Almeric was born in May 1664, the second son of John de Courcy and his wife Ellen MacCarthy Reagh. His father was the 21st Baron Kingsale. His father's family, the de Courcys, were Old English and claimed descendence from John de Courcy, who had arrived in Ireland in 1176. Almeric's first name evokes Almeric Tristram, a liegeman of John de Courcy and remote ancestor of the Earls of Howth.[1]
On 19 May 1667 his elder brother Patrick, a seven-year-old child, succeeded their father as 17th or 22nd Baron. However, Patrick's tenure lasted only two years. Almeric succeeded him in 1669 as the 18th or 23rd Baron Kingsale.[10] King Charles II had bestowed a pension of £300 yearly on the 22nd Baron, which was carried over to him.[11]
Kingsale was raised a Catholic by his parents but was then sent to Oxford for a Protestant education.[12] Kingsale studied under Doctor John Fell, Dean of Christ Church and Bishop of Oxford. In a letter written in 1678 Fell complained that Kingsale was "addicted to the tennis court, proof against all Latin assaults and prone to kicking, beating and domineering over his sisters; ... fortified in the conceit that a title of honour was support enough, without the pedantry and trouble of book-learning."[13]
When the Catholic King James II acceded the throne in 1685, he continued Kingsale's pension. Kingsale served as a captain in a troop of horse in the Irish army, later becoming Lieutenant Colonel of Patrick Sarsfield's regiment of horse.[15] In 1689 he sat in the House of Lords of the Patriot Parliament.[16][17]
He was attainted in 1691 but obtained the reversal of his attainder in 1692.[18]
In 1692 he exercised before William III his privilege, supposed to have been granted to his ancestor John in 1203, to remain covered before the king.[20][21] He probably did this in London as William had left Ireland on 5 September 1690.[22]
Kingsale died childless on 9 February 1720 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.[24] His wife died on 25 April 1724. In her will, she provided for a monument to her husband. This took the form of a mural with a life-size effigy under a canopy that still stands in the north choir aisle.[25][26] Its large size might be explained by the sympathy for Jacobites entertained by the then dean, Francis Atterbury.[27]
^Lodge 1789, p. 138. "... married to Sir Almericus Tristram, ancestor of the Earl of Howth."
^Cokayne 1892, p. 396, line 1. "John (de Courcy), Baron Kingsale, &c. [I. [Ireland] ], s. and h. ... He m. [married] Ellen 1st da. [daughter] of Charles Mc Carthy Reagh, by Eleanor, sister of Donogh, 1st Earl of Clancarty [I. [Ireland] ] and da. of Cormac Oge (Mc Carthy) 1st Viscount Muskerry [I. [Ireland] ]"
^Gibson 1861, p. 84, line 9. "There were at this time [15th & 16th centuries] four distinct chieftainships of the Mac Carthys; the Mac Carthys Mor, or lords of Desmond, and their off-shoots, namely, the Mac Carthys Reagh of Carbery, the Donough Mac Carthys of Duhallow, and the Mac Carthys of Muskerry."
^D'Alton 1855, p. 145. "One of these sisters, Ellen, was married to Sir John Magrath, of Attivolan, County of Tipperary, who was created a Baron under singular circumstances ..."
^Cokayne 1902, p. 260. "He [John Magrath] m. [married] Ellen sister of Patrick and Almericus, successively barons Kingsale ..."
^Cokayne 1892, p. 396, line 10. "Almericus (de Courcy), Baron Kingsale, &c. [I. [Ireland] ], br. [brother] and h. [heir], about five years old in 1669;"
^Lodge 1789, p. 396, line 13. "He had a pension of £300 a year from Charles II, continued by James II ..."
^James 1995, p. 50. "Almericus de Courcy, 18th Baron Kinsale (whose mother was a MacCarthy) was raised a Catholic, yet attended Oxford."
^Burke & Burke 1909, p. 1039, right column. "... outlawed 1691, for his adhesion to the fortunes of James II. The outlawry was, however, very soon removed ..."
^ abLodge 1789, p. 396, line 16. "... sat in Parl. [I. [Ireland] ] 25 Oct. 1692, and again 20 May 1712."
^Cokayne 1892, p. 396. "He m. [married] 2 March 1698, at St. Martin's, Ludgate, London, Anne, da. [daughter] of Robert Dring, of Isleworth, Midx [Middlesex]."
^Brayley 1823, p. 218. "A stately monument of various coloured marbles, which have been ornamented by painting and guilding, records the memory of Almericus de Courcy; Lord Courcy; and Ann, his widow, in pursuance of whose Will it was erected."
^Smith 1872, p. 70. "His lordship is here represented in full proportion, reposing himself, after the fatigues of an active life, under a rich canopy, finely ornamented and guilt."
^Smith 1906, p. 313. "[The monument] commemorated Almericus de Courcy (d. 1720), Lord Kinsale, who was a staunch supporter of James II. and a commander of a troop of horse for his cause."
^Wills 1841, p. 52. "He was succeeded in his title and estates by his cousin Gerald, the son of Miles de Courcy, the third son of Patrick, the twentiest lord."
