John Hely-Hutchinson, 7th Earl of Donoughmore
John Michael Henry Hely-Hutchinson, 7th Earl of Donoughmore, known until 1948 by his courtesy title Viscount Suirdale, was a British politician who later sat as a hereditary peer in the House of Lords.Background
Donoughmore is perhaps most famous for being kidnapped from Knocklofty House, Clonmel, in June 1974, with his wife, Dorothy, by the IRA as a political hostage, being released after a week.
Lord Donoughmore was the son of Richard Hely-Hutchinson, 6th Earl of Donoughmore. He was Member of Parliament for Peterborough from 1943–1945. In 1948 he succeeded to all his father's peerages. In the military Donoughmore gained the rank of Colonel in the service of the Royal Armoured Corps. He was chosen Grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Ireland in 1964, a post he held until his death.
John was succeeded by his son Richard, the 8th Earl, in 1981.Marriage and issue
On 27 July 1925, Lord Donoughmore married Dorothy Jean Hotham, daughter of John Beaumont Hotham and Gladys Mary Wilson. The couple had three children:
