Francis Bernard SL (1663 – 30 June 1731) was an Irish lawyer, politician and judge. He was the son of Francis Bernard of Castle Mahon and Mary Freke, daughter of Arthur Freke of Rathbarry and Dorothy Smyth and sister of Percy Freke. Bernard sat as Member of Parliament (MP) in the

Irish House of Commons The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from 1297 until the end of 1800. The upper house was the Irish House of Lords, House of Lords. The membership of the House of Commons was directly elected, ...

. He represented Clonakilty between 1692 and 1695 and subsequently Bandonbridge between 1695 and 1727. In politics he was described as a "furious Tory", as were his wife's father Stephen Ludlow and her sister Lady Rogerson (his wife's political views are less clear). He held the minor office of Recorder of Kinsale from 1692. He was appointed

Solicitor-General for Ireland The Solicitor-General for Ireland was the holder of an Kingdom of Ireland, Irish and then (from the Act of Union 1800) United Kingdom government office. The holder was a deputy to the Attorney-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish ...

in 1711, a post he held until 1714, and Prime Serjeant in 1724. Two years later he became a Judge of the Irish Court of Common Pleas, despite holding what were by then definitely the "wrong" political opinions. In 1693, Bernard married Alice Ludlow, daughter of Stephen Ludlow M.P, of Ardsallagh,

County Meath County Meath ( ; or simply , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is bordered by County Dublin to the southeast, County ...

and his wife Alice Lachard of

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. They had six sons, including Francis and

Stephen Stephen or Steven is an English given name, first name. It is particularly significant to Christianity, Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; he is w ...

, and one daughter, Elizabeth (1703-1743), who married first James Caulfeild, 3rd Viscount Charlemont, and subsequently Thomas Adderley. His grandson James, son of Major North Ludlow Bernard and his first wife Rose Echlin, inherited Castle Bernard, the main family residence, from his childless uncle Francis junior. He was the ancestor of the Earls of Bandon. The leading statesman

James Caulfeild, 1st Earl of Charlemont James Caulfeild, 1st Earl of Charlemont Order of St Patrick, KP Privy Council of Ireland, PC (Ire) (18 August 1728 – 4 August 1799), was an Irish politician, statesman. Life Early life The son of James Caulfeild, 3rd Viscount Charlemont ...

was another of Bernard's grandsons. His death was sudden and unexpected: though close to seventy he had apparently been in good health, and he had been sitting in Court the day before he was found dead in his bed.Ball, F. Elrington ''"The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921"'' London John Murray 1926 p.117 Alice outlived her husband and died in 1741. An anonymous elegy praised him extravagantly: "rock of the law and nature's pride". It also suggested that his death was due to overwork. He was related to Francis James Bernard and Margaret Trudeau.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernard, Francis 1663 births 1731 deaths 17th-century Irish lawyers 18th-century Irish lawyers Politicians from County Cork Irish MPs 1692–1693 Irish MPs 1695–1699 Irish MPs 1703–1713 Irish MPs 1713–1714 Irish MPs 1715–1727 Members of the Parliament of Ireland (pre-1801) for County Cork constituencies Solicitors-general for Ireland Serjeants-at-law (Ireland) 18th-century Irish judges