My information is that Robert PHAIRE was born in Ireland, and was the son of a Church of Ireland Minister named Emanuel PHAIRE, the Vicar of Kilshannig, Co Cork, 1612-1642 (born in England; B.A.; ordained in 1604 by the Bishop of Oxford).
Robert & Emanuel were both despoiled of property and livings at Kilvalid, in Kilshannig Parish, in the Rebellion of Nov 1641; Robert went to England after the First Cessation of Arms (Sep 1643), with the Earl of Inchiquin's Regiment, and went with Inchiquin when he changed allegiance from King to Parliament; but when Inchiquin returned to Ireland, and later changed allegiance back to the King, PHAIRE remained loyal to Parliament; he became involved in a prisoner exchange with several of Inchiquin's sons, and so arrived back in England, and quickly came to CROMWELL's attention.
Hence his involvement with the Regicides, and his subsequent appointment by CROMWELL as Military Governor of Cork.
After the Restoration of Charles II, he was arrested, imprisoned firstly in Dublin, then sent to London with several other prisoners, including the Commonwealth Solicitor John COOKE.
PHAIRE was released from the Tower withour penalty; he was placed into the care of his (2nd) father-in-law, Sir Thomas HERBERT, who had been one of the Grooms of the Privy Chamber of King Charles, and had accompanied the King to the scaffold; it is said that the Duke of Ormond also offered the King to be bound as his surety, as PHAIRE had apparently, while Governor of Cork, saved the life of Viscount Muskerry, ORMOND's brother-in-law; ORMONDE had also made it clear that PHAIRE's 2nd wife & his father-in-law had both made contributions to a loyallist fund by which the new King Charles II had gained some advantage during the Inter-Regnum.
Most of this information is to be found in the scholarly article "Colonel Robert PHAIRE, 'Regicide.' His Ancestry, History and Descendants," written by William H. WELPLY, B.A., & published in four parts in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, Vol.29 (1924) p.76 et seq, Vol.30 (1925) p.20 et seq, Vol.31 (1926) p.31 et seq, & Vol.32 (1927) p.24 et seq.
I will very shortly be blogging these articles in full on my
www.pigott-gorrie.blogspot.com web-site, in the most recent posting (already commenced) on Irish PHAIR & PHAYRE families.
Regards,
Chris PIGOTT, Potts Point, N.S.W.
I am a descendant of Letitia PHAYRE (1739-1812) of Kilmore & Ballyhaise, Co Cavan, & later of Dublin City, the wife of Thomas MAGUIRE.