Patrick D'Arcy

Patrick Darcy (1598–1668) was an Irish Catholic Confederate and lawyer who wrote the constitution of Confederate Ireland.

Born in County Galway, Ireland, Darcy was the youngest son of James Riabhach Darcy by his second marriage to Elizabeth Martyn. James Riabhach was formerly Vice-President of Connacht, and Mayor of Galway upon his death in June 1603. By his first marriage he fathered Nicholas, Martin, James, Anthony and Anastace. With Elizabeth he had Andrew and Patrick. Elizabeth Martyn was a granddaughter of William Óge Martyn, and an aunt of Richard Martyn, who would later become Patrick's brother-in-law and law partner.

The 17th century historian Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh states that one of Darcy's ancestors, Walter Riabhach Ó Dorchaidhe (fl. c. 1488), was "the first man of the Uí Dorchaidhe who came to Galway, according to the Galweigians themselves". Ó Dorchaidhe was said to be a member of a lowly family descended from the Partraige Cera of Lough Carra, in what is now County Mayo. The Partraige are not featured in any Irish annal or chronicle, and may have been a remnant of a Pre-Celtic people. The only record of them in Gaelic sources is a brief note stating that the Uí Dorchaidhe was chieftain of the Partraige, while their king was the Ó Goirmiallaigh.

Patrick Darcy is believed to have been first educated in one of the schools operating in the town in the early 17th century, but he was not admitted into the King's Inns in Dublin, so Darcy had studied in London, been admitted as a student of the Middle Temple, London, on 21 July 1617.

Darcy appears to have spent fully five years at the Temple, and began working about 1622. He was engaged by Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde, who was the most powerful landowner in Connacht. Darcy's stepfather, Sir Henry Lynch, 1st Baronet, was Burke's business agent.

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