# Thomas Butler of Garryricken

Colonel Thomas Butler of Garryricken (died 1738), also known as Thomas Butler of Kilcash was an Irish Jacobite soldier. He commanded a regiment, Thomas Butler's foot, during the Williamite War and fought at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691 where he was taken captive. His son John would, de jure, become the 15th Earl of Ormond.

## Birth and origins

Thomas was probably born at Garryricken, near Callan, County Kilkenny, as the eldest son of Walter Butler and his wife Mary Plunkett. His father, known as Walter Butler of Garryricken (died 1700), belonged to a cadet branch of the Butler Dynasty, being the son of Richard Butler of Kilcash (died 1701), who was a younger brother of the 1st Duke of Ormond. Thomas's father had built Garryricken House around 1660. The Butler dynasty is an Old English family that descends from Theobald Walter, who had been appointed Chief Butler of Ireland by King Henry II in 1177.
Thomas's mother was the only daughter of Christopher Plunkett, 2nd Earl of Fingall.
Family tree :
| | | | | | | Thomas Viscount Thurles d. 1619 d.v.p.* | Thomas Viscount Thurles d. 1619 d.v.p.* | Thomas Viscount Thurles d. 1619 d.v.p.* | Thomas Viscount Thurles d. 1619 d.v.p.* | Thomas Viscount Thurles d. 1619 d.v.p.* | Thomas Viscount Thurles d. 1619 d.v.p.* | | | Elizabeth Pointz 1587–1673 | Elizabeth Pointz 1587–1673 | Elizabeth Pointz 1587–1673 | Elizabeth Pointz 1587–1673 | Elizabeth Pointz 1587–1673 | Elizabeth Pointz 1587–1673 | | | | | | | | | | | | | Luke Plunket 1st Earl of Fingall d. 1637 | Luke Plunket 1st Earl of Fingall d. 1637 | Luke Plunket 1st Earl of Fingall d. 1637 | Luke Plunket 1st Earl of Fingall d. 1637 | Luke Plunket 1st Earl of Fingall d. 1637 | Luke Plunket 1st Earl of Fingall d. 1637 |
| James 1st Duke Ormond 1610–1688 | James 1st Duke Ormond 1610–1688 | James 1st Duke Ormond 1610–1688 | James 1st Duke Ormond 1610–1688 | James 1st Duke Ormond 1610–1688 | James 1st Duke Ormond 1610–1688 | | | Elizabeth Preston 1615–1684 | Elizabeth Preston 1615–1684 | Elizabeth Preston 1615–1684 | Elizabeth Preston 1615–1684 | Elizabeth Preston 1615–1684 | Elizabeth Preston 1615–1684 | | | Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 | Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 | Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 | Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 | Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 | Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 | | | Frances Tuchet | Frances Tuchet | Frances Tuchet | Frances Tuchet | Frances Tuchet | Frances Tuchet | | | Christopher Plunket 2nd Earl of Fingall d. 1649 | Christopher Plunket 2nd Earl of Fingall d. 1649 | Christopher Plunket 2nd Earl of Fingall d. 1649 | Christopher Plunket 2nd Earl of Fingall d. 1649 | Christopher Plunket 2nd Earl of Fingall d. 1649 | Christopher Plunket 2nd Earl of Fingall d. 1649 |
| | | | | Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 | Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 | Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 | Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 | Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 | Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 | | | Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 | Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 | Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 | Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 | Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 | Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 | | | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 d.v.p.* | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 d.v.p.* | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 d.v.p.* | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 d.v.p.* | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 d.v.p.* | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 d.v.p.* | | | Mary Plunkett | Mary Plunkett | Mary Plunkett | Mary Plunkett | Mary Plunkett | Mary Plunkett |
| James 2nd Duke Ormond 1665–1745 | James 2nd Duke Ormond 1665–1745 | James 2nd Duke Ormond 1665–1745 | James 2nd Duke Ormond 1665–1745 | James 2nd Duke Ormond 1665–1745 | James 2nd Duke Ormond 1665–1745 | | | Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 | Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 | Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 | Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 | Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 | Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 | | | 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 | | | John Butler | John Butler | John Butler | John Butler | John Butler | John Butler |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | John de jure 15th Earl d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl d. 1766 | | | Bridget Stacey | Bridget Stacey | Bridget Stacey | Bridget Stacey | Bridget Stacey | Bridget Stacey | | | Walter de jure 16th Earl 1703–1783 | Walter de jure 16th Earl 1703–1783 | Walter de jure 16th Earl 1703–1783 | Walter de jure 16th Earl 1703–1783 | Walter de jure 16th Earl 1703–1783 | Walter de jure 16th Earl 1703–1783 |
| 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 and dukes of Ormond | Earls and dukes of Ormond | Earls and dukes of Ormond | Earls and dukes of Ormond | Earls and dukes of Ormond | Earls and dukes of Ormond | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | Earls of Fingall | Earls of Fingall | Earls of Fingall | Earls of Fingall | Earls of Fingall | Earls of Fingall |
* Thomas listed among his brothers
* He heads the list of brothers below as the eldest:
* Thomas (died 1738)
* John, who is known as John of Garryricken and whose son became Walter Butler, 16th Earl of Ormonde
* Christopher (1673–1757), who became Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cashel
* Thomas's sisters
* Mary, who married James Tobin of Kaemshinagh in County Tipperary
* Frances, who married a Mr. Gould
* Lucy (died 1703), who married, April 1697, Sir Walter Butler, 3rd Baronet of Polestown
* Helen, who married Maurice FitzGerald of Castle Ishen in County Cork
Thomas is known as Thomas Butler of Garryricken or as Thomas Butler of Kilcash because he lived at Kilcash Castle and owned half of the Garryricken Manor; his brother John had the other half and lived at Garryricken House.

