Tuesday 27 April 2021

Contact Me

If you wish to share information regarding an article, or have a suggestion for new articles, I can be contacted at earlofbelmont@btinternet.com .

I receive many requests from readers about further information regarding their ancestors.

Unfortunately I am unable to undertake individual research; you will require the services of a professional genealogist for that.

Monday 26 April 2021

Loftus Hall

THE MARQUESSES OF ELY WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WEXFORD, WITH 14,023 ACRES 


The family of LOFTUS, or, as it was anciently spelt, Lofthouse, appears, from the archives of York Minster, to have flourished in Yorkshire as early as the reign of ALFRED THE GREAT.

Before the advent of the Normans, this family held the town and lands of Loftus, Yorkshire, by thaneage, and after the Conquest, by military tenure.

The same records show that Christopher Lofthouse was prior of Helagh, Yorkshire, in 1460.

EDWARD LOFTUS, of Swineshead, Yorkshire, whose descendants have been, in different branches, thrice elevated to the Irish peerage, had two sons, namely,
Robert, created Viscount Loftus;
ADAM, of whom hereafter.
The elder son, Robert, whose second son, Adam, an eminent lawyer, was appointed LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, 1619; and created, in 1622, Viscount Loftus, of Ely, a dignity which expired with his lordship' grandson ARTHUR, 3rd Viscount.

The younger son,

THE MOST REV DR ADAM LOFTUS (c1533-1605), accompanied, as private chaplain, the Viceroy, Thomas, Earl of Sussex, into Ireland, and was consecrated Lord Archbishop of Armagh, 1562-3.

In 1567, the Lord Primate was translated to the see of Dublin; and six years afterwards we find him Lord Keeper of the Great Seal.

In 1578, His Grace was constituted LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, and he continued to hold the seals until his death.

This esteemed divine having a principal share in the foundation of Trinity College, Dublin, was appointed by charter its first Provost, which office he resigned in 1594.

He married Jane, eldest daughter of Alan Purdon, of Lurgan Race, County Louth, and by her had twenty children, of whom seven died young, including,
DUDLEY, his heir;
Edward, Recorder of Dublin;
Adam;
Thomas;
Henry;
Isabella; Anne; Catherine; Martha; Dorothy; Alice; Margaret.
His Grace was succeeded by his eldest son, 

DUDLEY LOFTUS (1561-1616), of Rathfarnham Castle, who wedded Anne, daughter of Sir Henry Bagenal, of Newry, and had, with other issue,
ADAM, 1st Viscount Lisburne (1st creation);
NICHOLAS, of whose line we are about to treat;
Edward;
Samuel.
The second son,

NICHOLAS LOFTUS (1592-1666), of Fethard, MP for Fethard, 1613-34, County Wexford, 1640, Joint Clerk of the Pells and of the Treasury in Ireland, wedded and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, 

SIR NICHOLAS LOFTUS (1635-1708), Knight, of Fethard, MP for Fethard, 1661-6, who married twice, and had several children, all of whom died issueless, when the estates descended to his brother,

HENRY LOFTUS (1636-1716), of Loftus Hall, MP for Clonmines, 1692-3 and 1695-9, who married twice and was succeeded by his elder son,

THE RT HON NICHOLAS LOFTUS (1687-1763), MP for Fethard, 1710-13, Clonmines, 1713-14, County Wexford, 1715-51, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1751, in the dignity of Baron Loftus, of Loftus Hall.

His lordship was sworn of the privy council in 1753; nominated Governor of County Wexford, and advanced to a viscountcy, as Viscount Loftus, of Ely, in 1756.

He married firstly Anne, 2nd daughter of William, Viscount Duncannon, by whom he had issue,
NICHOLAS, his successor;
HENRY, succeeded as 4th Viscount Loftus;
Mary; Anne; Elizabeth.
His lordship wedded secondly, Letitia, daughter of Sir John Rowley, knight, by whom he had no issue.

He was succeeded by his elder son, 

NICHOLAS, 2nd Viscount, who was advanced to the dignity of Earl of Ely in 1766.

