He received the Victoria Cross posthumously after he was killed in action in 1942. Their uncle, Thomas Esmonde received a Victoria Cross for an act of heroism in the Crimean War. The Esmonde family are one of very few families to have received two Victoria Crosses.
esmonde, baronets, esmonde, baronetcy, ballynastragh, county, wexford, title, baronetage, ireland, created, january, 1629, thomas, esmonde, raised, cavalry, regiment, charles, commanded, regiment, during, siege, rochelle, esmonde, only, laurence, esmonde, aban. The Esmonde Baronetcy of Ballynastragh in the County of Wexford is a title in the Baronetage of Ireland It was created on 28 January 1629 for Thomas Esmonde He raised a cavalry regiment for Charles I and commanded a regiment during the Siege of La Rochelle Esmonde was the only son of Sir Laurence Esmonde who had abandoned the Roman Catholic faith during the reign of Queen Elizabeth and was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Esmonde in 1632 Lord Esmonde married firstly a Roman Catholic wife Margaret O Flaherty daughter of Murrough O Flaherty Chief of Iar Connacht and they had a son Thomas the first Baronet She feared that the boy would be raised a Protestant and ran away with him raising him as a strict Roman Catholic Lord Esmonde then repudiated Margaret and made a second marriage to Ellice Butler As he would not admit his son s legitimacy even though he had no son by his second marriage Thomas was not allowed to succeed to the barony which became extinct on his father s death in 1646 He did however gain possession of the family estates in County Wexford Several of the later baronets enjoyed distinguished political careers The ninth and tenth Baronets represented Wexford and County Waterford respectively in the House of Commons the ninth additionally serving as High Sheriff of Wexford in 1840 The eleventh Baronet was also a Member of Parliament as well as a Senator of the Irish Free State The twelfth Baronet was Cumann na nGaedheal TD for Wexford from 1923 to 1936 The fourteenth Baronet was Member of Parliament for Tipperary North from 1915 to 1918 and Fine Gael TD for Wexford from 1937 to 1944 and from 1948 to 1951 The fifteenth Baronet was Fine Gael TD for Wexford from 1951 to 1973 The sixteenth Baronet was a Circuit Court judge who had been Fine Gael TD for Wexford from 1973 to 1977 John Joseph Esmonde father of the fourteenth and fifteenth Baronets was also a politician Two of his sons from his second marriage also gained prominence John Witham Esmonde 1907 1983 was a captain in the Royal Navy while Eugene Esmonde was a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm and recipient of the Victoria Cross and also the DSO He received the Victoria Cross posthumously after he was killed in action in 1942 Their uncle Thomas Esmonde received a Victoria Cross for an act of heroism in the Crimean War The Esmonde family are one of very few families to have received two Victoria Crosses The family seat is Ballynastragh Gorey County Wexford Contents 1 Esmonde baronets of Ballynastragh 1629 2 See also 3 Notes 4 ReferencesEsmonde baronets of Ballynastragh 1629 editEsmonde baronets nbsp CrestOut of a mural crown Gules a head in profile wearing a helmet all Proper ShieldErmine on a chief Gules three mullets Argent MottoMalo Mori Quam Foedari Had Rather Die Than Be Dishonoured 1 Sir Thomas Esmonde 1st Baronet died c 1665 Sir Laurence Esmonde 2nd Baronet died 1688 Sir Laurence Esmonde 3rd Baronet died c 1717 Sir Laurence Esmonde 4th Baronet died 1738 Sir John Esmonde 5th Baronet died 1758 Sir Walter Esmonde 6th Baronet died 1766 Sir James Esmonde 7th Baronet 1701 1766 Sir Thomas Esmonde 8th Baronet died 1803 Sir Thomas Esmonde 9th Baronet 1786 1868 Sir John Esmonde 10th Baronet 1826 1876 Sir Thomas Henry Grattan Esmonde 11th Baronet 1862 1935 Sir Osmond Thomas Grattan Esmonde 12th Baronet 1896 1936 Sir Laurence Grattan Esmonde 13th Baronet 1863 1943 Sir John Lymbrick Esmonde 14th Baronet 1893 1958 Sir Anthony Charles Esmonde 15th Baronet 1899 1981 Sir John Henry Grattan Esmonde 16th Baronet 1928 1987 Sir Thomas Francis Grattan Esmonde 17th Baronet 1960 2021 The baronetcy is vacant as at 26 November 2021 2 Sir Sean Vincent Grattan Esmonde born 1989 has yet to prove succession See also editBaron EsmondeNotes editThis article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Esmonde baronets news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message Debrett s Peerage 1878 Official Roll References editKidd Charles Williamson David editors Debrett s Peerage and Baronetage 1990 edition New York St Martin s Press 1990 page needed Leigh Rayment s list of baronets http humphrysfamilytree com Fitzgerald esmonde html Archived 30 November 2015 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Esmonde baronets amp oldid 1213890339, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
