William Trench, 1st Earl of Clancarty


William Power Keating Trench, 1st Earl of Clancarty was an Irish aristocrat and politician and later United Kingdom statesman at the time of the Act of Union. His family, through his son Richard, became prominent and hereditary members of the Netherlands' nobility.

Life

The son of Richard Trench and Frances Power, William was a Member of Parliament in the Irish House of Commons, and supported the Whigs.
He represented Galway County from 1768 until 1797 and served as High Sheriff of County Kilkenny in 1777. He was advanced to the Irish House of Lords as Baron Kilconnel, and to the position of Viscount Dunlo as a reward for his continuing support of the Whig Party. On 12February 1803 he became Earl of Clancarty. His choice of the title is derived from his descent from Elena MacCarty, wife of John Power, daughter of Cormac Oge MacCarty, Viscount Muskerry, and sister of Donough MacCarty, 1st Earl of Clancarty. He therefore became the first Earl of Clancarty in its second creation. He was succeeded by his son Richard.
The Trench family seat was at Garbally in Ballinasloe.

Family

On 30October 1762 he married Anne Gardiner, daughter of Charles Gardiner of Dublin and Florinda Norman, and sister of Luke Gardiner, 1st Viscount Mountjoy. William and Anne had nineteen children:
  1. Frances Trench
  2. Anne Trench, married William Gregory of Coole
  3. Lady Florinda Trench, married William Handcock, 1st Viscount Castlemaine
  4. Francis Trench
  5. Charles Trench
  6. Sir Richard Le Poer Trench, 2nd Earl of Clancarty, married Henrietta Margaret Staples
  7. The Most Reverend and Honourable Power Le Poer Trench, Archbishop of Tuam, married Anne Taylor
  8. Rear Admiral the Honourable William Le Poer Trench, married firstly Sarah Cuppage and secondly Margaret Downing
  9. The Reverend Charles Le Poer Trench, Archdeacon of Ardagh, married Frances Elwood
  10. Thomas Le Poer Trench
  11. Luke Henry Le Poer Trench
  12. Louisa Trench
  13. Frederick Trench
  14. Colonel Sir Robert Le Poer Trench, married Letitia Susanna Dillon
  15. Lady Elizabeth Trench, married John McClintock of Drumcar
  16. Lady Harriet Trench, married Sir Daniel Toler Osborne, 12th Baronet
  17. Lady Frances Mary Trench, married Henry Stanley Monck, 1st Earl of Rathdowne
  18. Lady Louisa Trench
  19. Lady Emily Trench, married Robert La Touche of Harristown

    Ancestry