Darragh Island

Darragh Island, a property of The National Trust, is on the western side of Strangford Lough, not far from Killinchy and Whiterock, County Down.

Darragh comprises about nineteen acres in extent and was donated to the National Trust in 1978 by John Metcalfe.

Eight us of visited the island in October, 2018, less than usual because the little boat can only handle about four or five people.

Our boat left from Whiterock, passing Braddock Island and Conly Island.

It's close to Conly Island.

We were excavating a series of ponds.

Darragh is a great example of how the correct management can produce species-rich grassland with superb displays of wild flowers and insects.

The National Trust uses a purpose-built barge to bring cattle out to this island, whenever possible.

This ensures that the grass is grazed to the optimum height to maximize biodiversity.

In the summer, the island is carpeted in colourful meadows – a rare sight in the countryside these days.

There are the remains of a kelp-house at the southern end (see photograph at top).

This simple stone building was built at the end of the 18th century and similar structures would have been common on many of Strangford Lough's islands.

Back then, many local farmers supplemented their income by harvesting seaweed from the shore and burning it in stone kilns.

The residue that was left after burning (called kelp) was an important source of sodium carbonate, which was used in industrial processes such as the production of glass and soap.

It was also used as a bleaching agent in the linen industry.

The kelp was stored in the kelp-houses until it was sold and transported to the various factories and mills.

The remains of a kelp kiln is found just a short distance from the kelp-house.

There are other kelp kilns on the National Trust islands of Taggart, Chapel and South.

Interestingly, they are all built to slightly different designs.

First published in October, 2018.

Darragh Island Acquisition

SELECTIVE ACQUISITIONS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

PROPERTY: Darragh Island, Strangford Lough, County Down

DATE: 1978

EXTENT: 18.74 acres

DONOR: John Metcalfe

First published in February, 2015.

Ballylin House

THE KINGS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN THE KING'S COUNTY, WITH 10,242 ACRES

This family, and that of Sir Gilbert King, 1st Baronet, of Charlestown, County Roscommon, is one and the same, descended from

THE RT REV EDWARD KING (1577-1639), born at Stukeley, Huntingdonshire, was elected Fellow of Trinity College Dublin, 1593, two years after its foundation, and consecrated Lord Bishop of Elphin, 1611.

Bishop King was buried at Elphin, where he built a castle and acquired landed property in the neighbourhood.

His lordship married twice, and left sons and daughters, among them JOHN KING, of Boyle, County Roscommon, whose daughter, Anne, wedded Dominick French, of Dungar, or French Park, County Roscommon, and

JAMES KING (1610-87), of Charlestown, County Roscommon, High Sheriff of County Roscommon, 1657, MP for County Roscommon, 1657, who espoused Judith, daughter of Gilbert Rawson, and had issue,

Edward;
GILBERT;
Elizabeth; Martha; Susanna.

Mr King was succeeded by his younger son,

GILBERT KING JP MP (1658-1721), of Charlestown, High Sheriff of County Leitrim, 1717, who married Mary, daughter of Dominick French, of French Park, and granddaughter of John King, of Boyle, and had issue,

JOHN, his heir;
Gilbert;
Oliver (Rev).

Mr King was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN KING, of Charlestown, High Sheriff of County Sligo, 1711, County Leitrim, 1728, MP for Jamestown, 1721, who wedded firstly, in 1706, Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Shaw, of Newford, County Galway, and had issue,

Gilbert;
Judith.

He married secondly, in 1721, Rebecca, daughter of John Digby, and grandson of Essex Digby, Lord Bishop of Dromore, who was son of Sir Robert Digby and Lettice, 1st Baroness Offaly, and had further issue,

JOHN;
Digby;
Jane.

Mr King died ca 1737, and was succeeded by his son,

JOHN KING, of Fermoyle, County Longford, High Sheriff of King's County, 1782, the first of the family to live at Ballylin, who espoused firstly, in 1748, Alice, daughter of Ross Mahon, of Castlegar, County Galway; secondly, Frances Digby, and had issue,

John, of Ballylin, MP for Jamestown, b 1760;
Gilbert, m Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Henry, of Straffan, County Kildare;
Jane, m Abraham Creighton, 1st Baron Erne;
Rebecca.

