Page "Humphrey Gilbert" Paragraph 7

Gilbert never returned to Ireland and, after the assassination of O ' Neill in 1569, he was appointed to the profitless office of governor of Ulster and served as a member of the Irish parliament.

At about this time he petitioned the Queen's principal secretary, William Cecil, for a recall to England-" for the recovery of my eyes "-but his ambitions still rested in Ireland, and particularly in the southern province of Munster.

In April 1569 he proposed the establishment of a presidency and council for the province, and pursued the notion of an extensive settlement around Baltimore ( in modern County Cork ), which was approved by the Dublin council.

At the same time he was involved with Sidney and the secretary of state, Sir Thomas Smith, in planning a large settlement of the northern province of Ulster by Devonshire gentlemen.