Standish O'Grady, 1st Viscount Guillamore

Who was Standish O'Grady, 1st Viscount Guillamore?

The Rt. Hon. Standish O'Grady, 1st Viscount Guillamore, PC, from Cahir Guillamore, County Limerick, served as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer for Ireland for a number of years. He was created Viscount Guillamore by a patent of 28 January 1831.

He was brother to Hayes O'Grady, who became an Admiral in the Royal Navy, and uncle to the Irish antiquarian Standish Hayes O'Grady.

He was the eldest son of Darby O'Grady of Mount Prospect, Limerick, and of Mary, daughter of James Smyth of the same county. He was born on 20 Jan. 1766, and, entering Trinity College, Dublin, graduated B.A. in 1784. He was called to the bar, and went on the Munster circuit. He was remarkable for wit as well as learning, and attained a considerable practice. He inherited the Cahir estate on the death of his uncle John and was appointed High Sheriff of County Limerick for 1790.

On 10 June 1803, after the murder of Lord Kilwarden, he became Attorney-General and was sworn of the Privy Council of Ireland. He was one of the prosecuting counsel at the trial of Robert Emmet. In October 1805 he was made Lord Chief Baron, in succession to Lord Avonmore. He was a sound judge, and Chief Baron Pigot, of the Irish exchequer, expressed the opinion: ‘O'Grady was the ablest man whose mind I ever saw at work.’ His witticisms on and off the bench were long remembered. O'Grady was one of the first to suspect the duplicity of Leonard McNally.