He married Mary, eldest daughter and heir of SIR GUSTAVUS HUME, 3rd Baronet, of Castle Hume, County Fermanagh; and dying in 1766, was succeeded by his only son, 

NICHOLAS, 2nd Earl, who died unmarried, in 1769, when the earldom expired, and the viscountcy and barony reverted to his uncle,

THE HON HENRY LOFTUS, as 4th Viscount, born in 1709.

His lordship was advanced to an earldom, in 1771, as Earl of Ely; and installed a Knight Founder of the Most Illustrious of St Patrick, 1783.

Lord Loftus married twice, though died without issue, in 1783, when the titles became extinct; while the estates devolved upon his nephew, 

THE RT HON CHARLES TOTTENHAM, who then assumed the surname and arms of LOFTUS, and was created, in two years afterwards, Baron Loftus, of Loftus Hall.

His lordship was advanced to a viscountcy, in 1789, as Viscount Loftus; and Earl of Ely in 1794.

He was further advanced, to the dignity of a marquessate, in 1800, as MARQUESS OF ELY.
His lordship was postmaster-general of Ireland in 1789; privy counsellor; Knight of St Patrick; governor of Wexford; governor of Fermanagh; colonel, the Wexford Militia.
*****
GEORGE HENRY WELLINGTON, 7th Marquess (1903-69), styled Viscount Loftus between 1925-35, became known by the courtesy title Viscount Loftus when his father succeeded to the marquessate in 1925.

He was educated at Lancing College and served as a major in the North Irish Horse during the 2nd World War.

He was High Sheriff of County Fermanagh in 1931.

In 1935 Lord Ely succeeded to the marquessate on the death of his father.

*****

CHARLES JOHN, 8th Marquess, who died in 2006 aged 92, was a Canadian prep school headmaster for some 40 years and a dogged, if silent, attender at the House of Lords for almost 30 years until his exclusion by Tony Blair's reforms. He was appalled by the "constitutional vandalism" that cost him his seat.

His eldest son, John, who was born in 1943, succeeded to the titles as 9th Marquess.

The Ely Papers are deposited at PRONI.


LOFTUS HALL, near Fethard-on-Sea, County Wexford, is, according to Mark Bence-Jones, a gaunt, three-storey mansion of 1871, with rows of plate-glass windows and a parapet, incorporating parts of a previous, late 17th century house.

The house stands near the tip of Hook Head, an extremely wind-swept spot bereft of trees and shelter.


The present house was built after his coming-of-age by the 4th Marquess of Ely (who also had plans for Ely Lodge in County Fermanagh).

It contains an impressive staircase hall.


In 1917, Loftus Hall was bought by the Sisters of Providence and turned into a convent and a school for young girls interested in joining the order.

In 1983, it was purchased by Michael Deveraux, who re-opened it as "Loftus Hall Hotel", which was subsequently closed again in the late 1990s.


It was privately owned by Deveraux's surviving family until late 2008, when it was sold to an unnamed buyer, rumoured to be "Bono" of U2 fame.

While in need of repair at the time of writing, the nine-bay mansion comprises seven reception rooms, twenty-two bedrooms and a function room spread across three floors.

First published in May, 2012.

Saturday 24 April 2021

The Onoto 5600

De la Rue Onoto 5600

I wrote an article about the umbrella and shirt collections some years ago.

I am sure that, like many others through the fullness of time, I have accumulated or acquired some interesting items of apparel during my life, some inherited, others acquired.

My late father was stockier and slightly taller than me, so I couldn't wear any of his clothing, though I do still have a waistcoat and several polo-neck jumpers of his.

I had an old Aquascutum overcoat of his altered unsuccessfully.

I inherited a miscellany of accessories, mainly gold and military cuff-links and a lovely, old Onoto fountain pen, dating from the 1930s.

I treasure it, to the extent that I have recently sold my Montblanc collection; and the De la Rue Onoto fountain pen, dating from the 1930s, is currently being serviced by Peter Twydle.

I am simply not using writing instruments as often these days: A few vintage Parker ballpoint pens and the Onoto 5600 are sufficient.

Some of the clothing is ancient and utterly useless, unless one is a courtier or a recipient of invitations to state banquets.

I acquired full evening dress from an old friend of my father's (Jim McClenaghan): a heavy worsted tail-coat with ribbed silk lapels; old, starched, white dress-shirt and white tie; white pique waist-coat; heavy black, double-braided trousers.

