The High Sheriff of Clare was a High Sheriff title. Records show that the title was in existence from at least the late 16th century, though it is not used today in the modern Republic of Ireland. The title existed within County Clare in the west of Ireland during the time of the Kingdom of Ireland and then as part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
The office was a position with some significant power, the sheriffs were responsible for the maintenance of law and order and various other roles. Some of its powers were relinquished in 1831 as the Lord Lieutenant of Clare was instated to deal with military duties. It was only in 1908 under Edward VII of the United Kingdom that the Lord Lieutenant position became more senior than the High Sheriff. Its previous roles were later taken up also by the High Court judges, magistrates, coroners, local authorities and the police.
In Clare, the office of High Sheriff was established when Connacht was shired around 1569 and ceased to exist with the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922.
Part of the Kingdom of Ireland House of Plantagenet 1375: Clement Laragh
House of Tudor
1570 Teige O'Brien 1576 Donnell Reagh McNamara 1577 Teige O'Brien 1578–1580 Turlough O'Brien 1582 Sir George Cusack 1584 Cruise (full name unknown) 1588 Boetius Clancy 1599 Richard Scurlock
House of Stuart
1605 Laurence Delahoyde 1607 Sir Nicholas Moid 1609 Turlough M‘Mahon 1610 John M‘Namara 1612 John Thornton 1613 Samuel Norton 1615 Boetius Clancy 1616 Donogh O’Brien 1622 Samuel Norton 1623 Sir John M‘Namara 1624 Capt. Daniel Norton 1628 Donogh O'Brien 1634 Donogh O'Brien 1635 Turlogh O'Brien 1641 William Brigdall 1643 Daniel O'Brien 1643 Boetius Clancy 1644 George Colpoys 1645 William Brigdall 1646 Robert Starkie of Dromoland
Commonwealth of England
1654 Sir Thomas Southwell, 1st Baronet 1656 William Pigott 1657 Sir William King, Kt
House of Stuart, restoration
1661 Thomas Cullen 1662–1663 George Purdon 1664 George Ross of Fortfergus 1665 Giles Vandeleur of Ralahine 1666–1667 Thomas Greene 1669 Samuel Burton 1670 Thomas Foote 1671 Thomas Hickman 1672 Benjamin Lucas 1673 Henry Ivers 1674 Mountfort Westropp of Bunratty 1675 Walter Hickman of Doonnagurroge 1676 John Colpoys 1677 Henry Lee of Clonderalaw 1678 Thomas Hickman of Barntick 1679 Sir Samuel Foxon 1681 George Stamer of Carnelly 1682 Donogh O'Brien of Newtown 1683 Giles Vandeleur of Ralahine 1684 Simon Purdon 1685 Edmond Pery, of Enagh 1686 Henry Cooper 1687 Redmond O'Hehir, Drumcaran 1688–1689 John M'Namara, Cratloe 1690 Sir Donogh O'Brien 1691–1692 Francis Burton 1693 Edmond Pery of Enagh 1694 David Bindon 1695 Thomas Hickman, Barntick 1696 Simon Purdon 1697 Thomas Spaight of Lodge 1698 Mountifort Westropp 1699 Henry Hickman 1700 John Cusack, Kilkishen 1701 William Smith 1702 Michael Cole 1703 Henry O'Brien of Stonehall 1704 William Butler 1705 Francis Gore of Clonroad 1706 Boyle Vandeleur of Kilrush 1707 Morgan Ryan 1708 George Hickman 1709 Robert Harrison of Fortfergus 1710 John Ivers of Mount Ivers 1711 George Colpoys of Ballycar 1712 William Butler of Roscroe
House of Hanover
