BLUNDEN, Overington (1767-1837), of Castle Blunden, co. Kilkenny.

Col. Blunden’s family acquired their Irish estates in Charles II’s reign, and their property in Kilkenny produced about £5,000 p.a. at this time.Wakefield, Account of Ireland, i. 264. His father represented Kilkenny city 1771-6, having married a daughter of Lord Desart, co-patron of the constituency. Blunden himself was returned on the Desart interest in 1812, but was obliged to vacate the seat in 1814 by a prior arrangement between Desart and his co-patron Lord Ormonde.

In Parliament Blunden was expected to support ministers and Lord Desart commended him, as a novice, to Chief Secretary Peel’s attention.Add. 40216, ff. 60, 64; 40280, f. 72. He surprised the latter by voting for Catholic relief on 2 Mar., 13 and 24 May 1813, but there is no evidence of any other activity. In October 1824, when Blunden made an unsuccessful application to be knighted and was advised to look to military promotion instead, Goulburn, then Irish secretary, reacted ironically to Peel’s query as to whether he remembered Blunden:

How could you suppose it possible that I should ever forget General Blunden the memorable representative of Kilkenny? I had even before he visited me in Dublin the most perfect recollection of his merits and services.Add. 40330, ff. 135-6.

He died 16 Dec. 1837.