George Marlay

George Marlay was an Irish Anglican priest in the eighteenth century: he was Bishop of Dromore from 1745 until 1763. He gave his name to Marlay Park, which is now a popular amenity in south Dublin.

He was born at Creevagh Beg, near Ballymahon, County Longford, the younger son of Anthony Marlay and Elizabeth Morgan. His father was originally from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and was a son of the English Civil War hero Sir John Marlay. His mother came from a long-established landowning family in County Sligo. Thomas Marlay, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, was his brother. Thomas was the father of Richard Marlay, Bishop of Waterford and the soldier Colonel Thomas Marlay, and grandfather of the noted statesman Henry Grattan.

Marlay was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He was Prebendary of Raphoe and Rector of Louth.

He married Elizabeth Dunleavy and had two children, George and Elizabeth. George was an army officer, who fought in the American War of Independence, and was captured after the Battle of Saratoga. He married Catherine Louisa Tisdall, whose mother was the Countess of Charleville, and lived mainly in London. Elizabeth married the leading banker David La Touche, who became the first Governor of the Bank of Ireland. David built an impressive house south of Dublin city, which he named Marlay House in honour of his wife's family. Today it is in public ownership and a popular amenity for Dubliners and tourists alike.



Marlay died on 13 April 1763.