Chichester Samuel Parkinson-Fortescue was the son of Chichester Fortes. He was born in January 1823 in Glyde, County Louth, United Kingdom. He came of an old family settled in Ireland since the days of Sir Faithful Fortescue (1581 - 1666), whose uncle, Lord Chichester, was lord deputy. The history of the family was written by his elder brother Thomas (1815 - 1887), who in 1852 was created Baron Clermont.
Chichester Samuel Parkinson-Fortescue was educated at Christ Church, Oxford.
in 1847 Chichester Samuel Parkinson-Fortescue was elected to parliament for Louth as a Liberal. He became a junior lord of the treasury in 1854, and subsequently held minor offices in the Liberal administrations till in 1865 he was made chief secretary for Ireland under Lord Russell, a post which he again occupied under Gladstone in 1868-1870; he then became president of the Board of Trade (1871 - 1874), and later lord privy seal (1881 - 1885) and president of the council (1883 - 1885). He was raised to the peerage in 1874. He parted from Gladstone on the question of Irish Home Rule, but in earlier years he was his active supporter on Irish questions.
Lord Carlingford married Frances Elizabeth Anne, Countess Waldegrave, daughter of John Braham, in 1863. There were no children from the marriage.
