Elizabeth Plunkett, Countess of Fingall
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Elizabeth O'Donnell (1604-c.1630) was the 1st Countess of Fingal. She was the daughter of Prince Rory O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, and Lady Bridget FitzGerald, daughter of Henry FitzGerald, 12th Earl of Kildare. After her father's death in 1608, her mother married Nicholas Barnewall, 1st Viscount Kingsland, and had more children. Meanwhile, Elizabeth married Luke Plunkett, the 1st Earl of Fingall around 1629. They lived at Killeen Castle, County Meath in Ireland. After her death, Lord Fingall married three more times. His son by a later marriage, Christopher Plunkett, 2nd Earl of Fingall, married Mabel Barnewall, half-sister of Elizabeth. Thus Elizabeth was 1st Countess of Fingall, and her much younger half-sister became Countess of the 2nd Earl of Fingall. Another half-sister, Mary Barnewall married Nicholas Preston, 6th Viscount Gormanston, whereby Elizabeth was both his half-sister-in-law, and already his 3rd cousin through their common ancestor, Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare. She was also aunt of Jenico Preston, 7th Viscount Gormanston, who was a 1st cousin of Luke Plunkett, 3rd Earl of Fingall, also her nephew.
[edit] References
- History of Killeen Castle, by Mary Rose Carty, published by Carty/Lynch, Dunsany, County Meath, Ireland, April 1991 (ISBN 0-9517382-0-8) - page 18 refers to Elizabeth O'Donnell as 1st Countess of Fingall (Fingal). She was a daughter of Rory O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell.
