Thomas Nugent (died May 1715) was an Irish Roman Catholic barrister who became Lord Chief Justice of Ireland under James II of Great Britain, and held a 1689 title as Baron Nugent of Riverston (of complex legal status).
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Early life
He was the second son of Richard Nugent, 2nd Earl of Westmeath, by his wife Mary, daughter of Sir Thomas Nugent, 1st Baronet, of Moyrath, and widow of Christopher Plunkett. He was brought up to the law, and after the accession of James II, he was made King's Counsel in September 1685, although his enemies said that he was "no lawyer", and he certainly did not have a large practice. During the following winter, he was in communication with the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon, who treated him as a representative of the Irish Catholics.
Nugent made his residence at Pallas, County Galway, an estate that his grandfather had acquired in 1621. He married in 1680 to Marianna Barnewall, daughter of Henry Barnewall (died 1688), 2nd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland and Hon. Mary Netterville. Their children were:
Hyacinth Richard Nugent, 2nd Baron Nugent of Riverston, born after 1684, died 5 Mar 1737/38
William Nugent, 3rd Baron Nugent of Riverston, died 11 May 1756
Mary Nugent
His title of Baron Nugent of Riverston, though disputed in law, was borne by his descendants until it merged in the earldom of Westmeath (1839). There was a full-length portrait of him in his robes by Peter Lely, in the hall at Pallas Castle, County Galway.