The top hat was acquired many years ago at Parsons & Parsons in Belfast.

The morning-coat is black; the waistcoat, dove grey and double-breasted.

I found the waistcoat in a charity shop.

I discovered one of my most precious acquisitions in a charity shop: a DINNER-JACKET dated 1933, in another charity shop.

It is beautifully made, with functional button cuffs and a very wide, ribbed silk lapel.

I simply had the jacket altered and had a few cuff buttons sown on.

I shan't disclose what it cost me; suffice it to say that it was a bargain ~ like a "find" on the Antiques Roadshow!

If anyone is interested, my best advice to them, if they are in their twenties or thirties, is to buy the very best clothing and footwear now.

That's what I did, and it has endured.

Most of my most precious clothing was acquired when I was in my early twenties: the Church's shoes from Harrod's and Austin Reed's store in Belfast; the Burberry trench-coat; the Aquascutum overcoat; five or six shirts from Turnbull & Asser.

If you invest in half-decent stuff today and look after it, only wearing it occasionally, it will provide decades or, indeed, a lifetime, of satisfaction and service.

First published in February, 2010.

Tuesday 20 April 2021

Moydrum Castle

THE VISCOUNTS CASTLEMAINE WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WESTMEATH, WITH 11,444 ACRES

WILLIAM HANDCOCK (c1631-1707), of Twyford, County Westmeath, descended from a family of considerable antiquity in Lancashire, MP for that county in the first parliament after the restoration of CHARLES II, was nominated one of the Council of Connaught, and obtained a patent, 1680, to erect his estates into a manor, under the designation of the Manor of Twyford, with ample privileges.

Mr Handcock married, in 1652, Abigail, sister of Sir Thomas Stanley, by whom he had, with other issue,
THOMAS, his heir;
William (Sir), Recorder of Dublin;
Stephen (Very Rev), Dean of Clonmacnoise;
Matthew (Ven), Archdeacon of Kilmore;
Stanley, drowned;
Hannah; Sarah; Elizabeth.
The eldest son,

THOMAS HANDCOCK (1654-1726), of Twyford, MP for Lanesborough, 1692-5, espoused, in 1677, Dorothy Green, and had issue,
WILLIAM, his heir;
Eliah;
Thomas;
Samuel;
Sarah; Abigail; Mary; Dorothy.
Mr Handcock was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM HANDCOCK (1676-1723), MP for Athlone, 1703-14, County Westmeath, 1721-23, who wedded Sarah, daughter of Richard Warburton, and had issue,
WILLIAM, his heir;
George;
Thomas;
RICHARD, of whom hereafter;
Robert;
John Gustavus;
Abigail; Susan; Dorothy; Susanna.
Mr Handcock was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM HANDCOCK (1704-41), MP for Fore, 1727-41, who espoused Elizabeth, second daughter of the Rt Rev Sir Thomas Vesey Bt, Lord Bishop of Ossory, though the marriage was without issue, and he was succeeded by his brother, 

THE VERY REV RICHARD HANDCOCK (c1716-91), of Twyford, Dean of Achonry, who married Sarah, only daughter and heiress of Richard Toler, of Ballintore, County Kildare, and had issue,
WILLIAM, his heir;
Richard;
Sarah; Susanna; Dorothy; Mary; Elizabeth; Anne.
The Dean was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON WILLIAM HANDCOCK MP (1761-1839), MP for Athlone, 1783-1800, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1812, in the dignity of Baron Castlemaine.

His lordship was advanced to a viscountcy, in 1822, as VISCOUNT CASTLEMAINE.

On his lordship's death the viscountcy expired, though the barony passed to his brother.
The heir apparent is the present holder's only son, the Hon Ronan Michael Handcock. 
The 5th Baron was the last Lord-Lieutenant of County Westmeath, from 1899 until 1922.

Roland Thomas John [Handcock], 8th and present Lord Castlemaine, MBE, lives at Salisbury, Wiltshire.

The heir is the present holder's son, the Hon Ronan Michael Handcock (b 1989).


