Henry Conyngham, 8th Marquess Conyngham

Conyngham coat of arms

Henry Vivien Pierpont Conyngham, 8th Marquess Conyngham (born 25 May 1951),^[1] styled as Earl of Mount Charles from 1974–2009 and predominantly known as Henry Mountcharles, is an Anglo-Irish nobleman who holds titles in the Peerages of Ireland and the United Kingdom.

He is best known for the rock concerts which he organises at his home Slane Castle, and for his column in the Irish Daily Mirror under the byline "Lord Henry".^[2]

Biography

He was born into an aristocratic family of Ulster-Scots descent, the eldest son of The 7th Marquess Conyngham (1924–2009) by his wife, Eileen Wren Newsom. He attended Harrow School before studying at Harvard University.

Styled Viscount Slane until 1974 and Earl of Mount Charles from 1974 until 2009, he succeeded his father in the marquessate and other titles in 2009. However, in the Republic of Ireland frequently (and erroneously) he remains referred to as 'Lord Mount Charles', his former courtesy title. He also inherited the UK peerage title Baron Minster, of Minster Abbey in the County of Kent, created in 1821 for his ancestor, the 1st Marquess, thereby giving the Marquesses Conyngham the automatic right to sit in the British House of Lords (until 1999).

As Earl of Mount Charles, he unsuccessfully contested the Louth constituency for Fine Gael sat the 1992 general election.^[3] In 1997 he stood for election to Seanad Éireann for University of Dublin, again without success.^[3] At the 2004 European Parliament election, he was approached by Fine Gael to enter the contest for selection as a Fine Gael candidate for the East constituency.^[4] However, when the television presenter and agricultural journalist Maireád McGuinness emerged as a potential candidate, Mountcharles withdrew from the race.^[4]

Lord and Lady Conyngham divide their time between Beauparc House and Slane Castle in County Meath; the latter was the family's principal ancestral seat until it was badly damaged by fire in 1992, but has now been restored.

The Marquess Conyngham enjoys a high profile in Ireland as the author of a weekly column in the Irish Daily Mirror. He has been dubbed the rock and roll aristocrat or the rock and roll peer owing to the very successful series of rock concerts he has hosted since 1981, held in the natural amphitheatre in the grounds of Slane Castle. These concerts have included performances by The Rolling Stones, Thin Lizzy, Queen, U2, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Guns N' Roses, Oasis and Madonna. Lord Conyngham received the Industry Award at the 2010 Meteor Awards.^[5] In his autobiography Public Space–Private Life: A Decade at Slane Castle, he described his business career and the challenges of being an Anglo-Irish peer in modern Ireland, and how being Anglo-Irish has gradually become more accepted there.

Marriages and children

Conyngham married Juliet Ann Kitson in 1971. They had two children and were divorced in 1985:

• Alexander Burton Conyngham, Earl of Mount Charles (born 30 January 1975), married Carina Bolton, granddaughter of Sir George Bolton and the 4th Baron Terrington, having a daughter and two sons:
  • Lady Laragh Conyngham (born 2009)
  • Rory Nicholas Burton Conyngham, Viscount Slane (born 2010)
  • The Honourable Caspar Conyngham (born 2012)^[6][7]
• Lord Wolfe Conyngham (born 1978), celebrity chef^[8]
• Lady Henrietta Tamara Juliet Conyngham, (born 1976), married Thomas, 6th Earl of Lichfield (son of the celebrated photographer Patrick Lichfield);^[9]

Conyngham was married secondly in 1985 to Lady Iona Charlotte Grimston (born 1953), youngest daughter of John Grimston, 6th Earl of Verulam. They have a daughter:

• Lady Tamara Jane Conyngham (born 1991)^[10]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Henry Conyngham, 8th Marquess Conyngham

16. George Conyngham, 3rd Marquess Conyngham               8. Henry Conyngham, 4th Marquess Conyngham                       17. Lady Jane Stanhope               4. Frederick Conyngham, 6th Marquess Conyngham                             18. Dayrolles Eveleigh-de Roleyns, 4th Baron Ventry               9. The Hon. Frances Eveleigh-de Moleyns                       19. Harriet Wauchope               2. Frederick Conyngham, 7th Marquess Conyngham                                   10. John Thompson                       5. Antoinette Thompson                             1. Henry Conyngham, 8th Marquess Conyngham                                         6. Charles Newsam                             3. Eileen Newsam                                   28. Beverly Ussher               14. George Ussher                       29. Charlotte Smyth               7. Eileen Ussher

See also

• Burke's Peerage
• Marquess Conyngham
• Slane Concert

References

1. Henry Vivien Pierpont Conyngham, 8th Marquess Conyngham thePeerage.com
2. "Lord Henry". Irish Daily Mirror. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
3. "Henry Mountcharles". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
4. Brennock, Mark (4 March 2004). "Mountcharles not to seek FG nomination". Irish Times. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
5. "Mount Charles lands music industry gong". Hot Press. 22 January 2010. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
6. Google Groups – Peerage News
7. "Mount Charles". The Daily Telegraph. London.
8. Lord and Lady Wolfe Conyngham at Maison Dauphin New Collection, Paris
9. "The Earl of Lichfield and Lady Henrietta Conyngham – Engagements Announcements". The Daily Telegraph. London. 2009-09-25. Retrieved 2012-04-26.
10. Michael Rhodes "7th Marquess Conyngham" 7 March 2009, Peerage News blog.

Sources

• Public Space-Private Life: A Decade at Slane Castle, September 1989, Faber & Faber

External links

• History of Slane Castle by The Eighth Marquess