1713 Robert Maghlin and Henry Bridgeman 1714 Thomas Hickman jnr 1715 Arthur Gore of Clonroad 1716 George Roche 1717 William Stamer of Carnelly 1718 Thomas Bellasyse 1719 Samuel Bindon of Rockmount 1720 Henry Ivers, Teige M'Namara 1721 Arthur Ward of Cappa Lodge 1722 John Ringrose of Moynoe 1723 William Fitzgerald 1724 John Ross-Lewin, Fortfergus 1725 Thomas Spaight of Bunratty 1726 Robert Hickman of Barntick 1727 Thomas Studdert of Bunratty 1728 Charles M'Donnell, Kilkee 1729 Poole Hickman, Kilmore 1730 James Fitzgerald, Stonehall 1731 Robert Maghlin of Feakle 1732 Thomas M'Mahon, Ballykilty 1733 Edmond Brown, Ballyslattery 1734 Luke Hickman, Fenloe 1735 Nicholas Bindon, Rockmount 1736 John Brady, Raheens 1737 St. John Bridgeman, Woodfield 1738 Richard Henn, Paradise Hill 1739 Augustus Fitzgerald, Silvergrove 1740 George Purdon, Tinneranna 1741 John Stacpoole, Cloghaunatinny 1742 Robert Harrison, Garrura 1743 James Butler, Newmarket 1744 John Westropp, Lismeehan 1745 Edmond Brown, Ballyslattery 1746 Robert Westropp, Fortanne 1747 Patrick Richard England, Lifford 1748 John Colpoys, Ballycar 1749 Henry Hickman, Kilmore 1750 William Blood, Bohersallagh 1751 Pierce Creagh, Dangan 1752 Joseph England, Cahercalla 1753 Andrew Morony, Dunnaha 1754 Francis Foster, Cloneen 1755 Harrison Ross-Lewin, Fortfergus 1756 Thomas Burton, Carrigaholt 1757 George Stamer, Carnelly 1758 Edward O'Brien, Ennistymon 1759 Edmond Hogan, Doonbeg 1760 Charles M'Donnell, Kilkee 1761 Edward FitzGerald, Stonehall 1762 John Scott, Cahircon 1763 George Stacpoole, Cragbrien 1764 Crofton Vandeleur, Kilrush 1765 James Burke, Loughburk 1766 William Henn, Paradise 1767 Anthony Casey, Seafield 1768 Thomas Arthur, Glenomera 1769 Sir Hugh Dillon Massey, 1st Baronet of Doonass 1770 George Quin, Quinsborough 1771 George Colpoys, Ballycar 1772 Ralph Westropp, Attyflynn 1773 Thomas Brown, Ballyslattery 1774 William Blood, jnr, Roxton 1775 Poole Westropp, Fortan 1776 Pierce Creagh, Dangan 1777 James O'Brien, Ennis 1778 Andrew Creagh, Cahiebane. 1779 William Stamer, Carnelly 1780 Edward William Burton, Clifden 1781 Joseph Peacock, Barntick 1782 Poole Hickman, Kilmore 1783 Hon. Henry Edward O'Brien, Ballyboro 1784 William Stacpoole, Annagh 1785 Thomas Studdert, Bunratty 1786 Donogh O'Brien, Cratloe 1787 Edward O'Brien, Ennis 1788 Francis Drew, Drewsborough 1789 Francis M'Namara, Moyriesk 1790 William Daxon, Fountain 1791 William Spaight, Corbally 1792 Laurence Comyn, Birchfield 1793 Henry Brady, Raheens 1794 George Studdert, Clonderlaw 1795 Samuel Spaight, Clare Lodge 1796 Thomas Morony, Milltown Malbay 1797 Jonas Studdert, Claremont 1798 William Nugent Macnamara, Doolin 1799 George Studdert, Kilkishen 1800 William Burton, Clifden
Part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland House of Hanover
1801 Thomas Steele, Cullane 1802 James Molony, Kiltanan 1803 Christopher Lysaght, Woodmount 1804 Robert Westropp of FortanneVisitation of Ireland, p.112 1805 Thomas Studdert, jnr of Bunratty 1806 Bindon Scott, Cahercon 1807 John O'Callaghan, Maryfort 1808 Thomas Brown, Tyredagh 1809 Thomas Studdert, Kilkishen 1810 William Scott, Knoppoge 1811 Thady M'Namara, Ayle 1812 Thomas Mahon of Ennis 1813 James O'Brien, Woodfield 1814 Poole Gabbett, Castlekeale 1815 Richard Studdert, Clonderalaw 1816 Donat O'Brien, Cratloe 1817 Edward B. Armstrong, Ennis 1818 George William Stamer, Carnelly 1819 Bindon Blood, Rockforest 1820 John M'Donnell, Newhall 1821 William Casey, Seafield 1822 Poole Hickman, Kilmore 1823 John Vandeleur, Ralahine 1824 Rt. Hon. John Ormsby Vandeleur of Kilrush 1825 John Singleton, Quinville 1826 Andrew Finnucane