Randal William MacDonnell, Marquess of Antrim (4 November 1749 – 29 July 1791), was an Irish peer.
Contents
Early life
He was born on 4 November 1749, the only son and heir of Alexander MacDonnell, 5th Earl of Antrim, by his second wife Anne Plunkett, daughter of Charles Patrick Plunkett. From his father's first marriage to Elizabeth Pennefather (a daughter of Matthew Pennefather), he had a half-sister who died in infancy. From his parents' marriage, he had two sisters, Lady Rachel MacDonnell (who married Joseph Sanford) and Lady Elizabeth Helena MacDonnell (who married, as his third wife, Col. Sir James Campbell). After his mother's death in 1755, his father married Catharine Meredyth (a daughter of Thomas Meredyth), on 5 July 1755.
His paternal grandparents were Randal MacDonnell, 4th Earl of Antrim, and Hon. Rachael Skeffington (a daughter of the 3rd Viscount Massereene). His maternal grandparents were Charles Patrick Plunkett and Elizabeth Stratford (a daughter of Edward Stratford).
Career
As Viscount Dunluce, the courtesy title afforded him as his father's heir apparent, he sat in the Irish House of Commons for County Antrim from 1768 to 1775, and served as High Sheriff of Antrim in 1771. At this time Sir John Blaquiere wrote of him as "an idle, unsteady young man, not to be depended upon". He succeeded his father as Earl of Antrim on 13 October 1775 and took his seat in the Irish House of Lords on 13 March 1776.