Mr King's younger daughter,

REBECCA KING, espoused her cousin, GILBERT KING, Major, 5th Dragoon Guards, son of Gilbert King, by Sarah, daughter of John French, of French Park, County Roscommon, who fought at the Battle of Quebec, 1759, and by him left (with a daughter, Harriet) a son and heir,

THE REV HENRY KING (1799-1857), of Ballylin, Ferbane, King's County, who succeeded to Ballylin at the decease of his maternal uncle; married, in 1821, Harriett, youngest daughter of John Lloyd, of Gloster, King's County, for many years MP for that county, and sister of the Countess of Rosse, and had issue,

JOHN GILBERT, his heir;
Harriett, mother of HENRY LOUIS MAHON;
Jane;
Mary, m 5th Viscount Bangor; accidentally killed.

The Rev Henry King was succeeded by his son,

JOHN GILBERT KING JP DL (1822-1901), of Ballylin, High Sheriff of King's County, 1852, MP for King's County, 1865-8, who died unmarried and was succeeded by his nephew,

HENRY LOUIS MAHON JP DL (1860-1922), of Ballylin, High Sheriff of King's County, 1903, eldest son of Ross Mahon, of Ladywell, by Harriett his wife, daughter of the Rev Henry King, of Ballylin.

He assumed, by royal licence, the name and arms of KING in lieu of his patronymic, MAHON.

Mr King wedded, in 1904, Winifred Harriette, only surviving daughter of William Somerset Ward, of Dublin, and had issue,

GILBERT MAHON, b 1905;
Harriet Mary, b 1906;
Winifred Alice, b 1909.

He was succeeded by his son,

MAJOR GILBERT MAHON KING, born in 1905, whose last known address was at Mullingar, County Westmeath.

BALLYLIN HOUSE, Ferbane, County Offaly, was a two-storey, early 19th century villa designed by Richard Morrison.

It had a three-bay entrance front, with a side elevation with one bay on either side of a central curved bow.

An advertisement in Faulkner's Dublin Journal on April 2nd, 1757, offered part of Ballylin's demesne lands, then in the possession of Lucy Armstrong, and consisting of 160 acres, to be let, along with the dwelling house, stabling for 16 horses, a large orchard and a walled garden.

It was purchased by John King about 1761, and so began a long association with the King family, which lasted until 1936, when the demesne was sold and it became an intensive farming operation.

The house was abandoned "and eventually unroofed to avoid rates".

By 1947, the house was demolished and the stones were "dumped in amongst the foundations of the local power station".

Before this sad end, however, the house had been painted by Mary Ward, the gifted youngest child of the Rev Henry King who had inherited the property in 1821.

His wife was Harriette Lloyd, sister of Alice Lloyd, mother of the astronomer 3rd Earl of Rosse.

Young Mary Ward was also interested in science and "shared the experience of building the Leviathan, the great telescope at Birr, between 1842 and 45".

Mary Ward died abruptly in 1869, when she fell from Lord Rosse's steam engine and was crushed.

First published in July, 2014.

Brackenber School: 1930-1985

Here is the very last entry on page 34 of The Brackenbrian, Brackenber House School's magazine:-

BRACKENBER MDCCCCXXX - MDCCCCLXXXV

Momentote vos superstites scholae Brackenbris

qui hinc progressi disciplina eius minime

dedecorata famam bonam ac mores ipsis ascivistis.

Be ever mindful, you who have survived,

Of what, from Brackenber, you have derived,
Who forth have gone, its training undisgraced,
And morals and a goodly name embraced

Briefly scanning the school register, a few interesting names of former alumni have emerged:-

L. OPIK 1969 - 1976

He went to RBAI where he had a brilliant academic career. He is now at Bristol University reading Philosophy and President of the Students' Union there. He must have been there during my time; I don't remember him, though. 

H. J. HASTINGS 1971 - 1975.

After a successful career at Harrow he went to Nottingham University where he obtained his law degree. He is now with Peat Marwick, London, studying for an accountancy degree. Howard Hastings and I were pals. I think we began a Corgi Toys club in the library, or something like that with others.

The above entries were written almost 25 years ago.

Brackenber House School

Brackenber House School was located at Cleaver Avenue, off Malone Road, in Belfast.

Paul, now the Lord Bew, is an Old Brackenbrian.

At the BHA Dinner held at the School on Friday, 4th January, 1985, the Toast of the School was proposed by another Old Brackenbrian, the Honourable Mr Justice Hutton, who went on to become the Right Honourable Sir Brian Hutton, Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland; culminating in the House of Lords as the Lord Hutton, a Law Lord.

Lord Hutton attended the annual BHS dinner in 2011.

First published in December, 2011.

Castle Shane

THE LUCASES WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY MONAGHAN, WITH 9,955 ACRES

THOMAS LUCAS, of Saxham, Suffolk, secretary to Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford, Solicitor to HENRY VIII, married Elizabeth, daughter of R Kemys, of Raglan, Wales, and had issue,

Jasper, of Saxham;
HENRY, of whom presently;
John;
Lettice; Anne.

The second son,

HENRY LUCAS, wedded firstly, Mary, daughter of Edward Grene, of Bury St Edmunds, and had by her nine sons and two daughters.

He espoused secondly, Alice, daughter of Simon Bradock, of Horam, Suffolk, and had further issue, FRANCIS, Henry, Thomas, and Martha.

FRANCIS LUCAS, of Hollinger, near Bury St Edmunds, married Anne, daughter of _____ Munings, of Monk's Ely, Suffolk, and was father of

FRANCIS LUCAS, of Elmsett and Grunsborrow, Suffolk, who wedded Matilda, daughter of Thomas Munings, of Monk's Ely, and had two sons,

Thomas, of Colchester;
FRANCIS, of whom hereafter.

The younger son,

FRANCIS LUCAS, Cornet in the army, the first of Castle Shane, whose will was proved in 1657, wedded Mary Poyntz, and had issue,

FRANCIS;
William;
Richard;
Charles;
Lucy.

Mr Lucas was succeeded by his eldest son, 

FRANCIS LUCAS (1646-1705), of Castle Shane, High Sheriff of County Monaghan, 1673, who had issue, by Mary his wife, three sons and three daughters, namely,

FRANCIS, his heir;
EDWARD, successor to his brother;
Robert;
Anne; Lucy; Jane.

The eldest son,

FRANCIS LUCAS (1669-1746), of Castle Shane, High Sheriff of County Monaghan, 1703, MP Monaghan Borough, 1713-46, died unmarried, and was succeeded by his brother, 

EDWARD LUCAS, of Castle Shane, High Sheriff of County Monaghan, 1709, who married firstly, in 1696, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Smyth, of Drumcree, County Westmeath, and had issue,

THOMAS, predeceased his son EDWARD;
Francis;
Mary; Anne; Jane.

He wedded secondly, in 1723, Abigail, widow of the Rev William Brooke, and daughter of Thomas Handcock, of Twyford, County Westmeath.

Mr Lucas died in 1756, and was succeeded by his grandson, 

EDWARD LUCAS (1720-71), of Castle Shane, MP for Monaghan, 1761-75, High Sheriff of County Monaghan, 1752, who wedded Elizabeth, daughter of Francis Savage, of ARDKEEN, and had issue,

Francis, dsp;
Edward;
Thomas;
CHARLES, of whom presently;
William;
Robert, Lt-Col in the army;
Edward (Rev);
Mary; Alice; Abigail; Elizabeth; Hester.

The eldest surviving son,

CHARLES LUCAS (1757-96), of Castle Shane, High Sheriff of County Monaghan, 1795, a barrister, wedded firstly, in 1786, Sarah, daughter of Sir James Hamilton, Knight, of Monaghan; and secondly, Louisa, daughter of Charles Avatt, of Mount Louise.

