Edward and John Despard

Edward Despard

By Patrick F. Meehan
Extracted from "Laois Yearbook" 1983

Edward Marcus Despard was born in Mountrath in 1755. He embraced a military career and saw service on the Spanish Main, in the West Indies and the Bay of Honduras where he was appointed Governor of the British colony. He later became a friend and companion of Admiral Lord Nelson. In Yucatan he loaned money to the government and was thanked by King George III and parliament.

When he returned to England, parliament would not return his money and he became very embittered. He became at this time a friend of the Irish patriot Lord Cloncurry.

Joining the London Corresponding Society he began to attack the crown and government. The result was his imprisonment in a cell 6ft by 8ft with no furniture or window. His friend Lord Cloncurry secured his release and said of him"Despard looks a man risen from the dead". He longed to return to Ireland but was afraid of the sea journey as his health was so bad.

He was in touch with Robert Emmet and decided to start a rising in London. His activities were exposed to the government by an informer, and he and six companions were arrested in a public house. They were brought to trial and found guilty of treason and they were hanged in Lambeth jail on 21st February, 1803. Even his friends Cloncurry and Nelson were not able to save him. Despard married a Creole and till she died she lived at Lyons, County Kildare, as a guest of Lord Cloncurry.

General John Despard

John Despard was the elder brother of the preceding. He was born in Mountrath in 1745. Entered the army in 1760, served in America, was taken prisoner at Yorktown. Later released. In all he took part in twenty four engagements. Became a general in 1814, he died in 1829.

It is said that the reason he did not get a knighthood or peerage was on account of the treason of his younger brother and the fact that he had been hanged.

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