Arthur Blennerhassett (1687–1758)

Arthur Blennerhassett KC (1687 – 3 January 1758) was an Anglo-Irish lawyer and politician.

He was son of the politician Robert Blennerhassett. He was at school in Dublin and graduated from the University of Dublin in 1708. The same year he entered the Middle Temple. He was called to the Irish Bar in 1714, made King's Counsel in 1728, and served as Prime Serjeant in 1742. In 1727 Blennerhassett was elected to the Irish House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Tralee. He was raised to the bench as justice of the Court of King's Bench (Ireland) in 1743 and served until his death in 1758.

He married Mary Rice, widow of Colonel Degge; she was a granddaughter of Thomas St Lawrence, 13th Baron Howth. He lived at Dawson Street in Dublin and Riddlestown Park in County Limerick. According to Elrington Ball he was falsely accused of the murder of John St Leger, a son of Viscount Doneraile, who was killed in a duel in 1720.

A portrait of the judge hangs in the library of Glin Castle.

References

• http://www.leighrayment.com/commons/irelandcommons.htm
• http://thepeerage.com/p27907.htm#i279068
• Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921 London John Murray 1926