Eldest son of John Plunket, Will­iam was the 4th Baron Plunk­et. He grad­u­at­ed from Chel­ten­ham Col­lege and from Trin­i­ty Coll­ege, Dub­lin, in 1853. He took Ho­ly Or­ders in 1857, and was ap­point­ed chap­lain and pri­vate sec­re­ta­ry to his un­cle, the Bi­shop of Tu­am, a post he held for seven years. In 1858, he be­came Rec­tor of Kil­moy­an and Cum­mer in Coun­ty Gal­way. In 1864, he re­turned to Du­blin as Trea­surer of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dub­lin. He went to serve as Pre­cent­or at St. Pat­rick’s Ca­thed­ral (1869-76), Bi­shop of Meath (1876-84), and Arch­bi­shop of Du­blin (1884).

• Julian, pp. 897-8, 1688

1. Our Lord Christ Hath Ris­en