Eustace Le Poer (1270 - 1311)

Born 1270 in County Waterford, Ireland

Descendants

Died 1311 at about age 41 in County Waterford, Ireland

Notes on his identity:

• There were several extended family members named Eustace Le Poer. See image for this branch -- which indicates that Eustace, Baron of Kells, was the son of Robert, son of John, son of William.
• A different Eustace le Poer, also alive in the early 1300s, was son of Matthew le Poer (ca.1240-1286) and ancestor of the FitzEustace branch, Lord Deputies of Ireland in the 1400s.

Biography

Sir Eustace le Poer was Baron of Kells in Ossory (the Kingdom of Osriage).

He served in Parliament in 1295 ^[1] and died in 1311.^[2]

History of Kells

From A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (Samuel Lewis, 1837):^[3]

• Kells, a parish in the barony of Kells, County Kilkenny, formerly of considerable importance, was built by Geoffrey FitzRobert, one of Strongbow's followers, for his English companions: he also founded a priory in 1183 [or 1193], which he filled with monks from Bodmin, in Cornwall; and FitzRobert's sons William and John gave charters to the inhabitants, constituting the place a free borough. The town afterwards passed into the De Birmingham family [Geoffrey's widow] and was burnt by William De Birmingham in 1252, during a dispute with the St. Aubans. Edward Bruce occupied it for a short time in 1316, and in 1327 it was again burnt by the De Birminghams.

• In the early part of the 14th century, the barony was granted to the Poers, and the town was fortified by Sir Eustace le Poer. The priory, with some of its possessions, was granted at the Dissolution of the Monasteries (late 1530s) to James, 9th Earl of Ormond.

From other sources, principally the website "Barony of Kells" by Kilkenny County historian Dennis Walsh:^[4]

• In the early 14th century, the Barony of Kells was granted to Eustace de Poher, who also held large possessions in the Counties of Waterford, Tipperary, Carlow, Kildare, and Connaught. Eustace was succeeded by [his nephew] Arnold,^[5] second baron. (Source: An Historical Memoir of Poher, Poer, or Power, Gabriel O'c Redmond, 1891)

• In 1329 Arnold le Poer is noted as absentee landlord of Kells, and dies while a prisoner in Dublin Castle. He had been excommunicated and jailed for his part in the famous witchcraft and heresy case of Alice Kyteller.^[6] Arnold's eldest son Eustace took over as Baron of Kells. By 1346 when Eustace de Poer joins the Earl of Desmond in rebellion against the English King, he was captured at the siege of Castle Island, Co.Kerry, and was hanged, drawn and quartered.

In 1324, Arnold le Poer, John FitzBenedict le Poer, and John le Poer, Baron de Donoyll, were among 35 Irish gentlemen, landowners, archbishops and bishops, most notably Thomas FitzJohn, 2nd Earl of Kildare, who were summoned to the war in Aquitaine by John Darcy, Justiciar of Ireland, and Nicholas Fastolf, Chief Justice.^[7]

Family Connections

• 1304: William Fanin^[8], who descended from Sir Thomas Fanyn, ca.1210-ca.1280), is called a "cousin" to Eustace Le Poer in the 32nd year of the reign of Edward I [Longshanks].^[9][10]

• A discussion of the connection between the Le Poer and the Eustace/FitzEustace surnames.
  • The first article here summarises research findings from the Kildare Archaeological Journal:
    • http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~dnapower/genealogy/dna/eustaceconnection.htm
  • This page, from the Eustace Families Association, considers Eustace le Poer (1270-1311), Baron of Kells, as an early member of the Eustace family. One of the first well-known Eustace men to hold public office in Ireland was Edward FitzEustace (1405-1454), Lord Deputy of Ireland.
    • http://www.roneustice.com/government.html

• A detailed biography of Arnold de la Poer (lived 1320s) is included in James Wills' Lives of Illustrious and Distinguished Irishmen, from the earliest times to the present period (Dublin: Macgregor, Polson 1840-47), pp.373-5:
  • https://archive.org/details/livesofillustrio01willuoft/page/372/mode/2up
  • https://www.dib.ie/biography/le-poer-arnold-a4734 (the same Arnold)

• Uncertain of family connection to Robert de la Poer, the probable "gateway ancestor" to Ireland who was born in England (1165) and died post-1210 in County Waterford, leaving at least one son John.

Sources

• Search for "Poer" to find possible relatives from 1200s-1300s:
  • https://www.limerick.ie/sites/default/files/atoms/files/who_was_who_in_medieval_limerick_-_copy_3.pdf
• Irish historian Turtle Bunbury's look at the Norman origins of the Le Poer family, as well as key players in Ireland throughout the centuries:
  • https://www.turtlebunbury.com/history/history_family/hist_family_delapoer.html

1. ↑ Library Ireland : Irish Pedigrees : Power No: 1 - from Irish Pedigrees or the Stem of the Irish Nation by John O'Hart
2. ↑ The Peerage : Sir Eustace le Poer
3. ↑ https://www.libraryireland.com/topog/K/Kells-Kells-Kilkenny.php
4. ↑ https://sites.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/history/kells.htm
5. ↑ Parker (see image accompanying the profile) states Eustace had no male heirs, and that Arnold was the son of Eustace's younger brother Robert.
6. ↑ The Alice Kyteler witchcraft trial was well-documented in 1320s Ireland. According to Wikipedia, citing two research papers: "Dame Alice Kyteler (1263–after 1325) was the first recorded person condemned for witchcraft in Ireland."
   • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Kyteler
   See also:
   • ‘Kilkenny witch’ Alice Kyteler
7. ↑ http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/6e015161-9113-4580-ae87-4f3cab6aa861#3-43
8. ↑ of the Tipperary branch of the Fanning family
9. ↑ "The King reciting that he had granted to Eustace le Poer for his services in Scotland a sum of 700 marks, which Hugh Purcel was bound to pay at the Exchequer, that William Fanin cousin to said Eustace was bound to Hugh in a like sum, and that Eustace was desirous that, to exonerate William, Hugh should be allowed this sum; [the King] commands that Hugh should be acquitted of this sum."
   • https://archive.org/details/reportofdeputyke3844irel/page/92/mode/2up?q=fanin
   See also Calendar of Documents for Ireland, 1302-7, p.117:
   • https://archive.org/details/calendarofdocume05grea_0/page/n141/mode/2up?q=fanyn
10. ↑ Hugh Purcell was ancestor to the Barons of Loughmoe, who held the title until Col. Nicholas Purcell, who died in 1723. Loughmoe is located between Templemore and Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

• Ciarán Parker, "Paterfamilias and Parentela: The Le Poer Lineage in Fourteenth-Century Waterford." Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Section C: Archaeology, Celtic Studies, History, Linguistics, Literature, vol. 95C, no. 2 (1995), pp. 93–117:
  • www.jstor.org/stable/25516139

This person was created on 19 April 2011 through the import of Stout - Trask - Cowan .ged.