By the former he left at his decease an only child and successor,

THE RT HON EDWARD LUCAS JP DL (1787-1871), of Castle Shane, High Sheriff of County Monaghan, 1818, MP for County Monaghan, 1834-41, Privy Counsellor, 1845, who espoused, in 1812, Anne, second daughter of William Ruxton, of Ardee House, County Louth, MP for Ardee, and had issue,

Francis, died unmarried 1846;
EDWARD WILLIAM, his heir;
Fitzherbert Dacre, father of EDWARD SCUDAMORE;
Charles Pierrepoint;
Gould Arthur;
Catherine Anne; Anna Isabella; Isabella Florinda.

Mr Lucas was succeeded by his son,

EDWARD WILLIAM LUCAS JP DL (1819-74), of Castle Shane, Lieutenant, 88th Regiment, who was succeeded by his nephew,

EDWARD SCUDAMORE LUCAS-SCUDAMORE JP DL (1853-1917), of Castle Shane, and Kentchurch Court, Hereford, High Sheriff of County Monaghan, 1879, Honorary Colonel, 4th Battalion, the King's Shropshire Light Infantry, who assumed by royal licence, in 1900, the additional surname and arms of SCUDAMORE.

Mr Lucas-Scudamore espoused, in 1900, Sybil Frances, youngest daughter of Colonel George Webber CB, and had issue,

JOHN HARFORD STANHOPE;
Geraldine Clara, b 1903.

The only son and heir,

JOHN HARFORD STANHOPE LUCAS-SCUDAMORE (1902-75), of Kentchurch Court, married, in 1947, the Lady Evelyn Scudamore-Stanhope, daughter of Edward, 12th Earl of Chesterfield, and had issue,

JOHN EDWARD STANHOPE LUCAS-SCUDAMORE, of Kentchurch Court.

The family now lives at Kentchurch Court, Herefordshire.

Rear-Admiral Charles D Lucas VC
(Image: Dictionary of Ulster Biography)

Charles David Lucas VC (1834-1914), whose family once lived at Druminargle House, Scarva, County Armagh, was the most valorous member of the Lucas family.

Druminargle is now a guest-house.

Castle Shane House (Mike Olund - Harry Manley)

CASTLE SHANE HOUSE, near the village of Castleshane, County Monaghan, replaced an earlier dwelling.

The original house on the site was constructed in 1591.

The Elizabethan or Jacobean style house was built in 1836 for the Lucas family.

Castle Shane comprised a four-storey tower with corner bartizans and a main three-storey block.

The house had three centre bays with three-sided bays to each side with mullioned windows, curvilinear gables and tall Tudor chimneys.

Castle Shane House (Buildings of Ireland)

The house was burnt in 1920 and all that remains is part of a three-storey bay window and gable end, the rest having been demolished.

There is also a much extended gate lodge and an unusual bell-cote in the walled garden.

The former demesne is now mostly gone and belongs largely to the Irish forestry commission.

First published in October, 2012.

Lady Mairi's DB4

Charles Villiers tells me about his late grandmother's green Aston Martin DB4, now in Germany.

The DB4 model was produced by Aston Martin between 1958 and 1963.

THE LADY MAIRI BURY, of Mount Stewart, County Down, youngest child of the 7th Marquess and Marchioness of Londonderry, once drove over the Alps in this grand tourer with a cine-camera mounted on the dashboard.

The resultant film was very dramatic, and his grandmother occasionally screened it after dinner at Mount Stewart.

Charles saw it a couple of times.

The Lady Mairi Bury wearing her favourite emerald green evening dress

Lady Mairi took delivery of the Aston Martin in Spring, 1960.

The further history of the car is said to be well documented, and even the original Registration Book exists.

In 2013 the car was bought by a German enthusiast.

It was extensively restored and optimized in the Aston Martin workshop.

The whole work is documented with many invoices.

Lady Mairi had a particular fondness for the colour green, and used to take her grandson, Charles, for DRIVING LESSONS along the Mount Stewart estate roads in her Rover.

First published in January, 2020.

Dunsany Castle

THE BARONS DUNSANY OWNED 3,988 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY MEATH

The family of PLUNKETT is supposed (claimed the historian Sir Richard Lodge) to be of Danish extraction.

