c. 1730s – John Bligh, Former MP for Athboy, Marries Despite Believing He Is a Teapot
John Bligh, a former Member of Parliament for Athboy in County Meath, was long afflicted by an unusual delusion — he believed himself to be a teapot. For years, he remained unmarried, reportedly alarmed by the imagined consequences of such a condition.
However, nearing the age of 50, Bligh suddenly and unexpectedly married, surprising both friends and family. Despite his earlier eccentric fears, the marriage proved fruitful: he fathered at least seven children before his death in 1781.
The story of John Bligh’s self-identification as a teapot — while likely exaggerated in later retellings — became one of the more peculiar footnotes in 18th-century Irish political lore, blending humor, humanity, and the enduring mystery of the mind.