Vice Great Seneschal of Ireland

Vice Great Seneschal of Ireland, is not a formal title of office, but describes a functional role under the aegis of the Hereditary Great Seneschal or Lord High Steward of Ireland, the latter acting under royal authority dating back several centuries. The function was assigned to the Hereditary Seneschal or Lord Steward for Tyrconnell by Letters Patent issued by the Lord High Steward of Ireland, the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot, on 4 July 2002 at the House of Lords in London to the late Patrick Denis O'Donnell (1922-2005). [Registry of Deeds, Dublin, Book 12, referring to Letters Patent issued pursuant to Lord High Steward's authority dating back to Grant of 17 July 1446 (Patent Roll, T.K. 24 Henry 6).] .

The precedent for the Lord High Steward/Great Seneschal to appoint a deputy through an appointment as Seneschal or Lord Steward of a County is found in the case of the appointment by letters patent on 27 August 1450, the 28th year of the reign of Henry VI of England by John, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, Great Seneschal and Lord High Steward, of John Penyngton as Steward of the Liberty of Wexford [acknowledged in evidence in a case of the House of Lords on 1 August 1862] .

The functional role as deputy consists of acting in the place of the Lord High Steward [The precedent for appointment of a deputy for an honorary hereditary officer of the Crown in Ireland is found in the license from King John in 1220 for John Marshall to appoint a deputy to him as Lord Marshall] , if required, to bear the Curtana, a Sword of State, and/or a white wand at State ceremonials, including Royal Coronations, a responsibility confirmed by grant of Queen Victoria on 15 September 1871, and formerly to act as President of the Court by which a Peer may have been tried by his Peers in the Peerage of Ireland.

Deputised Lords High Stewards or Great Seneschals of Ireland

The following were appointed to preside in the trials by the Irish House of Lords of Peers indicted for various crimes, and their ceremonial roles were limited to those appertaining to their temporary judicial role.
* 1739: Thomas Wyndham (1681-1745), 1st Baron Wyndham of Finglass
* 1743: Robert Jocelyn (1727-1756), 1st Viscount Jocelyn
* 1798: John FitzGibbon (1749-1802), 1st Earl of Clare

References