Ralph Howard, 1st Viscount Wicklow

Ralph Howard, 1st Viscount Wicklow PC (I) (1726 – 26 June 1786) was an Anglo-Irish politician and nobleman.

Ralph Howard, later 1st Viscount Wicklow (Pompeo Batoni, 1752)

Biography

Ralph Howard was born at Shelton Abbey, County Wicklow, the eldest son of the Rt. Rev. Robert Howard (1670–1740), Bishop of Elphin. Howard was High Sheriff of Wicklow in 1749, and of County Carlow in 1754. In 1761 and 1768 he was elected M.P. for both Wicklow County and the borough of St Johnstown, choosing to sit for the county.[1]

In May 1770, he was appointed to the Privy Council of Ireland and on 12 July 1776 Howard was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Clonmore of Clonmore Castle, County Carlow. In June 1785 he was further honoured as Viscount Wicklow, and died a year later on 26 June 1786. His widow, Alice, daughter and sole heiress of William Forward of Castle Forward, co. Donegal, was created Countess of Wicklow in her own right on the 20 December 1793. She died 7 March 1807. Their son, Robert Howard, succeeded her as Earl of Wicklow.[1] Their great-grandnephew Ralph Howard became the seventh Earl of Wicklow.

Howard's grave site has become a landmark due to the large pyramid style marker.[2]

References

"Howard, Ralph" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
"Mausoleum Pyramid in Ireland". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 21 July 2020.

Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by Anthony Brabazon Richard Chapel Whaley	Member of Parliament for County Wicklow 1761–1776 With: Hon. Richard Wingfield 1761–1765 William Brabazon 1765–1776	Succeeded by William Brabazon Hon. John Stratford
Preceded by William Forward Hon. George Hamilton	Member of Parliament for St Johnstown 1761 With: William Forward	Succeeded by William Forward William Talbot
Preceded by William Forward William Talbot	Member of Parliament for St Johnstown 1768–1769 With: William Talbot	Succeeded by William Talbot Hugh Howard
Peerage of Ireland
New creation	Viscount Wicklow 1785–1786	Succeeded by Robert Howard
New creation	Baron Clonmore 1776–1786	Succeeded by Robert Howard

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[dnb-1] "Howard, Ralph" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

[2] "Mausoleum Pyramid in Ireland". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 21 July 2020.