MOYDRUM CASTLE, near Athlone, County Westmeath, was a seven-bay, two-storey over basement castellated country house, rebuilt ca 1812 (incorporating the fabric of an earlier house built c1750), having an advanced three-storey breakfront/gate tower (offset) to the west side of centre.

There were turrets on an octagonal plan to the corners of an advanced tower and to the west end of the front façade (north); a turret on square plan to the east end.


The house is now out of use, derelict and partially collapsed to the west side.

There were rough-cast, cement-rendered walls, now failing and exposing limestone rubble construction below, with cut stone plinth to base.

Clasping buttresses between bays to the east side of tower; extensive decoration to walls with incised cross loop motifs, cut stone quatrefoils and cut stone hood mouldings over window openings.

The walls are now largely overgrown with ivy.


Square-headed openings to main body of structure, originally having cut stone surrounds and cut-stone tracery.

Tudor Gothic-arched doorcase to front face of tower, inset within a Tudor-Gothic arched recess and originally with cut stone surrounds (now gone).

Pointed-arched window over doorcase to first storey, originally with Geometric tracery.

Set back from road in extensive mature grounds with remains of a walled garden and ancillary structures to the rear.

These remain impressive and picturesque ruins of a large-scale, Gothic-Revival, castellated country house.

The scale and the attention to detail are still apparent, despite its ruinous condition; and fragments of the early cut stone detailing are still evident to a number of openings from behind the extensive ivy growth.

This important Gothic-Revival essay was built to designs by Sir Richard Morrison (1767-1849), who was commissioned by William Handcock to rebuild an existing house befitting of his new status as Lord Castlemaine, ca 1812.

The house was burnt by the IRA in 1921 and has remained a ruin ever since.
Moydrum Castle, given its status as the seat of HM Lord-Lieutenant of County Westmeath and a member of the House of Lords, was chosen as a suitably symbolic target for Irish republican reprisals: On the night of July 3rd, 1921, an assembly of IRA members marched on the castle.

The 5th Baron was out of Ireland at the time, but Lady Castlemaine and their daughter, together with several servants, were in residence and were woken from their sleep by knocking at the door.

They were given time to gather together a few valuable belongings before the building was set alight. The blaze completely destroyed the castle.
Following the establishment of the Irish Free State, much of the land belonging to Lord Castlemaine was acquired by the Irish Land Commission.

The Castlemaines were never to return to Moydrum.

These impressive and romantic ruins have been much photographed since and a picture of the remains featured on the cover of the U2 album 'The Unforgettable Fire'.

These ruins have now become almost a place of pilgrimage for U2 fans and the interior walls are now covered with graffiti relating to the band, giving this site a new cultural significance.

Castlemaine arms courtesy of European Heraldry.  First published in May, 2012.

Saturday 17 April 2021

Prince Philip's Final Visit

His late Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's final visit to Northern Ireland was on the 25th May, 2017, when he attended receptions at Hillsborough Castle, County Down, for young people who had achieved the Gold Standard in the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Prince Philip at Hillsborough Castle, May 25th, 2017

His Royal Highness was received at Belfast Airport by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of the County Borough of Belfast (Mrs Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle CBE).

Tuesday 13 April 2021

The Stupendous Trip

Have you ever tripped, or been tripped up, in a field or footpath? I'm quite sure it has happened to most of us.

Yesterday I was on my way home from a four or five mile walk, striding briskly along the footpath near St Mark's parish church.

The footpath wasn't particularly wide, and another pedestrian approached me from the opposite direction.

I naturally veered to the side of the footpath, and we smiled and nodded at each other as I passed.

Thereafter events moved at the blink of an eye.

I tripped and fell instantaneously to the ground.

I immediately looked back while I lay on the pavement, though by this stage the other walker had passed me, unaware of what had happened, and wearing headphones.

All was quiet at any rate, because there were no other pedestrians or traffic.

I had a look on the ground to see what had happened, and there was a large metal hoop of some sort which, obviously, had been the cause of my fall.

I had been acknowledging the passer-by without observing or seeing this cause of my ignoble fall from grace.

Fortunately I was completely unhurt, being nimble, fit, and healthy.

I escaped unscathed, apart from my pride - quite bemused, actually -  without even a bruise, ache, or scratch.

I lifted the offending object to examine the cause of my fall, and was tempted to throw it away as forcefully as feasible; though instead decided merely to place it on top of a hedge.

