Fitzharris, Edward (d. 1641), lawyer and politician, was second son of Matthew Fitzharris (or Fitzhenry) of Moghmaine, Co. Wexford, and Margaret, daughter of Sir Walter Browne of Mulrankin, Co. Wexford. His father, a prominent figure in the town of New Ross, sat as member of parliament for Co. Wexford in 1585. Edward's Munster connections came through his marriage to Gyles (Julia), daughter and heir of John Roche of Kilfinane, Co. Limerick, and by 1641 he held over 4,000 acres in that county, as well as lands in Wexford and Dublin. The marriage produced seven sons, the eldest of whom, George, married Joan, daughter of Thomas Fitzmaurice, earl of Kerry, providing further links to a number of leading families in Munster. Fitzharris trained as a lawyer (he was a founder member of King's Inns in June 1607) and represented the earls of Thomond and Cork during the 1620s and 1630s. In 1613 Fitzharris and Geoffrey Galwey (another catholic) were elected by the freeholders of the county to represent Limerick in parliament, but the sheriff returned two protestants, Sir Francis Barkley and Sir Thomas Browne. At the opening session of parliament in May 1613 the catholic members staged a mass walk-out, in protest at election irregularities and other abuses by the Dublin administration. A delegation, led by Jenico Preston (qv), Viscount Gormanston, and including Fitzharris, travelled to England to present their grievances to the king.
Thwarted in his political ambitions, Fitzharris concentrated on legal work, and on 4 November 1622 he was created a baronet. In 1628 he travelled to England as part of a delegation to negotiate a series of concessions – the ‘graces’ – from Charles I. Successfully elected in 1634 as a member for Co. Limerick, Fitzharris played an active role in the subsequent parliament. On 22 November, however, he was committed to Dublin Castle for a short period by order of the house of commons, probably due to a disagreement with the lord deputy, Thomas Wentworth (qv). Fitzharris was returned to the next parliament in 1640 for Co. Limerick, and resumed his role as one of the leaders of the catholic faction, sitting on a number of important committees. He died suddenly on 3 March 1641 at Clonodfoy, Co. Limerick, and was buried at Kilfinane, next to his eldest son George.