Volume 1: Pages 210 to 253 - Cork Past and Present

284 RINCtRRAN . [coax.
Horace , and his grandson, Sir Philip, was the reputed Author
of Junius
1724. July 2. THOMAS SHERIDAN, A.M., is presented to R. V. Rineurran
. [Lib. Mun.] He was instituted 19th July, 1724, per
mort. John Francis. [D.R.]
He appears 1725 to 1729. [V.B. D.R.]
Thomas Sheridan, the son of Patrick Sheridan, a gentleman
who possessed a small estate near Kilmore, in Cavan, was a near
relative of Patrick Sheridan, Bishop of Cloyne, and of William
Sheridan, his brother, Bishop of Kilmore. By the help of the
last-named prelate, Thomas Sheridan, when twenty years of
e, was enabled to enter T.C.D. as a Pensioner, on 18th Oct.,
NO7. He subsequently attained the degree of D.D. in that
University.
Having entered into holy orders, be became a schoolmaster;
and was so much esteemed in that capacity as to have sometimes
made £1,000 in a year by his school. He was soon
distinguished by the friendship of the celebrated Swift; and his
correspondence with the great Dean of St. Patrick's forms
almost the entire of one of the volumes of Swift's Miscellanies.
By the Dean's interest Sheridan was appointed Chaplain to the
Lord Lieutenant, and in 1724 R. V. Rincurran, which he exchanged
in 1730 for the V. Dunboyne and Kilbride, in Meath
diocese. The latter preferment he exchanged also in 1734 for
the Mastership of the Royal School at Cavan. He lost in
money, however, by his successive changes; and after disposing
of the Cavan school for about £400, he fell into bad health,
and died on 10th Sept., 1738, aged about 51 years.
His character is given at some length by another friend of
Swift, the fifth EARL of CORE., who describes Sheridan as a man
well versed in books and in the Greek and Latin languages,
but ignorant of the value of money, careless, and improvident.
His fortunes at the Castle of Dublin were marred by his negligence
in preaching at Cork, on the 1st of August, the anniversary
of King George's accession, on the text, "Sufficient
unto the day is the evil thereof." He lost, by this unlucky
sermon, his post of Chaplain to the Lord Lieutenant, LORD
CARTERET, who, although accustomed to the petulance of Swift,
never pardoned Sheridan's ill-timed, if not unintentional, joke
upon his Sovereign.
Dr. Sheridan remained, says Lord Cork, despite his disgrace
at the Viceregal Court, " a punster, a quibbler, a fiddler, and
a wit. Not a day passed without a rebus, an anagram, or a
madrigal. His pen and his fiddlestick were in continual
motion."
Yet, though thus unfortunate in life, and deemed worthy of
no higher promotion than a Cork living or a Cavan school,
Sheridan was fortunate in transmitting the genius he un-
RINCURRAN. 235
doubtedly possessed in a high degree to his descendants. He
left issue by his wife, Elisabeth McFadden, a lady of worth and
talent, two sons, Richard and Thomas, and four daughters,
Anne, Elisabeth, Meliora, and Esther. His son Thomas became
a famous actor, philologist, and lexicographer, and was father
(by his wife, Frances, a granddaughter of SIR OLIVER CHAMBER-
LAINE), of the celebrated statesman, dramatist, and orator,
RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN , as also of an elder son, Charles
Francis Sheridan, Secretary-at-War in Ireland, and author of
" The History of the Revolution in Sweden in 1772."
R. B. Sheridan, the statesman, was twice married-first, to
Elisabeth-Anne, dau. of Thomas Linley, and afterwards to
Esther-Jane Ogle, dau. of the Dean of Winchester. His son
by the first marriage, Thomas Sheridan, married Caroline
Henrietta, dau. of Colonel Callender, and left issue, inter alios,
Richard Brinsley Sheridan, of Frampton-court, county Dorset ;
Charles-Kinnaird Sheridan, Attache to the Embassy at Paris ;
Helen-Selina, wife of the fourth, and mother of the fifth LORD
DUFFERIN and CLANEBOY ; Caroline-Elisabeth-Sarah, wife of
HON. G. C. NORTON ; and Jane Georgina, wife of EDWARD
ADOLPHUS, DUKE OF SOMERSET.
1730. Oct. 16. JOHN JEPHSON, A.B., R. V. Rincurran, per cession
of Sheridan, on letters patent of 14th September. [D.R. and
Lib. Mun.] In 1735 he was also Archdeacon of Cloyne, q. v.
He appears 1730 to 1742, June 9, but in latter year with
his name crossed out. [V.B. D.R.] In 1742, June, Rev.
William Reader, V. Kinsale, is appointed Sequestrator of Rincurran
and Taxax, on the death of John Jephson. [D.R.]
1742. Aug, 13. Da. JEMMETT BROWNE (Dean of Ross, q. v.) is
admitted R. V. Rincurran and Taxax. [D.R.]
1743. November 5. RICHARD TAYLOR is presented to R. V. Rincurran
and R. Taxax. [Lib. Mun.]
1743. March 30. An act of Council was passed for removing
the site of the parish church of Rincurran. [Lib. Mun.]
Richard, son of Berkeley Taylor, was born in Cork, and
when seventeen years old entered T.C.D as Pensioner, on 29th
July, 1723.
The Reverend Richard Taylor, of Kinsale , made his will on
24th of October, 1764, leaving his gold watch and seals, and
gold-headed cane to " John Gill, doctor in physick, and now
Sovereign of Kinsale." He gives the residue of his estate to
his niece, Sarah Westropp. This will was proved on 29th
Nov., 1765. On the 25th of November, 1764, was "buried at
Cove, the Rev. Mr. Taylor, of Kinsale, passenger to Bristol,
who died on board." [Cork Wills and Par. Register of Cove.]
1766. March 18. RICHARD GODLEY, A.M., R. V. Rincurran and Taxax.
[F.F.] On letters patent of February the 7th. [Lib. Mun.]
Vaeantbydeathof RichardTaylor. [D. U.) Hereaignedin1707.
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