"Mind how you go", as Detective Inspector Fred Thursday might have said.

Saturday 10 April 2021

Freemen of Belfast: 1940-50

HONORARY BURGESSES OF THE CITY OF BELFAST
ELECTED AND ADMITTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BELFAST UNDER THE MUNICIPAL PRIVILEGE (IRELAND) ACT, 1875


44  Dr James Dunlop Williamson JP DL ~ 1942

45  The Rt Hon Bernard Law Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG GCB DSO PC ~ 1944

46  General Dwight D Eisenhower ~ 1945

47  The Rt Hon Harold Rupert Leofric George Earl Alexander of Tunis, KG GCB OM GCMG CSI DSO MC CD PC ~ 1945

48  The Rt Hon Alan Francis Viscount Alanbrooke, KG GCB OM GCVO DSO ~ 1945

49  HRH The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh [HM The Queen] ~ 1949

50  HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh ~ 1949

51  Sir William Frederick Neill JP DL ~ 1949

52  Lady Neill ~ 1949

53  The Rt Hon Basil Stanlake Viscount Brookeborough, KG CBE MC PC ~ 1950

54  The Rt Hon Cynthia Mary Viscountess Brookeborough, DBE ~ 1950

First published in 2012.

Friday 9 April 2021

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, 1921-2021

I am profoundly sorry to learn of the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, KG KT OM GCVO GBE, two months before his one hundredth birthday.

God Save The Queen.

Monday 5 April 2021

Moy

EDITED EXTRACTS FROM THE PARLIAMENTARY GAZETTEER OF IRELAND, PUBLISHED IN 1846


MOY, a post and market town in the quoad sacra parish of Moy, barony of Dungannon, County Tyrone.

It stands on the eastern verge of the county, on the River Blackwater, and on the road from Armagh to Coleraine, immediately adjacent to Charlemont.

It is 2¼ miles north-north-east of Benburb, 3¼ north-west of Loughgall, 4¾ south-south-east of Dungannon, and 5½ north-west of Armagh.


It forms strictly one town with Charlemont, being separated from it only by the Blackwater, and communicating with it by a good stone bridge; but, in consequence of being in a different county, it possesses separate statistics, and is always politically treated as a different town.

Adjacent to it, in the north, is the demesne of ROXBOROUGH CASTLE; and in the comparatively near vicinity are the seats of Grange, Rhone Hill, Derrygally, Ardress, Argory, and CHURCH HILL - the last the handsome residence of Colonel Verner.

The country immediately around Moy is flat and naturally tame, but has been worked by cultivation and arboricultural improvement into a charming condition.

Moy is a larger and much more important place than Charlemont, and conducts a little trade in corn, timber, coal, slate, and other articles, commanding the navigation of the Blackwater by barges of considerable burden, and communicating facilely with the east end of the Ulster Canal, the whole of the brief canal to the Tyrone coalfield, and all the inland navigations of the eastern division of Ulster.

The weaving of linen employs a fair proportion of the inhabitants; and the bleaching of linen is carried on, in the neighbourhood, in several large bleach-greens.

A fair is held on the first Friday of every month.

A court of petty sessions is held on every alternate Monday.

Area of the town, 43 acres.

Friday 2 April 2021

Ballinacourty House

THE MASSY-DAWSONS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY TIPPERARY, WITH
19,093 ACRES

The first of this noble family that settled in Ireland was
 
GENERAL HUGH MASSY, who had a military command to repress the rebellion of 1641.
The family of Massy derive their name from the town and ancient lordship of Massy, in Normandy, their place of residence at the time Normandy was conquered by Rollo, 1st Duke of Normandy, in the year 876, at which period they were styled lords of Massy.
HAMON DE MASSEY was created one of the eight temporal peers of Chester, by the title of Baron of  Dunham Massey, by Hugh Lupus, earl palatine of that county.
The General married Margaret Percy, and had a son,

HUGH MASSY, of Duntrileague, County Limerick, who wedded Amy, daughter of John Benson, and had issue,
HUGH, his heir;
John;
William;
CHARLES (Very Rev), Dean of Limerick, ancestor of the Massy Baronets;
Margaret; Amy.
The eldest son,

