Reynolds, James (1710?–1778), catholic lobbyist, was eldest son of Thomas Reynolds and his wife Margaret Lacy. Reynolds's father, Thomas, was eldest son of Connor Reynolds of Rhynn Castle, Co. Leitrim, but, as a catholic, under the penal laws he was deprived of his inheritance when a younger brother conformed to the established church. Thomas Reynolds then moved to Dublin and began to trade as a wool stapler in Ash St. The business prospered and was inherited by James Reynolds on his father's death.
James Reynolds was one of the capital's wealthiest catholic businessmen and was a prominent member of the Catholic Committee established by Charles O'Conor (qv) and John Curry (qv) in 1760 to press for catholic relief. He remained a member of the committee till it ceased to function in late 1763 and became active again when it was reconstituted in 1772. He was nominated by groups in Drogheda, Clonmel, Cork, and Limerick to represent their interests on the Dublin committee, an endorsement that reflected his network of business contacts. Reynolds concerned himself with both the economic and political disabilities of his coreligionists. In July 1773 he raised the issue of ‘quarterage’ – dues that the exclusively protestant trade guilds were attempting to exact from catholic tradesmen – at a meeting of the committee. In March and April 1774 he was a member of deputations that conferred with the catholic archbishop of Dublin, John Carpenter (qv), and members of parliament about a bill providing for an oath of allegiance for catholics, which became law in June. In September 1775 Reynolds was one of a group of prominent catholics who quietly presented a loyal address to government that expressed their abhorrence of the rebellion in America and offered to raise a fund to promote recruitment – an offer which was politely declined. In June 1778 he was included in a new ‘select committee’ which was more aristocratic in its composition than the general Catholic Committee, but at the same time relinquished the post of treasurer which he had held for several years.
Reynolds died at his home in Ash St. in early October 1778 and was interred at Churchtown, Co. Dublin. He had no children and his business passed to the heirs of his sister, Jane Purfield. Thomas Reynolds (qv), the informer who betrayed the Leinster committee of the United Irishmen in March 1798, was a grandson of a younger brother of James Reynolds.