OR THE ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT OF FOOT.
Arthur Viscount of Granard.
Appointed 1st April, 1684.
Arthur Forbes, son of Sir Patrick Forbes, a Baronet of Nova Scotia, was a cavalry officer in the Royal army during the rebellion in the reign of King Charles I., and attained the rank of Colonel in 1646. In 1651 he held a considerable command in the north of Scotland, and after the defeat of the Scots army at Worcester on the 3rd of September, 1651, Colonel Forbes opposed the progress of the English under General Monk, afterwards Duke of Albemarle, but was eventually defeated, and fled to Ireland, where he was permitted by Oliver Cromwell to possess his paternal estate. He took an active part in bringing about the Restoration in 1660, and was appointed one of the commissioners of the Court of Claims in Ireland: he was also nominated captain of an independent troop of horse, and elected a member of Parliament for Mullingar. He took an active part in preventing the breaking out of a conspiracy against the government in Ireland, in 1663; in 1670 he was sworn a member of the Privy Council, and nominated Marshal of the army,—a rank not continued in the service; and in 1671 he was constituted one of the Lords Justices of Ireland. His services were rewarded, in 1675, with the dignity of Baron Clanehugh, and Viscount of Granard; and in April, 1684, his Lordship was nominated Colonel of one of the regiments, formed of independent companies in Ireland, at that period, now the EIGHTEENTH, or the ROYAL IRISH regiment. In September following he was promoted to the rank of Lieut.-General, and two months afterwards he was advanced to the dignity of Earl of Granard. In March, 1685, King James II. nominated the Earl of Granard one of the Lords Justices of the kingdom, and he was also appointed Chairman of the Council; in 1686 his Lordship resigned the colonelcy of the regiment in favour of his son, Arthur Lord Forbes. Being pressed upon to proceed with unusual severity against the Protestants, he wrote to the King for permission to resign; but His Majesty wrote an answer with his own hand, requesting him to continue in office: he, however, advocated the cause of the Protestants with so much warmth, that he was dismissed by King James in March, 1689. The Earl of Granard attached himself to the interests of King William III. He was sworn of the Privy Council in December, 1690; and he commanded the troops at the reduction of Sligo, in 1691.
The Earl of Granard built the Church of Castle-Forbes, and established the linen manufactory at that place. He died in 1694.
Arthur Lord Forbes.
Appointed 1st March, 1686.
Arthur Lord Forbes, son of the Earl of Granard, held a commission in the army in Ireland in the reign of King Charles II., and in 1686 he succeeded his father in the colonelcy of the regiment which is now the EIGHTEENTH, or the ROYAL IRISH regiment. He was a spirited young nobleman, and succeeded in retaining more Protestants in his regiment than were to be found in any other corps in the army in Ireland. He joined the Prince of Orange at the Revolution in 1688, when he withdrew from the service. He succeeded to the dignity of Earl of Granard on the decease of his father in 1694. He died in August, 1734.