Thomas Plunket, 2nd Baron Plunket

Who was Thomas Plunket, 2nd Baron Plunket?

Thomas Span Plunket, 2nd Baron Plunket, was Bishop of Tuam, Killaly and Achonry.

Plunket was the first son of William Plunket, 1st Baron Plunket and his wife, Catherine. He was educated at St John's College, Cambridge. He served as Dean of Down from 1831 to 1839 before being elevated to the episcopy as Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry in 1839, a position he held until his death in 1866. He moved to live on a private estate at Tourmakeady, where he evicted many Catholic families for not sending their children to the Protestant school. In 1852 he built a Protestant church in the vicinity.

On the death of his father in 1854, he became the 2nd Baron Plunket. On his death, he was succeeded as Baron Plunket by his younger brother. His middle name is taken from his maternal grandmother, Elizabeth. He was buried in the churchyard of his now ruined church at Tourmakeady.