Anne Boleyn’s Irish ancestry is often neglected and we just hear about the Boleyns and Howards, but Anne Boleyn’s father, Thomas Boleyn, was the grandson of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond, an influential and wealthy man who was descended from a long line of men who’d served the crown in Ireland.
Not only that, there were negotiations in the early 1520s for Anne Boleyn to marry her relative, James Butler. If Anne had married James, she would have called Kilkenny Castle her home.
You can find out more about Anne Boleyn’s links to Ireland in the following articles:
- Anne Boleyn’s Irish Roots – Lady Margaret Butler and the Butlers of Kilkenny Castle
- The Early Life of Anne Boleyn Part Five – The Boleyns and Butlers
Happy St Patrick’s Day to all those celebrating today!
