Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory 1509-1565

In 1509 Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory was born to James Fitzgerald 10th Earl Desmond [aged 14].

In 1520 [her grandfather] Maurice Fitzgerald 9th Earl Desmond died. His son [her father] James [aged 25] succeeded 10th Earl Desmond.

Before 1522 [her future husband] Francis Bryan [aged 31] and Philippa Spice were married.

On 8th June 1529 [her father] James Fitzgerald 10th Earl Desmond [aged 34] died at Dingle. He was buried at Tralee. His uncle Thomas [aged 75] succeeded 11th Earl Desmond.

Around 1532 [her son] Thomas "Black Tom" Butler 10th Earl Ormonde 3rd Earl Ossory was born to [her future husband] James Butler 9th Earl Ormonde 2nd Earl Ossory [aged 31] and Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory [aged 23]. He married (1) 1559 Elizabeth Berkeley Countess Ormonde and Ossory, daughter of Thomas Berkeley 6th Baron Berkeley and Anne Savage Baroness Berkeley (2) 9th November 1582 Elizabeth Sheffield Countess Ormonde and Ossory, daughter of John Sheffield 2nd Baron Sheffield and Douglas Howard Baroness Sheffield, and had issue (3) 1601 his second cousin twice removed Eleanor Barry Countess Ormonde and Ossory, daughter of David Barry 5th Viscount Buttevant.

Before 21st December 1532 James Butler 9th Earl Ormonde 2nd Earl Ossory [aged 31] and Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory [aged 23] were married. She the daughter of James Fitzgerald 10th Earl Desmond. He the son of Piers "Red" Butler 8th Earl Ormonde 1st Earl Ossory [aged 65] and Margaret Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory. They were fifth cousins.

In 1534 [her son] Edmund Butler was born to [her husband] James Butler 9th Earl Ormonde 2nd Earl Ossory [aged 33] and Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory [aged 25]. He married Eleanor Rowland and had issue.

On 26th August 1539 [her father-in-law] Piers "Red" Butler 8th Earl Ormonde 1st Earl Ossory [aged 72] died. His son [her husband] James [aged 38] succeeded 9th Earl Ormonde, 2nd Earl Ossory. Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory [aged 30] by marriage Countess Ormonde, Countess Ossory.

Before 1546 [her son] John Butler was born to [her husband] James Butler 9th Earl Ormonde 2nd Earl Ossory [aged 44] and Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory [aged 36]. He married Katherine Maccarthy.

On 28th October 1546 [her husband] James Butler 9th Earl Ormonde 2nd Earl Ossory [aged 45] died. His son Thomas [aged 14] succeeded 10th Earl Ormonde, 3rd Earl Ossory.

In August 1548 Francis Bryan [aged 58] and Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory [aged 39] were married. She the daughter of James Fitzgerald 10th Earl Desmond.

On 2nd February 1550 [her husband] Francis Bryan [aged 60] died.

In 1551 Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond [aged 18] and Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory [aged 42] were married. No issue. A political marriage; the age difference being twenty-four years. She was the eldest daughter of James Fitzgerald 10th Earl Desmond. The marriage brought a temporary truce to the Desmond and Ormonde factions. The difference in their ages was 24 years; she, unusually, being older than him. She the daughter of James Fitzgerald 10th Earl Desmond. He the son of James Fitzgerald 13th Earl Desmond and More O'Carroll. They were second cousins.

On 14th October 1558 [her father-in-law] James Fitzgerald 13th Earl Desmond died. His son [her husband] Gerald [aged 25] succeeded 14th Earl Desmond.

Around 1559 Thomas "Black Tom" Butler 10th Earl Ormonde 3rd Earl Ossory [aged 27] and Elizabeth Berkeley Countess Ormonde and Ossory [aged 24] were married. She by marriage Countess Ormonde, Countess Ossory. He the son of James Butler 9th Earl Ormonde 2nd Earl Ossory and Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory [aged 50].

On 2nd January 1565 Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory [aged 56] died.

After 2nd January 1565 [her former husband] Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond [aged 32] and Eleanor Butler were married. He the son of [her former father-in-law] James Fitzgerald 13th Earl Desmond and More O'Carroll.

On 11th November 1583 [her former husband] Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond [aged 50] was beheaded in Glenageenty Wood near Tralee, County Kerry. See account of his execution in Selections from Old Kerry Records.

[her son] Piers Butler was born to James Butler 9th Earl Ormonde 2nd Earl Ossory and Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory.

[her son] James Butler was born to James Butler 9th Earl Ormonde 2nd Earl Ossory and Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory.

[her son] Edward Butler was born to James Butler 9th Earl Ormonde 2nd Earl Ossory and Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory. He married Mary Burke, daughter of Richard Burke 4th Earl Clanricarde 1st Earl St Albans and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex, and had issue.

[her son] Walter Butler was born to James Butler 9th Earl Ormonde 2nd Earl Ossory and Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory.