# Luke Plunket, 3rd Earl of Fingall

Luke Plunket, 3rd Earl of Fingall (1639–1684) was an Irish soldier and politician. He was one of the signatories of the Catholic Remonstrance of 1661.

## Birth and origins

Luke was born in 1639 in Ireland. He was the eldest son of Christopher Plunket and his wife Mabel Barnewall. His father was the 2nd Earl of Fingall (since 1637). As the eldest son, Luke held from birth on the courtesy title of Baron of Killeen. His father's family was Old English and attested in Ireland since the 11th century.
Luke's mother was the daughter of Nicholas Barnewall, 1st viscount Kingsland, and Lady Bridget FitzGerald. His parents had married in January 1636. Lucas had four brothers and one sister, who are listed in his father's article.
Family tree :
| Elizabeth FitzGerald | Elizabeth FitzGerald | Elizabeth FitzGerald | Elizabeth FitzGerald | Elizabeth FitzGerald | Elizabeth FitzGerald | | | Luke 1st Earl d. 1637 | Luke 1st Earl d. 1637 | Luke 1st Earl d. 1637 | Luke 1st Earl d. 1637 | Luke 1st Earl d. 1637 | Luke 1st Earl d. 1637 | | | Susanna Brabazon d. 1623 | Susanna Brabazon d. 1623 | Susanna Brabazon d. 1623 | Susanna Brabazon d. 1623 | Susanna Brabazon d. 1623 | Susanna Brabazon d. 1623 | | | Charles 1st Viscount Muskerry d. 1641 | Charles 1st Viscount Muskerry d. 1641 | Charles 1st Viscount Muskerry d. 1641 | Charles 1st Viscount Muskerry d. 1641 | Charles 1st Viscount Muskerry d. 1641 | Charles 1st Viscount Muskerry d. 1641 |
| | | Christopher 2nd Earl d. 1649 | Christopher 2nd Earl d. 1649 | Christopher 2nd Earl d. 1649 | Christopher 2nd Earl d. 1649 | Christopher 2nd Earl d. 1649 | Christopher 2nd Earl d. 1649 | | | Mabel Barnewall | Mabel Barnewall | Mabel Barnewall | Mabel Barnewall | Mabel Barnewall | Mabel Barnewall | | | Donough 1st Earl Clancarty 1594–1665 | Donough 1st Earl Clancarty 1594–1665 | Donough 1st Earl Clancarty 1594–1665 | Donough 1st Earl Clancarty 1594–1665 | Donough 1st Earl Clancarty 1594–1665 | Donough 1st Earl Clancarty 1594–1665 | | | Eleanor Butler 1612–1682 | Eleanor Butler 1612–1682 | Eleanor Butler 1612–1682 | Eleanor Butler 1612–1682 | Eleanor Butler 1612–1682 | Eleanor Butler 1612–1682 |
| Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 | | | Mary Plunket | Mary Plunket | Mary Plunket | Mary Plunket | Mary Plunket | Mary Plunket | | | Luke 3rd Earl 1639–1684 | Luke 3rd Earl 1639–1684 | Luke 3rd Earl 1639–1684 | Luke 3rd Earl 1639–1684 | Luke 3rd Earl 1639–1684 | Luke 3rd Earl 1639–1684 | | | Margaret MacCarthy d. 1704 | Margaret MacCarthy d. 1704 | Margaret MacCarthy d. 1704 | Margaret MacCarthy d. 1704 | Margaret MacCarthy d. 1704 | Margaret MacCarthy d. 1704 |
| Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel | Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel | Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel | Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel | Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel | Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel | | | Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 | Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 | Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 | Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 | Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 | Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 | | | | | Peter 4th Earl 1678–1718 | Peter 4th Earl 1678–1718 | Peter 4th Earl 1678–1718 | Peter 4th Earl 1678–1718 | Peter 4th Earl 1678–1718 | Peter 4th Earl 1678–1718 | | | Frances Hales | Frances Hales | Frances Hales | Frances Hales | Frances Hales | Frances Hales |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 | Justin 5th Earl d. 1734 | Justin 5th Earl d. 1734 | Justin 5th Earl d. 1734 | Justin 5th Earl d. 1734 | Justin 5th Earl d. 1734 | Justin 5th Earl d. 1734 |
| XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | Earls of Fingall | Earls of Fingall | Earls of Fingall | Earls of Fingall | Earls of Fingall | Earls of Fingall | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | Viscounts Muskerry, & Earls of Clancarty | Viscounts Muskerry, & Earls of Clancarty | Viscounts Muskerry, & Earls of Clancarty | Viscounts Muskerry, & Earls of Clancarty | Viscounts Muskerry, & Earls of Clancarty | Viscounts Muskerry, & Earls of Clancarty | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | Earls of Ormond | Earls of Ormond | Earls of Ormond | Earls of Ormond | Earls of Ormond | Earls of Ormond |

## Early life

His father fought for the insurgents in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and the Irish Confederate Wars. After the dissolution of the Irish Catholic Confederation in 1649, he continued his fight in the Royalist Alliance against the Parliamentarians during the Cromwellian Conquest. On 2 August 1649 his father fought under James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond at the Battle of Rathmines for the Royalist alliance against the Parliamentarians. He was wounded and taken prisoner by the Parliamentarians. He died two weeks later of his wounds while in captivity at Dublin Castle.
Killeen succeeded his father as 3rd Earl of Fingall in August 1649 at the age of about ten. His father's estates were forfeited by the Parliamentarians.

## Marriage and children

Some time before 1666, Fingall married Margaret MacCarty, second daughter of Donough MacCarthy, 1st Earl of Clancarty and Eleanor Butler.
Luke and Margaret had three sons (of which the elder two died young and are not known by name):
* Peter (1678–1718), his successor
—and three daughters:
* Elizabeth, married to Rowland Eyre, Esq., of Hassop, Derbyshire, and of Estwell in Staffordshire
* Helena, married first in 1681 to Sir FitzGerald Aylmer, Baronet, of Donadea in County Kildare and secondly to Michael Fleming, Esq., of Staholmog in County Meath
* Amelia, married Theobald Taaffe, 4th Earl of Carlingford, the last earl of Carlingford
The marriage was a troubled one, giving constant anxiety to friends and family. The couple seem to have spent much time apart.

## Later life

In December 1661 Lord Fingall was one of the signatories of the Catholic Remonstrance and presented the document personally to James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond, for submission to the king.
Litigation over the recovery of his estates before the Court of Claims dragged on for years, causing one of the commissioners for claims to remark that Lord Fingall's case "was suspended between Heaven and earth". He had recovered most of his estates by 1677. Though he had been politically prominent in the 1660s, he seems to have spent his later years in retirement. During the Popish Plot Lady Fingall, who was living apart from her husband in London, was named as a Catholic conspirator, but no action was taken against her.

## Death and timeline

Fingall died in 1684 and was succeeded by his eldest son Peter.
Timeline :
| Age | Date | Event |
| 0 | 1639 | Born |
| 9–10 | 1649, 30 Jan | King Charles I beheaded. |
| 9–10 | 1649, 2 Aug | Battle of Rathmines. Michael Jones defeats James Butler, Marquess of Ormond before Dublin. |
| 9–10 | 1649, Aug | Succeeded his father as 3rd Earl of Fingall |
| 20–21 | 1660, 29 May | Restoration of King Charles II |
| 22–23 | 1662 | Recovered his lands |
| 38–39 | 1678 | Peter, his third but only surviving son, born |
| 45–46 | 1685, 6 Feb | Accession of King James II, succeeding King Charles II |
| 44–45 | 1684 | Died |