Blackburne

Blackburne, FRANCIS, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, was born at Great Footstown, County Meath, 11th November 1782, and in 1798 entered Trinity College, Dublin. Called to the English bar in 1805, to the Irish in 1822, he was appointed Attorney-general for Ireland in 1830 and again in 1841, Master of the Rolls in 1842, Chief-justice of the Queen's Bench in 1846, and Lord Chancellor of Ireland in 1852 and 1866. He thus served under both Whig and Tory governments, and was brought into close connection with the leading politicians on either side; whilst at different times he had the duties imposed on him of prosecuting O'Connell, and judging Smith O'Brien. In 1867 he declined an offer of a baronetcy, and for some years he was Vice-chancellor of Dublin University. He died 17th September 1867. See the Life by his son (1874).