[1] His maternal grandfather was John FitzThomas FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Kildare, who married Blanche de la Roche.
[2] The hereditary office of butler of Ireland was one of particular fealty to the Crown, whereby Theobald and his successors were to attend the Kings of England at their coronation.
At about the same time, in September 1328, the king created Roger Mortimer the 1st Earl of March, who would soon arouse the anger of those most loyal to the Crown.
[5] In 1336, James founded the friary of Carrick-Begg (a townland on the River Suir opposite Carrick-on-Suir) for Franciscan Friars.
He married Eleanor de Bohun (1304–1363), daughter of the 4th Earl of Hereford, and Princess Elizabeth, daughter of King Edward I of England; they had six children together, four of whom survived infancy: James's successors held the title Earl of Ormond, which was later merged with the higher title of Duke of Ormonde; they held palatine rights in County Tipperary[5] until the County Palatine of Tipperary Act 1715.