Burnell family
The Burnell family was a Dublin-based Anglo-Irish Catholic family prominent in Irish public life, law, politics, landholding, and the arts from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
The Burnell family was a historic Dublin family whose members were prominent in Irish civic, legal, political, and cultural life from the late thirteenth century into the seventeenth century. The family’s precise origins in Ireland are uncertain because several English families bore the same surname, including a substantial Burnell presence in sixteenth-century London. Surviving evidence nevertheless connects the Irish family with English relatives and places its early Irish interests in County Dublin, County Wicklow, County Meath, and nearby areas. The family’s recorded rise began in 1284, when William Burnell received lands at Glencapy, in the Rathdown area, and other property in County Wicklow from Edward I, then Lord of Ireland. William also served as Constable of Dublin Castle in 1284 and again in 1291–92. During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, members of the family held local office and landed positions. Robert Burnell was Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1356–57 and again in 1383–84, while another Sir Robert Burnell served as mayor three times in the 1450s and 1460s. In 1462 he received an annual grant toward repairing Dublin’s walls. The family’s principal landed position developed around Balgriffin and Castleknock. Robert Burnell, recorded as lord of the manor of Balgriffin around 1388, married Matilda Tyrrell, heiress to the feudal barony of Castleknock. He was also a Baron of the Court of Exchequer in Ireland, establishing a recurring family association with the Irish judiciary. Later generations included John Burnell, Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer in the 1490s, and Patrick Burnell, another Exchequer baron who died in 1491. Around 1490, Sir Robert Burnell expanded the family’s landed connections through his marriage to Margaret Holywood, co-heiress of Sir Robert Holywood of Artane, gaining interests around Swords and north County Dublin. The family’s political fortunes were affected by the religious and constitutional conflicts of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Ireland. John Burnell of Castleknock participated in the rebellion of Silken Thomas and was executed for treason at Tyburn in 1537. A cousin, also named John, retained the Balgriffin estates, which later passed by inheritance to the Bathe family. Henry Burnell, a leading barrister in the later sixteenth century, served as Recorder of Dublin, briefly sat as a judge of the Court of King’s Bench in Ireland, and represented County Dublin in the Irish Parliament of 1585. He was a committed advocate for Roman Catholic rights and repeatedly came into conflict with the English Crown. The later family is especially remembered for Henry Burnell, a playwright and political figure whose tragicomedy Landgartha was published in 1640. It was among the earliest Irish plays to appear in print and was performed at Dublin’s Werburgh Street Theatre, regarded as the city’s first theatre, before that venue closed. Henry married Lady Frances Dillon, daughter of James Dillon, 1st Earl of Roscommon, demonstrating the family’s links with the Anglo-Irish aristocracy. His daughter Eleanor Burnell became one of the few Irish women poets of her period whose work is still identified, although only a small number of her Latin poems survive. The Burnells were staunch Roman Catholics and supported the Irish Confederacy during the 1640s. After the Confederate cause failed, most of the family’s estates were forfeited. Henry Burnell was sentenced to transportation to Connaught, although the sentence was delayed on grounds of ill health. The family did not recover its former landed position, and its historical prominence declined thereafter. The Burnell lineage also connected to other notable Irish families through marriage, including the Talbots of Mount Talbot. The family’s historical identity therefore rests not on a continuing commercial enterprise but on its long association with Dublin landholding, public office, Catholic political advocacy, and Irish literary culture.
