O'BRIEN, Henry (1688-1741)

Thomond’s mother had remarried after the death of his father and it was on his stepfather’s interest (Henry Howard, 6th earl of Suffolk) that he was first returned to Parliament. With his earldom Thomond inherited substantial property in Ireland as well as the Great Billing estates in Northamptonshire. He was generally included on party lists as a Whig and it was undoubtedly his warm support for the Hanoverian succession that secured him the addition of a British viscountcy among George I’s coronation honours. Details of his career will be considered in the second part of this work.