COLONEL HUGH MASSY, of Duntrileague, born in 1685, married Elizabeth, daughter of the Rt Hon George Evans, and had issue,
HUGH, of whom we treat;
George (Ven), Archdeacon of Ardfert;
John, killed in a duel;
Godfrey, in holy orders;
William, m Mary, daughter of Eyre Evans, of Portrane;
EYRE, 1st BARON CLARINA;
Charles;
Mary; Amy; Elizabeth; Catherine.
The eldest son,

HUGH MASSY, born in 1700, having represented County Limerick in several parliaments, was elevated to the peerage, in 1776, in the dignity of BARON MASSY, of Duntrileague, County Limerick.

His lordship espoused firstly, Mary, daughter and heir of James Dawson, of Ballinacourty, County Tipperary, and had issue,
Hugh, his heir;
JAMES, of whom we treat;
John;
Elizabeth.
His lordship's second son,

THE HON JAMES MASSY, born in 1736, assumed the additional surname of DAWSON after that of MASSY.

This gentleman married Mary, daughter of John Leonard, and left a son and two daughters, namely,
JAMES HEWITT, of whom presently;
Elizabeth;
Maria.
Mr Massy-Dawson's only son,

JAMES HEWITT MASSY-DAWSON (1779-1834), of Ballinacourty, MP for Clonmel, 1820-30, married, in 1800, Eliza Jane, daughter of Francis Dennis, and had issue,
JAMES, (1802-37), died unmarried;
FRANCIS DENNIS (1803-70);
John, in holy orders;
Charles, in the army;
GEORGE STAUNTON KING, of whom hereafter;
Mary; Anna; Elizabeth; Isabella; Louisa; Adelaide; Helena.
Mr Massy-Dawson's youngest son,

GEORGE STAUNTON KING MASSY-DAWSON JP DL (1816-97), of Ballinacourty, High Sheriff of County Tipperary, 1854, espoused firstly, in 1854, Grace Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Edward Leeson, and had issue,
JAMES, his heir;
GEORGE HENRY EDWARD, succeeded his brother;
Maira; Grace; Louisa.
He married secondly, in 1869, Harriett Sophia, daughter of Walter Steele; and thirdly, in 1893, Eliza, daughter of the Rev James Rynd.

Mr Massy-Dawson was succeeded by his eldest son,

JAMES MASSY-DAWSON (1857-91), who wedded, in 1886, Alice Matilda Jones, though the marriage was without issue, and he was succeeded by his brother,

GEORGE HENRY EDWARD MASSY-DAWSON JP (1864-1916), of Ballinacourty, who wedded, in 1894, Rosalie Margaretta, daughter of Jean Hunziker, though the marriage was without issue.


LINEAGE OF DAWSON

JOHN DAWSON, of Sutterby, Lincolnshire, at the time of the Rebellion, actively employed himself in the service of CHARLES I, and therein raised a troop of horse, under the command of William, Marquess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (afterwards 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne).

This gentleman later followed the fortunes of CHARLES II and eventually retired into Ireland, applying himself to the practice of the Law, wherein he omitted no fit opportunity to advance the interest and restoration of his royal master.

The services of Mr Dawson were not unrewarded:
On the re-establishment of the monarchy, he received from the crown, in 1666, a grant of land in County Tipperary exceeding 2,900 acres, including the castle of Ballinacourty.
In 1703, James Dawson, of Ballinacourty, purchased land in the baronies of Coonagh and Clanwilliam, County Limerick, and Clanwilliam, County Tipperary, part of the confiscated estate of JAMES II.


BALLINACOURTY HOUSE, at the Glen of Aherlow, County Tipperary, originally the home of the Dawson family, passed by marriage to the Massy family, thereby becoming the seat of the Massy-Dawsons in the 18th and 19th centuries.

This was a plain, two-storey, cut-stone house with a polygonal, pyramidal-roofed tower; since demolished.

The Rev John Massy-Dawson occupied Ballinacourty from his father's death until his own death in 1850.

The original house was destroyed during the troubles in 1922, and became ruinous by the mid 20th century.

The old stable block has been converted into a guest-house and restaurant. 

Massy arms courtesy of European Heraldry.    First published in April, 2012.