John Bourke, 1st Earl of Mayo

John Bourke, 1st Earl of Mayo (; ; circa 1705 – 1790), styled Lord Naas (; ) from 1775 to 1781 and Viscount Mayo from 1781 to 1785, was an Irish politician and peer who was MP for Naas (1727–60, 1768–72) and Old Leighlin (1760–68) and was created Earl of Mayo.

Early life

He was the son of Richard Bourke (d.1727) and Catherine Minchin, daughter of Charles Minchin of Ballynakill, County Tipperary. He was descended from Gaelic nobles, and shared a common ancestor with Tibbot ne Long Bourke, 1st Viscount Mayo. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin.

Career In 1727, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Naas, representing the seat in the Irish House of Commons until 1760. During this time he was the victim of at least one violent assault when in 1731 the Commons ordered the arrest of a man who had accosted Bourke with a pistol and threatened his life. Another man, who may have been former Naas MP Alexander Gradon, was accused of encouraging the attack.

Between 1761 and 1768 he served as MP for Old Leighlin. He was re-elected for Naas in 1768, and held the seat until his elevation to the peerage in 1776. That year was created Baron Naas, of Naas in the County of Kildare, in the Peerage of Ireland. He assumed his seat in the Irish House of Lords, and on 13 January 1781 he was made Viscount Mayo, a title which had previously been held by his distant relations. On 24 June 1785 Bourke was made Earl of Mayo.''' bannerimage = banner = symbolism = orders =

Ancestry