William Burke, 7th Earl of Clanricarde

Who is William Burke, 7th Earl of Clanricarde?

William Burke, 7th Earl of Clanricarde, Irish peer, died 1687, was the son of Sir William Burke, younger son of Ulick Burke, 3rd Earl of Clanricarde, and Joan O'Shaughnessy.

Burke had served with his brother Richard, the 6th Earl under their cousin, Ulick Burke, 5th Earl of Clanricarde, during the Irish Confederate Wars and they each succeeded to his title. He became Lord Lieutenant of County Galway in 1680 and its Chief Governor in 1687.

His first wife was Lettice Shirley, daughter of Sir Henry Shirley and Lady Dorothy Devereux and granddaughter of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex. By her he had three sons including his heir, Richard. His second wife was Helen, daughter of Donough MacCarty, 1st Earl of Clancarty, by whom he had two sons and two daughters.