Family and Education

2nd s. of Peter Metge of Athlumney and Warrenstown by Ann Lyon. m. (1) 1 Aug. 1777, Hon. Mary Bermingham, da. of Francis, 21st Baron Athenry [I], wid. of Edmund Costello; (2) c. 1798, Henrietta, da. of Henry Cole Bowen of Bowen’s Court, co. Cork, 3s. 2da. suc. e. bro. Peter Metge, MP [I], baron of exchequer [I] 1809.

Offices Held

MP [I] 1783-1800.

Dep. auditor gen. [I] 1805-23.

Lt. 5 Drag. 1775-9.

Biography

Metge’s grandfather, Peter de la Metgee, was a Huguenot settler in Ireland. While his elder brother Peter entered the Irish parliament in 1775 and made way for him in the representation of Ratoath on obtaining legal office in 1783, John, who transferred to Banagher in 1790 and to Tallow in the last Irish parliament, was reckoned a committed oppositionist by 1791.1 His political career ended with the Union, however, for his three returns to Westminster were purely nominal and there is no evidence that he took his seat. He was acting as a seatwarmer for the 2nd Earl of Roden, patron of Dundalk, whose homme d’affaires he then was. In 1802, when Roden’s mother got into financial difficulties, he wrote of Metge: ‘I am most anxious indeed to have that worthy man our friend Metge exonerated immediately let what will be the consequence to me’. The proceeds of the sale of the seat for Dundalk were destined ‘to relieve Metge’s engagements’ on that occasion.2 Metge was appointed Roden’s deputy as auditor-general of the Irish treasury, a post he held until 1823. He died between then and 1827.3

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: P. J. Jupp

Notes

• 1. Procs. R. Irish Acad. lix, sec. C, no. 1 (1957), 33, 50.
• 2. PRO NI, Roden mss MIC 147/10 (vol. xxi. 169-72).
• 3. Alumni Dublin, 1702 (J. C. Metge).