The time of its first settlement in Ireland cannot be decidedly ascertained, but it was certainly as early as the reign of HENRY III.

It has extended into many parts of Ireland (particularly the counties of Meath, Dublin, and Louth), and three distinct peerages have been enjoyed by different branches, viz. the earldom of Fingall, and the baronies of Dunsany and Louth.

JOHN PLUNKETT, the earliest of the name on record, appears to have been seated, towards the latter end of the 11th century, at Bewley, or Beaulieu, County Louth, where he died in 1082.

From him descended another JOHN PLUNKETT, who lived in the reign of HENRY III, and had two sons, John, ancestor of the Barons Louth; and RICHARD, ancestor of the Earls of Fingall; and Baron Dunsany.

SIR CHRISTOPHER PLUNKETT, Knight, grandson of the above-named Richard, was deputy to Sir Thomas Stanley, Lord Deputy of Ireland, in 1432, and subsequently under Richard, Duke of York.

He wedded Joan, daughter and sole heir of Sir Lucas Cusack, knight, Lord of Killeen and Dunsany, by whom he had, with other children, JOHN, ancestor of the Earls of Fingall, who inherited the lordship of Killeen; and

CHRISTOPHER (1410-63), that of Dunsany, of which he was created, in 1439, BARON DUNSANY.

His lordship wedded Anne, daughter and heir of Richard FitzGerald, of Ballysonan, County Kildare, younger son of Maurice, 3rd Earl of Kildare, by whom he had four sons, and was succeeded by the eldest son,

RICHARD, 2nd Baron, who espoused Joan, daughter of Sir Rowland FitzEustace, Lord Treasurer of Ireland in 1471, and Lord High Chancellor in 1474; and was succeeded by his only son,

JOHN, 3rd Baron, KG, who married Catherine, daughter of John Hussey, feudal baron of Galtrim, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

EDWARD, 4th Baron, who was slain by the rebel O'Connor, 1521, and was succeeded by his son (by Amy, daughter and heir of Philip de Bermingham),

ROBERT, 5th Baron; one of the peers of the parliament held at Dublin, 1541, when he was ranked immediately after his kinsman, Lord Killeen.

His lordship wedded firstly, Eleanor, youngest daughter of Sir William Darcy, Knight, of Platten, vice-treasurer of Ireland, bt whom he had four sons and nine daughters.

He married secondly, Genet, daughter of William Sarsfield, alderman of Dublin, and widow of Mr Alderman Shillenford, by whom he had two other sons.

He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

CHRISTOPHER, 6th Baron, who espoused Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Christopher Barnewall, Knight, of Crickstown, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

PATRICK, 7th Baron, who married Mary, eleventh daughter of Sir Christopher Barnewall, Knight, of Turvey, and was succeeded by his only son,

CHRISTOPHER, 8th Baron, who wedded Maud, daughter of Henry Babington, of Dethick, Derbyshire; and dying in 1603, was succeeded by his only son,

PATRICK, 9th Baron (1595-1668), who received a patent of confirmation, from JAMES I, of the several castles of Dunsany, Corbally, etc.

His lordship was subsequently summoned to parliament in the reign of CHARLES I, and suffered considerably in the cause of that unfortunate prince.

A short time before 1541, the Lords Justices and supplied the lords of The Pale with arms, but suddenly recalled them, which occasioned much discontent among the Catholic peers, who, having assembled, appointed Lord Dunsany to assure the justices of their attachment and loyalty, and of their readiness to co-operate in every measure that could be conducive to the peace of the country. 

The Lords Justices, however, took no further notice of the proffered service than by confining his lordship in Dublin Castle, where he remained for several years; but on the restoration of CHARLES II, he again took his seat in the House of Lords, and continued to sit until 1666.

His lordship espoused Jane, daughter of Sir Thomas Heneage, of Haynton, Lincolnshire, and was succeeded at his decease by his grandson,

CHRISTOPHER, 10th Baron (son of the Hon Christopher Plunket, by Catherine, 4th daughter of Randal, 1st Earl of Antrim); at whose decease, unmarried, the barony devolved upon his brother,

RANDALL, 11th Baron who, adhering to the falling fortunes of his legitimate sovereign, JAMES II, was outlawed in 1691; but being included in the Treaty of Limerick, his estates were restored; neglecting, however, the forms necessary to re-establish himself in the privileges of the peerage, neither his lordship nor his immediate descendants had a seat in the House of Lords.

