Alexander MacDonnell, 3rd Earl of Antrim

Alexander MacDonnell, 3rd Earl of Antrim (1615 - 10 December 1699) was a Roman Catholic peer and military commander in Ireland. He Inherited the title when his older brother Randal died with no offspring.

biography

From Wikipedia contributors. "Alexander MacDonnell, 3rd Earl of Antrim." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

Background

He was the son of Randal MacDonnell, 1st Earl of Antrim and his wife, Alice O'Neill (Alice was the daughter of Hugh O Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone). When the first Earl died in 1636 his estate was divided, with the larger share and Dunluce Castle going to the elder brother Randal while Alexander inherited Glenarm Castle and nearby lands.[1]

Irish Confederate Wars

After coming of age, MacDonnell spend three years abroad in Europe before returning to Ireland just before the outbreak of the Irish Rebellion of 1641. MacDonnell was commander of a regiment of Irish against Cromwell in 1641, and soon took his place among the Irish leadership. Unlike his brother, Randal, he urged a conciliatory approach to the English under Oliver Cromwell. He remained in command of a regiment until the Confederation surrendered to Cromwell in 1652. His lands were confiscated and distributed amongst Cromwellian soldiers. By 1656, MacDonnell was living in England, and at Restoration was restored to his lands.

Siege of Derry

In 1680, MacDonnell was appointed custos rotulorum for Antrim, and he succeeded to the title of Earl of Antrim on 3 February 1682 on the death of his brother. He was invested as a Privy Counsellor and Lord-Lieutenant of Antrim shortly after the accession of King James II, as the King followed a policy of replacing Protestants with Catholics across Ireland. At the outbreak of the Glorious Revolution, MacDonnell adhered to James and presided over the unsuccessful siege of Derry. On James's defeat, MacDonnell's lands and titles were, again, declared forfeit. In 1697 he was restored to his title.

Family

MacDonnell's residence was at Glenarm Castle on the County Antrim coast.

He married, firstly, Lady Elizabeth Annesley, daughter of Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey. She died childless in 1669.

He married, secondly, Helena Burke, daughter of Sir John Burke of Derrymaclachtney, after 1672. They had one son, Randal, and one daughter, Mary.

family notes

From An Historical Account of the Macdonnells of Antrim: Including Notices of ... By George Hill. Page 361

MacDonnell's wife, I have been credibly told, was most arrogantly rude with her husband, and he, of a pleasant humour, would onely and usually return in his Irish language, how can it be otherwise with a man that has maryed the daughter of the devil. ...
The earl's second wife was Helena, daughter of sir John Bourke of Derrymaclachtney, in the county of Galway. By this lady he left a son, Randal, who succeeded him; and a daughter, married to Henry Wells, Esq., of Bambridge, in the county of Southampton.
The third earl also left an illegitimate son, named Daniel Macdonnell, for whom he provided liberally by a grant of the following lands in the barony of Glenarm, for a period, it was alleged, of 500 years, at the rent of £5 per annum ...
The fourth earl married Rachael Skeffington, third daughter of Clotworthy, second viscount Massereene of the second creation, by his wife Rachael, daughter of sir Edward Hungerford, of Farley-Hungerford castle, in the county of Somerset (23) By her he left one son, Alexander, who succeeded him, and one daughter, the lady Helena M'Donnell, who died unmarried, in June, 1783, at the age of 78. The fourth earl died in 1721, and was buried beside his mother in Christ Church, Dublin. His widow remarried in 1728, with Robert Hawkins Magill, Esq., of Gill-hall, in the county of Down, and died in 1739. (24) This earl is represented by the Rev. Dr. Sheridan of Dublin, as being " illiterate."

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• The Peerage of Ireland: A Genealogical and Historical Account of ..., Volume 1 By Edward Kimber page 10