James Stopford was

Bishop of Cloyne The Bishop of Cloyne is an episcopal title that takes its name after the small town of Cloyne in County Cork, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church, it is a separate title; but, in the Church of Ireland, it has been united with other bishopri ...

from 1753 until his death in

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

on 23 August 1759: he had previously been Provost of Tuam, Archdeacon of Killaloe and Dean of Kilmacduagh."Fasti ecclesiae Hibernicae: the succession of the prelates and members of the Cathedral bodies of Ireland" Cotton, H: Dublin: Hodges & Smith, 1851 Vol 1 p301 He was born in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, son of Joseph Stopford, a captain in the English Army, and Elizabeth Boate, widow of Richard Brooking. His father was a younger son of James Stopford, a soldier who fought in Ireland under

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...

, settled in County Meath and accumulated great wealth. The senior branch of the Stopford family was given the title

Earl of Courtown The Earl of Courtown, in the County of Wexford, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 12 April 1762 for James Stopford, 1st Baron Courtown. He had previously represented County Wexford and Fethard in the Irish House of Commo ...

. The younger James attended school in

Wexford Wexford ( ; archaic Yola dialect, Yola: ''Weiseforthe'') is the county town of County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the ...

and

Trinity College, Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Univ ...

, where he took his degree in 1715. He was a

fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

of Trinity College from 1717 to 1727. He became a close friend of

Jonathan Swift Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish writer, essayist, satirist, and Anglican cleric. In 1713, he became the Dean (Christianity), dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, and was given the sobriquet "Dean Swi ...

(his cousin Dorothea "Dolly" Stopford, widow of the fourth

Earl of Meath Earl of Meath is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1627 and is held by the head of the Brabazon family. History The Brabazon family descends from Sir Edward Brabazon, who represented County Wicklow in the Irish House of Com ...

, was one of Swift's closest friends). Swift admired his modesty and learning, and introduced him to other leading writers of the day like

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early ...

References

Bibliography

* 1759 deaths Year of birth missing Provosts of Tuam Alumni of Trinity College Dublin Archdeacons of Killaloe Deans of Kilmacduagh Anglican bishops of Cloyne {{Ireland-Anglican-bishop-stub