of Ennistimon 1827 Richard John Stacpoole of Edenvale, Ennis 1828 James Molony, Kiltanan 1829 Simon George Purdon 1830 Augustine Fitzgerald Butler, of Ballyline 1831 George Studdert, Clonderalaw 1832 Crofton Moore Vandeleur of Kilrush House, Kilrush"The Heraldic Calendar" 1833 Hugh Dillon Massey, 2nd Baronet of Summer Hill, O'Brien's Bridge 1834 Charles Mahon, Cahercalla 1835 Lucius O'Brien 1836 John O'Brien, of Elmvale 1837 John M'Mahon, Firgrove 1838 Thomas Crowe, Dromore House, Ruan 1839 Francis M'Namara, of Doolin (son of William, HS 1798) 1840 John Bindon Scott 1841 Hugh O'Loughlen of Port 1842 William FitzGerald, Adelphi 1843 William Skerrett, Finavarra 1844 William Butler, of Bunnahow 1845 Hugh Palliser Hickman, Fenloe 1846 Michael Finucane Stamerpark 1847 Robert A. Studdert, Kilkishen 1848 Henry S. Burton, Carrigaholt 1849 Sir Edward FitzGerald, 3rd Baronet, of Carrigoran, Newmarket-on-Fergus 1850 Major William Hawkins Ball of Fortfergus 1851 James Butler, Castlecrine. 1852 Edmond John Armstrong, Willowbank. 1853 William Edward Armstrong M'Donnell, Newhall, Ennis. 1854 Edward Percival Westby of Roebuck Castle, Dundrum. 1855 Charles George O'Callaghan of Ballynahinch, Tulla. 1856 Francis Gore of Tyredagh.A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland 1857 Francis Macnamara Calcutt. 1858 James O'Brien of Ballinalacken. 1859 Andrew Stacpoole 1860 Wainright Crowe of Cahercalla. 1861 Burdett Moroney of Miltown. 1862 Hon. Edward O'Brien. 1863 William Thomas Butler, jnr, of Bunnahow. 1864 Richard Stacpoole, jnr, of Edenvale, Ennis. 1865 William Mills Molony, Kiltanan. 1866 John Wilson Lynch, Belvoir. 1867 Edmund Maghlin Blood, of Brickhill. 1868 James Thomas Foster Vesey FitzGerald, of Moyriesk. 1869 Robert William Carey Reeves, Burrane, Knock. 1870 Francis Nathaniel Valentine Burton, of Carrigaholt Castle. 1871 Sir Augustine FitzGerald. 1872 Hector Stewart Vandeleur, of Kilrush. 1873 Cornelius Alexander Keogh, of Birchfield, Liscannor 1874 Richard Studdert, Bunratty. 1875 Horace Stafford O'Brien, Cratloe Woods. 1876 Stephen Roland Woulfe, Teermaclane, Ennis. 1877 Thomas Crowe, Dromore. 1878 Nicholas Smith O'Gorman, Belleview, Kilrush. 1879 James Frost, Ballymorris. 1880 George Thomas Stacpoole Mahon, Corbally. 1881 Theobald Butler, of Ballyline. 1882 William Wilson FitzGerald, Adelphi. 1883 Bagot Blood, of Templemaley 1884 Francis William Hickman, of Kilmore.A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland 1885 Henry Valentine M'Namara of Ennistimon (son of Francis, HS 1839). 1886 William Conyngham Vandeleur Burton (Conyngham), of Carrigaholt Castle. 1887 Col. Charles Synge of Mountcallan. 1888 Henry Vassal D'Esterre of Rossmanaher. 1889 John Vandeleur Phelps of Waterpark. 1890 Col. Arthur Hare Vincent of Summerhill.A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland, 1912, Bernard Burke 1891 Robert G. Parker of Ballyvally. 1892 William James Macnamara of Ennistymon. (brother of Henry Valentine, HS 1885) 1893 John O'Connell Bianconi. 1894 Richard John Stacpoole of Edenvale, Ennis. 1896 Erasmus Vandeleur Westby of Kilballyowen. 1897 William Walter Augustine FitzGerald. 1898 Lucius William O'Brien of Dromoland, Newmarket-on-Fergus. 1899 Lt-Col. Frederick St Leger Tottenham of Mount Callan. 1900 Sir Michael O'Loghlen, 4th Baronet.
House of Windsor
References
Notes on the Sheriffs of County Clare