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Belle Bilton who became Lady Clancarty.
Rod Smith’s Clancarty embarks on a journey through the long and varied history of one of Ireland’s prominent aristocratic families, the Earls of Clancarty. With a mix of personal discovery, historical analysis, and a deep-rooted passion for genealogy, Smith brings the lives of the nine Clancarty earls into focus with great detail. His work sheds light on both the triumphs and tribulations of these figures, offering a window into Ireland’s complex relationship with the peerage and the powerful legacies left by its landed gentry.
The spark for Clancarty came in the early 1990s, when Smith stumbled upon his wife’s connection to the Clancarty family. “My curiosity was virtually set ablaze,” he recalls, as he tells me about a rainy Sunday afternoon in 1992, when his late mother-in-law, Pauline Williamson, introduced him to Burke’s Irish Family Records. Pauline, a descendant of the Minchin, Guinness, and Trench families, revealed an intricate lineage that led back to the Clancartys, stirring Smith’s fascination. From that point, he embarked on a 30-year journey of research and writing, piecing together the story of a family that, as he describes it, had been “quietly beckoning” him ever since.
Smith’s genealogical quest began with research on the Minchins and Guinnesses, resulting in two previous books. However, Clancarty represents his most ambitious project, with four years of concentrated research leading to a comprehensive look at the nine Clancarty earls. The Clancarty story, Smith acknowledges, had always felt like “unfinished business” in his exploration of Irish ancestry, and this book represents the culmination of that work.
Smith’s ability to develop the unique stories of each of the nine earls, capturing their distinct lives while weaving them into the broader context of Irish and European history is a real strength. “The challenge with the Clancarty story was to develop the unique story of each of the nine earls, and in a sense, that was relatively straightforward because they each had quite different lives,” Smith notes. This structural approach allows the reader to move through the centuries, following the fortunes—and at times misfortunes—of the family.
One of the more colourful stories in the book is that of the fifth earl, Fred Trench, whose marriage to London showgirl Belle Bilton sparked a scandal in Victorian society. Fred’s father, Richard Trench, the fourth earl, fiercely opposed the marriage and went to great lengths to break the union, but Fred and Belle persevered. Their love story is, as Smith writes, “a wonderful story, as much thanks to her as to him.” Smith clearly admires Belle, who, despite societal pressures, stood her ground and defied expectations. “As an individual she stands head and shoulders above all the earls and their wives,” Smith reflects, highlighting her remarkable resilience. Belle’s life, though tragically cut short by cancer, is a central and compelling narrative in the Clancarty saga.
While Fred and Belle’s story captivates, Smith finds the second earl, Richard, the most interesting of the nine earls. A key political figure in early 19th-century Europe, Richard’s career took him from his Irish estates to the grand diplomatic stage of the Congress of Vienna. Smith notes that the second earl had “high regard” from Lord Castlereagh, a towering figure of the time, and played a crucial role in post-Napoleonic European politics. Richard’s appointment as ambassador to the Netherlands during the return of Prince William of Orange was a significant moment in his career, though his contributions have often been overshadowed by more prominent figures such as Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington. Smith’s research brings new light to Richard’s work at the Congress of Vienna and his relationship with Wellington, noting that his downfall came when the Dutch king found him “too bossy and domineering.” Richard’s story stands out for its depth and historical significance, showing the Clancarty family’s reach beyond Ireland and into the heart of European politics.
Smith’s handling of the eighth earl, Brinsley, adds another layer of intrigue. Brinsley’s pre-World War II Nazi sympathies and his controversial meeting with Adolf Hitler are startling revelations. “The discovery of his pre-Second World War Nazi sympathies and his afternoon tea with Adolf Hitler was quite a stunning surprise,” Smith admits, offering a stark reminder of the moral complexities that aristocratic families sometimes harbour. This episode paints Brinsley as one of the more problematic figures in the Clancarty lineage, complicating the family’s legacy.
There are several poignant moments within the Clancarty family’s story. One involves the seventh earl, Greville, who gives us a moving account of his mother’s funeral. “He wrote later in life that on the morning of the service he had been lifted up on a windowsill to see his mother’s coffin being carried out of the house and the sea of black umbrellas, coats, horses and carriages below,” Smith says. This quiet moment of reflection humanises the Clancartys, offering a glimpse into the emotional undercurrents of a family often defined by their public roles.
The current 9th earl Nicholas Power Richard Le Poer Trench has been the Earl of Clancarty since he succeeded his uncle Brinsley in May 1995. He is a regular speaker in the House of Lords actively supporting the arts, or Europe and is known for championing the underdog. His forebears might be horrified that an artist with left wing views carries the title of Clancarty but he seems more in tune with the times than some of his predecessors.
One of the central questions surrounding the Clancarty legacy today is the fate of Garbally House, the family’s ancestral home in County Galway. Once a grand symbol of the family’s power, the house’s future now hangs in the balance. Currently owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Clonfert, it was offered to the Galway council, but they estimated €4 million to stabilise the property. In conversation, the author acknowledges the importance of preserving such historic properties. “With the right amount of financial backing it could be turned into a hotel,” he told me, though he also expresses a desire to see the building serve a broader community purpose.
In reflecting on his decades-long journey with the Clancarty story, Smith underscores the personal significance of the project. “The increased awareness of Irish history and the interplay between politics and religion; the delightful meetings and discussions with family members, and others who have played a part in the story including fellow researchers; and the satisfaction in sharing the discoveries” have all enriched his understanding of Ireland’s history. He told me the research has connected him to his wife’s ancestry and deepened his appreciation for the complexities of Irish aristocratic life.
Clancarty is a nuanced exploration of human experiences, seen through the lens of one remarkable Irish family. Smith acknowledges that some readers might question why so much effort should be spent on individuals who were not always successful or even likeable. But as he concludes, “Is history about just the people who are successful or likeable? Far from it. The Earls all have their story, some high, some humble, and in essence, this book is simply a collection of stories about a remarkable family.” Readers, Smith suggests, will take from it what they will—whether it be the grandeur of the family’s achievements or the humbling lessons of their struggles.
Clancarty; The high times and humble of a noble Irish family is available nationwide
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