to high rank in the army of the Confederates. He was defeated by Lord Broghill before the castle of Lismore; was a leading member of the Supreme Council of the Confederated Catholics at Kilkenny, and was sent as ambassador to the European princes. He induced the Pope to commission Rinuccini as Nuncio. Eventually he broke with the Old Irish party, joined the Marquis of Ormond, and was employed by that nobleman in several important negotiations He is mentioned by Clarendon as one of the Commissioners of Trust at the conference with the Catholic Bishops of 5th November 1650. Upon Cromwell's Irish successes, he retired to France, where he wrote Vindiciæ Catholicorum Hiberniæ, and other works. After the Restoration, he returned home, and through Ormond's influence recovered possession of his estates. He died in Dublin, in September 1677, and was buried at Malahide. Lowndes says:— "Belling's account of the transactions in Ireland during the period of the rebellion is esteemed more worthy of credit than any written by the Romish party." 16 80 219 339
Benen or Benignus, Saint, one of St. Patrick's most beloved disciples—his successor in the see of Armagh; a man eminent for piety and virtue. He was baptized by St. Patrick in 433, and instructed by him in the rudiments of learning and religion. He was specially commissioned to visit Kerry, and some parts of Clare which St. Patrick was not able to reach in person. According to the most probable computation, he succeeded to the see of Armagh in 465, where he is said to have died and to have been buried in 468. His festival is 9th November. 119 234 339
Beranger, Gabriel, an artist descended of Huguenot parents, was born in Rotterdam, and in 1750, when about twenty-one years old, came to Ireland. He kept an artist's warehouse at 5, South Great George's-street, Dublin, from 1766 to 1779. His business did not succeed, and General Vallancey procured him a situation in the Exchequer Office. In his old age a fortune was bequeathed him by a relative. He died 18th February 1817. He left some interesting itineraries about the neighbourhood of Dublin, and his antiquarian sketches have preserved the appearance of many buildings now no longer standing, notably the round tower of St. Michael le Pole, in Ship-street, Dublin, demolished in 1799. Sir William Wilde states that Beranger was a flower painter of much taste. 10
Beresford, John, Right Hon., an Irish statesman, was born at his father's house in Dublin, 14th March 1738. He was the second son of Marcus, Earl of Tyrone, whose ancestors first settled in Ireland in 1574. Tristram Beresford arrived in James I.'s reign as manager for the London Company of Planters in Ulster. His mother was Baroness Le Poer, heiress and representative of a long line of barons, descending in direct male succession from Roger Le Poer, a knight who accompanied Strongbow to Ireland. From Kilkenny School John Beresford proceeded to Trinity College, where he graduated A.B. in 1757. He then entered at the Middle Temple, studied law for nearly three years, and was called to the Bar in 1760. In April 1761 he was returned Member for the County of Waterford, which constituency he continued to represent uninterruptedly till his death—for forty-four years. He applied himself with great assiduity to the discharge of his parliamentary duties, and soon became a power in the House. In 1768 he was sworn on the Privy Council, and in 1770 was appointed a Commissioner of Revenue. Eventually he succeeded to the post of First Commissioner, and it was under his administration, and much at his instance, that| the new Custom House in Dublin was built, between 1781 and 1791, that near Essex-bridge proving quite unsuitable for the increasing trade of the port of Dublin. It was also largely through his exertions that the widening and extending of the Dublin quays, and the opening up of Sackville and other streets were accomplished. His political position was strengthened in the year 1774 by his taking as his second wife Barbara Montgomery, a celebrated beauty, sister to Lady Mountjoy, and to the Marchioness of Townshend. During the administrations of the Duke of Portland and Lord Temple (1782 to 1783) he confined himself to routine duties; but on the arrival of the Duke of Rutland, to whom Mr. Pitt had entrusted the government of Ireland, he threw his whole energies into political affairs. Holding opinions diametrically opposed to Grattan and the national party on almost all questions, he strenuously supported Orde's Trade Propositions, and sided with Mr. Pitt in the matter of the Regency. The almost overwhelming power and influence which the Beresfords attained in the government of Ireland was signally put to the test in 1795, when Lord Fitzwilliam came over, 4th January, as Lord-Lieutenant, to inaugurate a policy of concession both on religious and political questions. He took Grattan and the leaders of the liberal party into his councils, and Mr. Beresford was
