Thomas Dongan

Thomas Dongan (c.1590–1663) was an Irish judge of the seventeenth century. His career was dogged by accusations of recusancy and of disloyalty to the English Crown. He is chiefly remembered as the father of Margaret Dongan, wife of the Dutch scholar Arnold Boate, who commemorated her lovingly in his book The Character of a Truly Virtuous and Pious Woman, and also wrote with affection and respect about her father.

Background

He was the fourth and youngest son of John Dongan of Castletown, County Kildare (died 1592), second Remembrancer of the Exchequer of Ireland, and his wife Margaret Forster, daughter of Walter Forster, a wine merchant of Winetavern Street, Dublin. His parents died when Thomas was still an infant, and he and his brothers were fostered with relatives. His eldest brother Sir Walter Dongan (1579–1626) was created the first of the Dongan Baronets, and was the ancestor of the Earls of Limerick. His father John Dongan, son of Thady Dongan of Fishamble Street, Dublin and his wife Joan Donlan, was a wealthy man, and left him substantial lands, mainly in County Kildare.

Early career

Thomas entered Lincoln's Inn in 1615 but was expelled for recusancy. He was also in financial distress, which may explain his decision, which greatly harmed his reputation, to accept office under the new government of Oliver Cromwell. He acted as a High Court judge in Leinster and Ulster and sat on the High Court of Justice which tried, convicted and condemned Sir Felim O'Neill and other rebels to death for treason in 1652-3. He gained no permanent benefit from his support for the Cromwellian regime, which regarded him with a good deal of suspicion, due to his Anglo-Irish background and his numerous Catholic relatives. He was passed over for a permanent position on the Bench in 1655, and by 1659 he was reduced to such a state of poverty that the King's Inn excused the payment of his fees and let him live free of rent in his chamber at the Inn.

Restoration

After the Restoration of Charles II, Dongan, who was living in a state of dire poverty, begged to be reappointed to the Bench, despite his age, ill health, Catholic sympathies and dubious political loyalties. Probably Ormonde, who was soon to become Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and who never forgot a friend, recommended him for preferment, and he was appointed third Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland). Ball notes that his appointment came at the last possible moment (January 1661), on the grounds that he was unfit for office and, it was reckoned, would be unlikely to serve for long. This assumption was justified: by 1663 he was pleading to be allowed to retire on account of his age and ill health, and he died in late June of that year. is balanced by the kindly and respectful portrayal of the judge by his son-in-law Arnold Boate,