Talbot, Richard (c.1386–1449), archbishop of Dublin, chancellor, and justiciar of Ireland, was third son of Richard, Lord Talbot, and Ankaret, daughter of John, Lord le Strange, and became one of the central figures in the politics of the Anglo-Irish lordship in the first half of the fifteenth century. He studied at Oxford and received a bachelorate in both laws by 1411, when he was appointed to a committee to administer an anti-Wycliffite oath to the university. He held several lesser offices in various dioceses in England, culminating with his appointment as dean of Chichester (a. 6 March 1414).
Talbot was elected archbishop of Armagh in 1416 after the death of Nicholas Fleming (qv), but his acceptance was delayed by the lack of a pope, and he withdrew his assent to the election after he was elected to the archbishopric of Dublin (p. May 1417), which undoubtedly owed much to his brother John Talbot (qv), then lieutenant of Ireland. He was provided to the see by the pope in December 1417 and came to Ireland with his brother in 1418. Dublin seems to have suited his talents, and he soon became a central figure in the politics of the lordship, and the leading opponent of James Butler (qv), 4th earl of Ormond. In his conflict with Ormond and his supporters, Talbot seems to have preferred a more ‘English’ policy in Ireland, with no compromises with the Irish. He served as deputy lieutenant for his brother in 1419–20, but was effectively shut out of the administration during Ormond's lieutenancy (1420–22).
Serving as justiciar from October 1422, he refused to recognise the appointment of Edward Dauntsey (qv), bishop of Meath, as the deputy of the lieutenant, Edmund Mortimer (qv), earl of March, in August 1423. Talbot served as chancellor from July 1423 till April 1426, when he was forced out by Ormond. He was reappointed by a patent from England (23 October 1426), taking office in January 1427, and served till October 1431, when he tried to withhold the great seal from his successor, Thomas Chace (qv). In the factional disputes that disrupted the government of the lordship, he worked closely with several lieutenants to oppose Ormond, and served as justiciar (May 1430–September 1431) and deputy lieutenant (November 1435–April 1437). Talbot was again appointed as chancellor (August 1442) during Ormond's third period as lieutenant, but this appointment was successfully blocked by Ormond, and he was removed from office in November 1442.
He was again elected archbishop of Armagh (1443), but this election was quashed by the pope. Despite his two elections to Armagh, Talbot was determined not to forego any of his prerogatives as archbishop of Dublin, and this led to new confrontations with Armagh over the primacy of Ireland. He opposed the practice of granting the rich prebend of Swords to absentees, and in 1431 divided this benefice and used part of it to endow minor canons and a group of choristers for St Patrick's, Dublin. He served as deputy lieutenant to his brother John, earl of Shrewsbury (April 1445–October 1446). Despite the formal ending of the Talbot–Ormond dispute, Talbot continued a factional policy in Ireland, but little came of his actions, even during the period (November 1447–late 1448) when he served as justiciar. He died in August 1449 and was buried in St Patrick's cathedral.