General Edward Dunne 1760-1844

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

General Edward Dunne was born in Brittas Castle, Clonaslee on 13th October, 1760. He was a cousin of John Dunne, Bishop of Ossory. His father died while he was still a minor and he was brought up a Protestant, his guardians being the Earl of Clare and Lord Nugent. He was sent to England by Lord Clare to be educated. On his return to Ireland he joined the Irish Volunteers and took part in all of Grattan's demands.

He later joined the army and having served in a number of regiments he was appointed the Aide-de-Camp to the Marquess of Buckingham, then Viceroy of Ireland. In 1794 he became a major and shortly afterwards Lieutenant-Colonel of the 7th Dragons Guards. The 1,000 men under his command became one of the best disciplined in Ireland.

He helped to quell the 1798 rising and responsible for saving many insurgents from the hangman's rope. He was appointed a General and Brigadier of the Midlands. After the Rising he became Colonel of the Pembroke Regiment of Cavalry in England, and was recalled to Ireland. He was elected M.P. for Maryborough in a by-election in 1799, he was opposed by Sir Jonah Barrington, but won the seat by a small majority. He voted for the union because he said he did not want Ireland to follow the path of France into anarchy and because he hoped Catholic Emancipation would be granted if the Union was brought about. In 1803 the Viceroy, the Earl of Hardwicke appointed him commander of the Dublin garrison. He quelled the insurrection of Robert Emmet and was presented with the Freedom of the city for doing so.

He contested the election for Queen's County in July 1818 and again in May 1820 but on each occasion failed to gain the seat. He married Lady Frances White, a sister of the Earl of Bantry, and they had five sons and one daughter. His eldest son was General Francis Dunne who was for a time M.P. for Portarlington and Queens County and contested the election of 1874 as a Home Ruler and was defeated. General Dunne died at Brittas Castle on 3rd November, 1844.

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