The title Viscount Taaffe, of Corren, was created in the Peerage of Ireland in 1628, together with the subsidiary title Baron Ballymote. From 1661 to 1738, the Viscounts Taaffe were also the Earls of Carlingford.
From the 18th century onwards, the holders of these titles mainly lived in the Holy Roman Empire, where they also held the title of Graf von Taaffe (German: Count of Taaffe). In 1919, as a consequence of siding with the enemies of Britain in World War I, the viscountcy was one of only three primary titles (together with the royal dukedoms of Albany and Cumberland) to be forfeit under the Titles Deprivation Act 1917. Also in 1919, the family's Austrian title was abolished along with all other Austrian noble titles. In any case, with the death of the 12th Viscount's heir in 1967, all these titles, and any claims to them, are now extinct.
Famous quotes containing the word viscount:
“They act as if they supposed that to be very sanguine about the general improvement of mankind is a virtue that relieves them from taking trouble about any improvement in particular.”
—John Morley [1st Viscount Morley Of Blackburn] (1838–1923)