## Williamite War

He fought for James II during the Williamite War in Ireland, being the colonel of an infantry regiment, known as "Thomas Butler's Foot". Colonel Thomas Butler was taken prisoner at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691.

## Marriage and children

In 1696, he married Margaret Burke, eldest daughter of William Burke, 7th Earl of Clanricarde, widow of Bryan Magennis, Viscount Iveagh. She is remembered by the Irish song Kilcash.
Thomas and Margaret had three sons:
* Richard (died 1711), who died of a fall from his horse at Kilcash
* Walter, who died of smallpox while at the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in Paris
* John (died 1766), who became the de jure 15th Earl of Ormond and inherited the Ormond estate
—and five daughters:
* Mary, who married Bryan Kavanagh, of Borris, County Carlow
* Honora (died 1730), who married Valentine Browne, 3rd Viscount Kenmare, in 1720
* Hellen, who married firstly Captain Richard Esmond, brother of Sir Laurence Esmond, Baronet, and secondly, Richard Butler of Westcourt
* Margaret, who married George Matthew of Thurles, afterward of Thomastown
* Catharine, who became the third wife of James Mandeville of Ballydine, and had no issue. She married Richard Pascoe and had issue.

## Grandfather's succession

His father, Walter of Garryricken, died in 1700; his grandfather, Richard of Kilcash, followed in 1701. His father therefore predeceased his grandfather by a year. His grandfather's estate was the Garryricken Manor given to him in 1639. The manor's lands were divided between Thomas and his brother John. Thomas received Kilcash while John received Garryricken.

## Death, succession, and timeline

Thomas Butler died in 1738. He was succeeded by his son John, who would become the de jure 15th Earl of Ormond in 1658.
Timeline :
| As his birth date is uncertain, so are all his ages. |||
| Age | Date | Event |
| 0 | 1670, estimate | Born, probably at Garryricken House |
| 2–3 | 1673 | Brother Christopher born |
| 14–15 | 1685, 6 Feb | Accession of King James II, succeeding King Charles II |
| 18–19 | 1689, 13 Feb | Accession of William and Mary, succeeding King James II |
| 20–21 | 1691, 12 Jul | Taken prisoner at the Battle of Aughrim |
| 25–26 | 1696 | Married Margaret Magennis |
| 29–30 | 1700 | Father predeceased grandfather. |
| 30–31 | 1701 | Inherited Kilcash at the death of his grandfather |
| 43–44 | 1714, 1 Aug | Accession of King George I, succeeding Queen Anne |
| 67–68 | 1738 | Died |