Edmund Butler, Earl of Carrick

Edmund Butler, Earl of Carrick and 6th Chief Butler of Ireland (1268 – 13 September 1321) was a noble in the Peerage of Ireland. He was the second son of Theobald Butler, 4th Chief Butler of Ireland. Edmund went on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in 1321 but died in London on 13 September 1321. He was buried in St. Mary's Collegiate Church Gowran, County Kilkenny on the 10th of November 1321.

Edmund succeeded to his father’s lands upon the death of his elder brother Theobald, the 5th Chief Butler of Ireland, in 1299. He was created Justiciar of Ireland in 1303 with a fee of £500 per annum. In 1309 was knighted by Edward II in London. Three years later he defeated the O'Byrne and O'Toole clans in Glenmalure.

At a great feast in Dublin on Sunday 29 of September 1313, he created 30 Knights, by patent, dated at Langley 4 January 1314.

Having distinguished himself during the Bruce campaign in Ireland alongside John de Bermingham, 1st Earl of Louth and Roger Mortimer, Edmund was granted a charter of the castle and manor of Karryk Macgryffin and Roscrea to hold to him and his heirs sub nomine et honore comitis de Karryk. The patent was dated at Lincoln 1 September that year, 1315; on that date, he was given the return of all the King's writs in the cantreds of Oreman (sic Ormond), Elyogerth (sic Eliogarty), and Elyocarroll in County Tipperary. To these was added, on 12 November 1320, all the lands of William de Carran in Finagh and Favmolin in County Waterford.

However, the charter, while creating an earldom, failed to make Edmund's heir James Earl of Carrick. James was later created Earl of Ormond (Ireland) in his own right in 1328 alongside Roger Mortimer, who was created Earl of March, and the newly created John of Eltham, Earl of Cornwall), brother of King Edward III.

In 1317, after suffering a military defeat in a rebellion led by Edward Bruce, brother of Robert Bruce, he was replaced as Justiciar by Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March.

By his wife Joan FitzGerald whom he married in 1302, daughter of the John FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Kildare, he had several children, the eldest of whom succeeded him as Chief Butler of Ireland but not as Earl of Carrick.

• James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond (1305–1337)
• John Butler of Clonamicklon (or Limallon) (c. 1305–1330) was the ancestor of the later creation of Viscount Ikerrin and Earl of Carrick (Ireland). By his wife Johanna, he had issue, Edmond.
• Lawrence Butler (1306-January 6 1338)
• Joan Butler (1309- November 3 1405) who was married in 1321 to Roger Mortimer (second son of Roger, brother to Edward, Earl of March.)
• Margaret who married Sir Thomas Dillon of Drumrany, ancestor to Viscount Dillon.
• Alice (1290-March 15 1356)
• William ( September 8 1296-1361)

• Lodge, John, The Peerage of Ireland or, A Genealogical History Of The Present Nobility Of That Kingdom, 1789, Vol II, pg 313.
• Lodge, John The Peerage of Ireland or, A Genealogical History Of The Present Nobility Of That Kingdom, 1789, Vol IV, p 7.