Robert Molesworth, 1st viscount of Swords was a well known, active Baller (whig) in Swords Co. Dublin Ireland. He was part of the aristocracy and from what I read, appears on a occasion, to have been a thorn on the side of England’s Rose. Born in Dublin in Fishamble street, his life has been well documented in books and letters, like those between him and his acquaintance Johnathan Swift (Gulliver’s travels). But one single fact that is not documented about him is where he suddenly goes after dying. On an initial search I simply couldn’t find the answer. It appears unknown… an actual mystery!
This is part of a story I’m writing about my search for the last resting place or Robert Molesworth – or simply Where’s Moly?
Robert died in 1725 at age 69 at Brackenstown Swords Co. Dublin (according to my references). I’ve searched some public record of his actual burial place but I have yet to uncover a piece of paper that confirms his burial.
The recorded date of his death is 22nd May 1725, my goal is to find Moly by the 300th Anniversary of his death, Thursday 22nd May 2025. It’s 9th September 2024 at the time of writing and my search for Molesworth have been running for a little over a year.
I’ve included a summary table below of this life. With the year, his age and a one liner of a significant event.
Where is Moly?!
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Mezzotint of Robert Molesworth, 1st Viscount Molesworth by Peter Pelham. Public Domain image. Coloured by AI at palette.fm
This timeline outlines the key events and achievements in the life of Robert Molesworth.
| Year | Age | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 1656 | 0 | Born on 7 September in Fishamble Street, Dublin. |
| 1672 | 16 | Entered Trinity College Dublin as a fellow commoner. |
| 1675 | 19 | Graduated with a BA from Trinity College Dublin in February. |
| 1676 | 20 | Married Laetitia Coote, third daughter of Richard Coote, 1st Baron Coloony, in August. Their eldest child was born in February 1677. |
| 1680 | 24 | The family made their home at Brackdenstown, which remained Molesworth’s principal residence for life. |
| 1684 | 28 | Began a series of journeys in Italy, France, and the United Provinces. |
| 1688 | 32 | Went into exile in England. |
| 1689 | 33 | Appointed as envoy extraordinary to Denmark in May; negotiated for a Danish force to serve in Ireland. Appointed Treasurer to Queen Mary in March. |
| 1692 | 36 | Decided against participating in the Irish Parliament; focused on restoring his estates. |
| 1694 | 38 | Published his first book, An Account of Denmark as it was in the year 1692 anonymously in December. |
| 1695 | 39 | Elected to the English Parliament for the Cornish borough of Camelford and entered the Irish Parliament as a member for Dublin county. |
| 1697 | 41 | Appointed to the Irish Privy Council in August. |
| 1699 | 43 | Purchased an estate at Edlington, near Doncaster, in Yorkshire. |
| 1716 | 60 | Published the poems of his recently deceased daughter, Mary Monck; invited Alessandro Galilei to Ireland. Created Viscount Molesworth of Swords in July. |
| 1719 | 63 | Took his seat in the Dublin House of Lords in July. |
| 1720 | 64 | Took a lead in pursuing those responsible for the South Sea Bubble fraud. |
| 1721 | 65 | Elected rector of Glasgow University. |
| 1722 | 66 | Defeated in the election for the constituency of Westminster. |
| 1723 | 67 | Published Some considerations for the promoting of agriculture and employing the poor, one of the earliest agricultural publications to deal specifically with Ireland. |
| 1724 | 68 | Jonathan Swift paid tribute to him as an Irish patriot in A letter to the right honourable the Lord Viscount Molesworth. |
| 1725 | 69 | Died at Brackdenstown on 22 May; buried at Swords. |