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{{short description|Irish Anglican archbishop}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| honorific-prefix = {{pre-nominal styles|size=100%|MRevd|&RHon}}
| name = The Lord Plunket
| nationality = [[Irish people|Irish]]
| image = William Conyngham 4th Baron Plunket.jpg
| caption =
| church = [[Church of Ireland]]
| bishop_of = [[Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)|Archbishop of Dublin]]<br />and [[Bishop of Glendalough]]<br>[[Primate of Ireland]]
| diocese = [[Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough|Dublin and Glendalough]]
| term = 1884-1897
| elected = 18 December 1884
| predecessor = [[Richard Chenevix Trench]]
| successor = [[Joseph Peacocke (archbishop of Dublin)|Joseph Peacocke]]
| previous_post = [[Bishop of Meath]] <small>''(1876-1884)''</small>
| ordination =
| consecration = 10 December 1876
| consecrated_by = [[Marcus Beresford (bishop)|Marcus Beresford]]
| birth_date = {{birth date|1828|8|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Dublin]], [[Ireland]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1897|4|1|1828|8|26|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Dublin]], [[Ireland]]
| buried = [[Mount Jerome Cemetery]]
| education = [[Cheltenham College]]
| alma_mater = [[Trinity College, Dublin]]
| religion = [[Anglicanism|Anglican]]
| spouse = [[Anne Lee Guinness]]
}}

'''William Conyngham Plunket, 4th Baron Plunket''' (26 August 1828 – 1 April 1897) was [[Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin|Dean of Christ Church Cathedral]] and [[Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)|Archbishop of Dublin]] in the [[Church of Ireland]].<ref>Langtry, Joe and Nikki Carter, eds. ''Mount Jerome: A Victorian Cemetery''. Staybro Printing Ltd., Dublin 1997. p. 25</ref>

== Life ==
Born in [[Dublin]], he was the eldest son of [[John Plunket, 3rd Baron Plunket]] and Charlotte Bushe. Plunket was educated at [[Cheltenham College]] and [[Trinity College, Dublin]] (B.A. 1853; M.A. 1864) before being appointed chaplain and private secretary to his uncle, the [[Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry|Bishop of Tuam]], in 1857, a post he held for seven years. The following year, he became Rector of Kilmoyan and Cummer in [[County Galway]]. In 1864, he returned to [[Dublin]] as [[Treasurer]] of [[St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin|St Patrick's Cathedral]], of which he was appointed [[Precentor]] in 1869.

In 1876, Lord Plunket (as he became on succeeding his father in 1871) was consecrated [[Bishop of Meath]], and in 1884 he was finally appointed Archbishop of Dublin, an office he held until his death. In 1871 he inherited Old Connaught and decided to move into the house and surrounding property as he had spent a lot of time there with his grandfather. He was Dean of [[Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin|Christ Church Cathedral]] from 1884 until 1887 (when he was succeeded by his brother-in-law's nephew [[William Greene (priest)|William Greene]]). Plunket received an [[honorary degree]] from [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge University]] in 1888.<ref>{{acad|id=PLNT888WC|name=Plunket, William Conyngham, Baron}}</ref> He also served as a Commissioner of Education from 1895 onwards and was a [[senator]] of the [[Royal University of Ireland]].

He was instrumental in developing the Kildare Place Schools (the [[Church of Ireland College of Education|Church of Ireland teacher training college]]),<ref>[http://www.mountjerome.ie/?grave=19 William C. Plunkett (1828-1897) Fourth Lord Plunkett and Archbishop of Dublin] Mount Jerome Cemetery Website.</ref> and he was an advocate and supporter of the reformed faith in Spain, Portugal and Italy.

== Family ==
[[Image:William Conyngham.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Monument to William Conyngham Fourth Baron Plunket in [[Kildare Street]], Dublin near [[Leinster House]]]]
In 1863 he married [[Anne Lee Guinness]], daughter of [[Benjamin Guinness|Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness]]. Their son [[William Plunket, 5th Baron Plunket|William]] was to have a successful career in government administration. Another son, [[Benjamin Plunket|Benjamin]], served as Bishop of Meath and was the father-in-law of [[Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 8th Earl Fitzwilliam|Olive, Countess Fitzwilliam]]. His elder sister Anna married [[John Richard Darley|John Darley]], [[bishop of Kilmore, Elphin, and Ardagh]].<ref>B. H. Blacker, '[[Darley, John Richard]] (1799–1884)', rev. M. C. Curthoys, ''[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]]'', Oxford University Press, 2004.</ref> His wife having predeceased him in 1889, Lord Plunket died aged 68 in [[Dublin]], and he was buried in [[Mount Jerome Cemetery]]. His statue near [[Leinster House]] in [[Kildare Street]], Dublin is a landmark.<ref>{{cite DNBSupp|wstitle=Plunket, William Conyngham (1828-1897) |first=Cæsar Litton |last=Falkiner}}</ref>

{{Infobox COA wide
|image = [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|centre|150px]][[File:Plunket Escutcheon.png|centre|200px]]
|escutcheon = Sable a bend a castle in chief and a portcullis in base Argent.
|crest = A horse passant Argent charged on the shoulder with a portcullis.
|supporters = Dexter an antelope Proper sinister a horse Argent both charged on the shoulder with a portcullis Sable.
|motto = Festina Lente <ref>{{cite book|title=Burke's Peerage |date=1850}}</ref>}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{S-start}}
{{s-rel|ie}}
{{succession box | title = [[Bishop of Meath]]
| years = 1876–1884
| before = [[Samuel Butcher (bishop)|Samuel Butcher]]
| after = [[Charles Reichel]]
}}
{{succession box
| title = [[Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)|Archbishop of Dublin]] | years = 1884–1897 | before = [[Richard Chenevix Trench]] | after = [[Joseph Peacocke (archbishop of Dublin)|Joseph Peacocke]] }}
{{s-reg|uk}}
{{succession box | title = [[Baron Plunket]] | years = 1871–1897 | before = [[John Plunket, 3rd Baron Plunket|John Plunket]] | after = [[William Plunket, 5th Baron Plunket|William Plunket]] }}
{{S-end}}
{{Anglican Bishops of Meath}}
{{Anglican archbishops of Dublin}}
{{Deans of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Plunket, William Plunket, 4th Baron}}
[[Category:1828 births|Plunket, William Conyngham Plunket, 4th Baron]]
[[Category:1897 deaths|Plunket, William Conyngham Plunket, 4th Baron]]
[[Category:Anglican archbishops of Dublin]]
[[Category:Anglican bishops of Meath]]
[[Category:Barons Plunket|4]]
[[Category:Burials at Mount Jerome Cemetery and Crematorium]]
[[Category:Deans of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin]]
[[Category:Ordained peers]]
[[Category:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin]]
[[Category:People educated at Cheltenham College]]
[[Category:Christian clergy from Dublin (city)]]
[[Category:Irish Anglican archbishops]]
[[Category:Plunket family|William]]

William Plunket, 4th Baron Plunket - Revision history

imported>Csexton345 at 21:46, 14 October 2025