Richard Fitzgerald

Colonel Richard Fitzgerald (by 1733 – 1776) was an Irish Member of Parliament. He was the fifth son of Gerald Fitzgerald of Coolanawle, Queen's County, by his wife Mary, daughter of Sir Robert Hartpole, of Shrule Castle in Queen's County. He lived at Kilminchy Castle, Portlaoise, and Mount Offaly, County Kildare. He was elected to the Irish House of Commons for Boyle on 21 October 1763 and sat until his death. He married firstly, Margaret, daughter of James King, 4th Baron Kingston, of Mitchelstown Castle and his first wife Elizabeth Meade, daughter of Sir John Meade, 1st Baronet. They had one daughter Caroline, who married Robert King, Lord Kingsborough. He married, secondly, Mary, daughter and heiress of Fairfax Mercer, of Fair Hill, County Louth. Their son Gerald was the father of the New Zealand politician James FitzGerald and Gerard George Fitzgerald.