Mary, Lady Roche by Gilbert Stuart circa 1790
The Boyle Roche family of Bellevue, Booterstown and Rockfield Newtown Park
Boyle Roche married Mary Frankland
born October 1736 20 Oct 1778 born circa 1745
died 5 Jun 1807 died 29 Aug 1831
Dublin Dublin
Boyle Roche, youngest son of Jordan Roche of Galway. His older brother David (Tiger) Roche was an
adventurer and duellist. Boyle joined the army served with 28 Foot Regiment and attained the rank
of major. He took part in the assault on Morro Fort in Cuba and it is thought that he fought at the
siege of Quebec in 1759 where he was captured and later released. He was proud of his mother's
heritage by who he was connected to Lord Kenmare and his great grandfather had been 4 times
mayor of Limerick. 'I'm descended from a noble family of Ireland who lost high honours and extensive
properties for their loyalty'. He was elected MP, sitting for the borough of Tralee in 1775 and
commenced on a recruitment drive to get men to join HM services. He was later MP for Gowran in
the County of Kilkenny, Portarlington and Old Leighlin.
He was knighted by the Lord Lieutenant in November 1776 for military service and resigned from
the army in December 1776. He was appointed Gentleman Usher of the castle in 1778 and resigned
in 1801. He was granted the dignity of Baronet of the Kingdom in 1782. He married Mary Frankland,
eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Frankland, Bart of Stockfield Park, Yorkshire on 20 Oct 1778 at
Spotsfort Church. As an MP he was very vocal and famous for his edicts which included mixed
metaphors and were called Irish Bulls. He proposed a bill that ‘A quart bottle should hold a quart’,
and to one noble lord, he said. ‘I hope my Lord that if you ever come within a mile of my house, that
you’ll stay there all night. ’On one occasion, when the opposition tried to cough him down in a debate,
Sir Boyle met the interruption by producing some bullets, with the observation 'I have here some
excellent pills to cure a cough.' What were seen as blunders were in fact aphorisms and shrewd
observations. His wit and good humoured blunders were really only appreciated after his death.
He is also credited with coining the phrase ‘Protestant Ascendency’ and for using the following in a
letter. 'PS if you don’t receive this let me know '.
In 1793 he leased out his bathing lodge on Newtown Avenue which had a lawn that opened in to the
bath. The interest in the lease of Bellevue in Booterstown was put up for sale in 1802 described as
formerly the residence of Sir Boyle Roche and the interest in the lease of Rockfield was but up for
sale in March 1807 described as the residence of Sir Boyle Roche. Dame Mary Roche was granted a
pension of £200pa in 1804. He died without issue at his house at 36 Eccles Street on 5 Jun 1807 and
was buried at St Marys. Mary, widow of Sir Boyle Roche and sister of late Sir Thomas Frankland of
Thirkloby, Yorkshire died at Eccles Street on 29 Aug 1831 and was buried with her husband.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – June 2020
Return to Bellevue page
Return to Rockfield page
Boyle Roche married Mary Frankland
born October 1736 20 Oct 1778 born circa 1745
died 5 Jun 1807 died 29 Aug 1831
Dublin Dublin
Boyle Roche, youngest son of Jordan Roche of Galway. His older brother David (Tiger) Roche was an
adventurer and duellist. Boyle joined the army served with 28 Foot Regiment and attained the rank
of major. He took part in the assault on Morro Fort in Cuba and it is thought that he fought at the
siege of Quebec in 1759 where he was captured and later released. He was proud of his mother's
heritage by who he was connected to Lord Kenmare and his great grandfather had been 4 times
mayor of Limerick. 'I'm descended from a noble family of Ireland who lost high honours and extensive
properties for their loyalty'. He was elected MP, sitting for the borough of Tralee in 1775 and
commenced on a recruitment drive to get men to join HM services. He was later MP for Gowran in
the County of Kilkenny, Portarlington and Old Leighlin.
He was knighted by the Lord Lieutenant in November 1776 for military service and resigned from
the army in December 1776. He was appointed Gentleman Usher of the castle in 1778 and resigned
in 1801. He was granted the dignity of Baronet of the Kingdom in 1782. He married Mary Frankland,
eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Frankland, Bart of Stockfield Park, Yorkshire on 20 Oct 1778 at
Spotsfort Church. As an MP he was very vocal and famous for his edicts which included mixed
metaphors and were called Irish Bulls. He proposed a bill that ‘A quart bottle should hold a quart’,
and to one noble lord, he said. ‘I hope my Lord that if you ever come within a mile of my house, that
you’ll stay there all night. ’On one occasion, when the opposition tried to cough him down in a debate,
Sir Boyle met the interruption by producing some bullets, with the observation 'I have here some
excellent pills to cure a cough.' What were seen as blunders were in fact aphorisms and shrewd
observations. His wit and good humoured blunders were really only appreciated after his death.
He is also credited with coining the phrase ‘Protestant Ascendency’ and for using the following in a
letter. 'PS if you don’t receive this let me know '.
In 1793 he leased out his bathing lodge on Newtown Avenue which had a lawn that opened in to the
bath. The interest in the lease of Bellevue in Booterstown was put up for sale in 1802 described as
formerly the residence of Sir Boyle Roche and the interest in the lease of Rockfield was but up for
sale in March 1807 described as the residence of Sir Boyle Roche. Dame Mary Roche was granted a
pension of £200pa in 1804. He died without issue at his house at 36 Eccles Street on 5 Jun 1807 and
was buried at St Marys. Mary, widow of Sir Boyle Roche and sister of late Sir Thomas Frankland of
Thirkloby, Yorkshire died at Eccles Street on 29 Aug 1831 and was buried with her husband.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – June 2020
Return to Bellevue page
Return to Rockfield page