History
The Burnell family’s Irish history is documented from the thirteenth century, although its arrival date and exact relationship to other Burnell families remain uncertain. The surname was also borne by English families, including a group living in London during the sixteenth century. A London lawyer and Member of Parliament, Richard Burnell, left a bequest to his Irish cousin John Bathe, whose mother belonged to the Burnell family, offering evidence of a connection between the English and Irish branches. In 1284 William Burnell received lands at Glencapy, now associated with Rathdown, together with property in Wicklow and rights to take timber from the king’s manor at Ballyconyn. His service as Constable of Dublin Castle placed the family within the administrative structure of medieval Ireland. Later records show Burnells active in Dublin and Meath. Philip Burnell was involved in a serious assault case in County Meath in 1306, while Robert Burnell held the manor of Balrothery near Finglas in 1366. Robert, possibly the same man who served as Lord Mayor of Dublin, was recorded as lord of Balgriffin around 1388. Robert Burnell’s marriage to Matilda Tyrrell, heiress to Castleknock, was a major step in the family’s social and territorial development. Robert served as a Baron of the Court of Exchequer in Ireland, beginning a pattern of legal and judicial service continued by later relatives. A royal writ of 1381 concerned his grant of a two-thirds interest in Luttrell’s Mill in County Dublin. His descendants maintained claims to Balgriffin, although those claims could require royal confirmation. In 1447 a later Robert Burnell received a pardon for entering or occupying Balgriffin without the required licence, suggesting the continuing importance of the estate. The family’s legal influence expanded in the fifteenth century. John Burnell became Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer in the 1490s, and Patrick Burnell, who died in 1491, also served as a Baron of the Exchequer. Around the same period Sir Robert Burnell held Balgriffin and married Margaret Holywood, co-heiress of the Artane estate. This marriage brought additional lands around Swords and linked the Burnells with the Holywood family. Their daughter Anne married William Preston, Viscount Gormanston, reinforcing the family’s place within the Anglo-Irish landed elite. The sixteenth century brought both political involvement and serious danger. John Burnell of Castleknock joined the rebellion of Silken Thomas and was executed at Tyburn for treason in 1537. A cousin with the same name preserved the Balgriffin branch’s estates, which later passed to the Bathes. Henry Burnell, active during the later Elizabethan period, became one of Ireland’s leading barristers. He served as Recorder of Dublin, briefly held judicial office on the Court of King’s Bench, and represented County Dublin in the 1585 Irish Parliament. His Catholic political views brought him into recurring conflict with the English government. The family’s cultural legacy is associated most strongly with a later Henry Burnell, grandson of the Elizabethan judge. He was a wealthy and influential playwright and politician. His Landgartha, published in 1640, is regarded as one of the earliest Irish plays printed and was performed at Dublin’s Werburgh Street Theatre. His marriage to Lady Frances Dillon, daughter of the Earl of Roscommon, illustrated the family’s continuing aristocratic connections. His daughter Eleanor Burnell wrote Latin poetry and is remembered as one of the earliest identifiable Irish women poets, although only a few poems survive. During the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s, the Burnells supported the Irish Confederacy and remained committed Roman Catholics opposed to the Penal Laws. After the Confederate defeat, the family lost most of its estates through forfeiture. The playwright Henry Burnell was sentenced to transportation to Connaught, but obtained a postponement because of ill health. The family never regained its former landholding position. Its historical importance consequently shifted from estate power and public office to the legacy of its legal, political, and literary figures.
- 1656
Loss of the family estates
[1]Following the failure of the Confederate cause, most Burnell lands were forfeited and the family did not recover its former estate position.
- 1640
Landgartha is published
[1]Henry Burnell’s Landgartha appeared in print and became an important early example of published Irish drama.
- 1640
Eleanor Burnell contributes Latin poetry
[1]Eleanor Burnell, daughter of the playwright, produced Latin poems and became associated with the early history of Irish women’s poetry.
- 1640
The family supports the Irish Confederacy
[1]The Burnells supported the Irish Confederacy during the political and military conflicts of the 1640s.
- 1585
Henry Burnell enters Irish parliamentary life
[1]Henry Burnell represented County Dublin in the Irish Parliament and advocated for Catholic rights.
- 1537
John Burnell executed after the Silken Thomas rebellion
[1]John Burnell of Castleknock was executed at Tyburn for treason following his participation in the rebellion of Silken Thomas.
- 1490
Expansion through the Holywood marriage
[1]Sir Robert Burnell’s marriage to Margaret Holywood connected the family with Artane and brought lands near Swords.
- 1462
Grant for Dublin wall repairs
[1]Sir Robert Burnell received an annual grant intended to support repairs to Dublin’s city walls.
William Burnell receives Irish lands
[1]William Burnell received lands at Glencapy and elsewhere in County Wicklow, and served as Constable of Dublin Castle.
Robert Burnell becomes Lord Mayor of Dublin
[1]A Robert Burnell is recorded as Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1356–57 and again in 1383–84.
Products and positioning
A historic Dublin and Anglo-Irish Catholic family associated with landed status, Irish judicial and municipal office, political advocacy, and early Irish literary culture.
Drama · 1640
Landgartha
A tragicomedy by Henry Burnell, published in 1640. It is regarded as one of the earliest Irish plays to be printed and was associated with Dublin’s Werburgh Street Theatre, an important early venue in the city’s theatrical history.
Latin poetry
Patri suo Charissimo operis Encomium
A Latin poem attributed to Eleanor Burnell, daughter of the playwright Henry Burnell. It forms part of the small surviving body of work associated with one of the early identifiable Irish women poets.
Brand decisions
1640
Support for the Irish ConfederacyOtherBackground
The Burnell family was a Roman Catholic Anglo-Irish family opposed to the Penal Laws and became associated with the Irish Confederacy during the 1640s.
Action taken
Family members supported the Confederate cause during the political and military conflicts of the period.
Aftermath
After the Confederacy failed, most of the family’s lands were forfeited, and the family did not regain its earlier landed influence.
Sources1 sources
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