Adare Manor

THE EARLS OF DUNRAVEN AND MOUNTEARL WERE THE SECOND LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY LIMERICK, WITH 14,298 ACRES 

The descent of the Earls of Dunraven from the ancient Milesian princes is certified by the recognition of the pedigree of their ancestor, Thady Quin, of Adare, in a record entered in Ulster King-of-Arms' office by Sir Richard Carney, Knight, Ulster King of Arms, 1688.

Con Cead Caha, or Con of the Hundred Battles, described by genealogists as monarch in Ireland during the 2nd century, is represented as the founder of the family of QUIN; his grandson, Cormac, who is said to have reigned in AD 254, was the first who adopted the surname of QUIN, which signifies a descendant of Con. The family certainly possessed large territories in Ireland, and governed as hereditary chieftains, before the invasion of the English in the reign of HENRY II. 

The Earls of Dunraven descended from a branch which for many centuries possessed great feudal power in County Clare, whence their ancestors were finally expelled by the more powerful family of O'Brien, and settled in County Limerick.

JAMES QUIN, of Kilmallock, County Limerick (whose brother, John Quin, a Dominican friar, was Bishop of Limerick, 1521), had a son,

DONOUGH QUIN, who was father of

DONOUGH QUIN, who married Judith, heiress of the family of O'Riordan, which had been settled for more than five centuries in County Limerick.

He died in 1621, leaving a son,

THADY QUIN (1645-1726), of Adare, who wedded firstly, Bridget, daughter and heir of Andrew Rice, of Dingle, County Kerry; and secondly, Frances, daughter of Major Hull, son of Sir William Hull, Knight; and thirdly, Catherine, daughter of Piers Morony, by whom he had issue,

VALENTINE, his heir;
John;
James;
Catherine; Eleanor; Judith.

Thady Quin was succeeded by his eldest son,

VALENTINE QUIN, of Adare, who espoused Mary, eldest daughter and co-heir of Henry Widenham, of The Court, County Limerick, and had issue,

WINDHAM, his heir;
George, of Quinsborough;
Mary; Margaret; Alice; Catharine; Anne.

Mr Quin died in 1744, and was succeeded by his elder son,

WINDHAM QUIN (1717-89), of Adare, High Sheriff of County Limerick, 1747, MP for Kilmallock, 1768-76, who married, in 1748, Frances, daughter of Richard Dawson, of Dawson's Grove, County Monaghan, and had issue,

VALENTINE RICHARD, his successor;
Windham, lt-col in the army;
John, in holy orders;
Elizabeth; Mary; Catherine; Frances.

Mr Quin's eldest son,

VALENTINE RICHARD QUIN (1732–1824), MP for Kilmallock, 1800, was created a baronet in 1781, designated of Adare, County Limerick.

Sir Valentine was elevated to the peerage, in 1800, in the dignity of Baron Adare, of Adare, County Limerick; and advanced to a viscountcy, in 1816, as Viscount Mount-Earl.

His lordship was further advanced, in 1822, to the dignities of Viscount Adare and EARL OF DUNRAVEN AND MOUNTEARL.

He wedded firstly, in 1777, Frances, daughter of Stephen, 1st Earl of Ilchester, and had issue,

WINDHAM HENRY, his successor;
Richard George;
Elizabeth; Harriett.

His lordship espoused secondly, Mrs Blennerhasset, widow of Colonel Blennerhasset, but had no further issue.

He was succeeded by his elder son,

2nd Earl of Dunraven (Image: National Library of Wales)

WINDHAM HENRY, 2nd Earl (1782-1850), MP for County Limerick, 1802-20, who married, in 1810, Caroline, daughter of Thomas Wyndham, and had issue,

EDWIN RICHARD, his successor;
Windham Henry, father of the 5th Earl;
Anna Maria Charlotte.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

EDWIN RICHARD, 3rd Earl (1812-71), KP, MP for Glamorgan, 1837-51, who wedded firstly, in 1836, Augusta, daughter of Thomas Gould, and had issue,

WINDHAM THOMAS, his successor;
Augusta Emily; Mary Frances; Caroline Adelaide; Edith; Emily Anna.

His lordship was succeeded by his only son,

WINDHAM THOMAS, 4th Earl (1841-1926), KP CMG OBE PC, who espoused, in 1869, Florence Elizabeth, daughter of Lord Charles Lennox Kerr, and had issue, three daughters,

Florence Enid; Rachael Charlotte; Aileen May.

His lordship died without male issue, when the titles reverted to his cousin,

WINDHAM HENRY, 5th Earl (1857-1952), CB DSO DL, High Sheriff of County Kilkenny, 1914, who married, in 1885, the Lady Eva Constance Aline Bourke, daughter of Richard, 6th Earl of Mayo, and had issue,

RICHARD SOUTHWELL WINDHAM ROBERT, his successor;
Valentine Maurice;
Olein Eva Constance; Kathleen Sybil.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

RICHARD SOUTHWELL WINDHAM ROBERT, 6th Earl (1887-1965), CB CBE MC, who espoused firstly, in 1915, Helen Lindsay, daughter of John Swire; and secondly, in 1934, Nancy, daughter of Thomas B Yuille, by whom he had issue,

THADY WINDHAM THOMAS, his successor;
Melissa Eva Caroline; Caroline Olein Geraldine.

His lordship was succeeded by his only son,

THADY WINDHAM THOMAS, 7th Earl (1939-2011), who married, in 1969, Geraldine, daughter of Air Commodore Gerald Ward McAleer CBE, and had issue, an only child,

THE LADY ANNA ELIZABETH WYNDHAM-QUIN (1972-), who wedded, in 2009, Duncan Yeats, son of Patrick Johnson, and has issue,

Tarka Valentine Mary (b 2015);
India Catherine Nancy (b 2016).

Following the death of the 7th Earl without male issue, the titles expired.

Unable to bear the expense of maintaining Adare Manor, the 7th Earl sold it and its contents in 1984.

The mansion was purchased by an Irish-American businessman, Tom Kane, and subsequently converted into a hotel.

Adare Manor was originally a two-storey, seven-bay early 18th century house, most likely built about 1725 by Valentine Quin, grandfather of the 1st Earl of Dunraven.

From 1832, the 2nd Earl, started rebuilding the house in the Tudor-Revival style as a way of occupying himself (his wife was handicapped).

When the house was almost completed in 1846, A W Pugin was commissioned to design some features of the Great Hall.

Between 1850-62, the 3rd Earl finally completed the mansion by building the principal garden front.

The Great Hall is a room of vast size and height, divided down the middle by a screen of giant Gothic arches of stone.

A carved oak Minstrels' Gallery runs along one side; originally there was once an organ loft.

Mark Bence-Jones remarks that Adare Manor, as completed, is a picturesque and grey stone pile, composed of various elements that are rather loosely tied together; some of which are reproduced from Tudor originals in England. viz. the entrance tower, bearing a verisimilitude to the Cloister Court at Eton College.

The Long Gallery above is 132 feet long and 26 feet in height.

The mansion is set in a 840-acre estate and now operates as a luxury hotel, featuring the Adare Golf Club, Elemis Treatment Rooms, Townhouses and Villas on the rest of the resort.

President Clinton stayed at Adare Manor in September, 1998.

First published in August, 2011.