Sir John Barnewall (Recorder of Dublin)

Sir John Barnewall (c.1635-c.1705) was an Irish landowner, barrister and judge, who held several judicial offices, including that of Recorder of Dublin 1687-9.

He was born in County Meath, a member of the Crickstown branch of the prominent Barnewall family, which held the title Baron Trimlestown. His grandfather, Patrick Barnewall, was the first of the Barnewall Baronets; John was the second son of Sir Richard Barnewall, 2nd Baronet, and Julia, daughter of Sir Gerald Aylmer,1st Baronet of Donadea, County Kildare.

He entered the Inner Temple in 1673 and the King's Inns in 1678. His practice as a barrister seems to have been lucrative: while his father had suffered heavy losses during the English Civil War, and only recovered a fraction of his estates at the Restoration, John was able to purchase Ballybrittan Castle, near Edenderry, County Offaly.

Since the Barnewall family were staunch Roman Catholics, John was an acceptable choice as a judge to the Catholic King James II. In 1687 he was knighted, and became Third Serjeant and Recorder of Dublin. In 1689 he became a Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland). After the downfall of James's cause at the Battle of the Boyne, John was removed from office, but his wealth and family connections protected him from any other reprisals by the new regime, which in any case was inclined to be conciliatory towards those of its former opponents who would undertake to keep the peace.

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