His lordship married firstly, Anne, widow of Theobald, 1st Earl of Carlingford, and daughter of Sir William Pershall; but by that lady had no issue.

He wedded secondly, in 1711, Bridget, only daughter of Richard Fleming, of Stahalmock, County Meath; and dying in 1735, left an only son,

EDWARD, 12th Baron (1713-81), who conformed to the established church, but took no step to confirm the barony and his right to a seat in the House of Lords.

His lordship espoused Mary, eldest daughter of Francis Allen, of St Wolstan's, County Kildare, MP for that county, and had (with two daughters) an only son,

RANDALL, 13th Baron (1739-1821), who claimed, in 1791, and was allowed his seat in parliament.

His lordship married firstly, Margaret, widow of Edward Mandeville, of Ballydine, County Tipperary, and had issue,

EDWARD WADDING, his successor;
Randall (1780-1834);
Margaret; Anna Maria.

He wedded secondly, in 1800, Emma, sister of Sir Drummond Smith Bt, of Tring Park, Hertfordshire, though had no further issue.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

EDWARD WADDING, 14th Baron (1773-1848), of Dunsany Castle, County Meath.

• Randall Edward, 15th Baron (1804-52);
• Edward, 16th Baron (1808-89);
• John William, 17th Baron (1853-99);
• Edward John Moreton Drax, 18th Baron (1878–1957);
• Randal Arthur Henry, 19th Baron (1906-99);
• Edward John Carlos, 20th Baron (1939-2011);
• Randal, 21st Baron (b 1983).

The heir presumptive is the present holder's brother, the Hon Oliver Plunkett (b 1985).

DUNSANY CASTLE, Dunsany, County Meath, is a modernised Norman castle, begun ca 1180-81 by Hugh de Lacy, who also commissioned Killeen Castle, nearby, and the famous Trim Castle.

It is possibly Ireland's oldest home in continuous occupation, having been held by the Cusack family and their descendants by marriage, the Plunketts, to the present day.

The castle is surrounded by its demesne, the inner part of the formerly extensive Dunsany estate.

The demesne holds an historic church (still consecrated), a working walled garden, a walled farm complex, an ice house, various dwellings and other features.

Dunsany Castle (NLI/Robert French)

Dunsany castle was built, probably in succession to basic "motte" fortifications, remnants of which can still be seen to the left and right in front of it, in the period 1180-1200, construction being thought to have begun in 1180-81.

Foundations and the lower parts of the four main towers are thought to be original, and some interior spaces, notably an old kitchen, but much additional work has been carried out, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the current castle is more than three times the size of the original.

The castle, along with Killeen Castle, was held by the Cusacks, initially on behalf of the de Lacys, and passed by marriage in the early 15th century to the Plunketts.

Originally, it and Killeen lay on a single estate but the first generation of Plunketts gave Killeen to the eldest son, and Dunsany to the younger, Christopher, following which the estate was divided, and the Castle descended in the hands of the Barons of Dunsany, who enjoyed almost uninterrupted ownership, aside from issues around Oliver Cromwell's operations in Ireland (the then Lady Dunsany defended the castle against an initial approach but the family were later forced out, some dying on the way to Connaught), and the aftermath of some other troubles between Ireland and England.

They were cousins of St Oliver Plunket.

The Dunsany estate was reduced by the operation of the Irish Land Acts in the late 19th and early 20th century, but the castle is still surrounded by its original demesne, and other estate lands remain around the district, some adjacent to the demesne and some remote.

Much of the work of the writer Lord Dunsany (18th Baron) was done at the Castle, notably in a room in one of the building's towers.

Dunsany Castle is entered through a projecting porch and a lobby with a worked plaster ceiling, which opens into the central hallway, featuring the principal stairway and a vaulted ceiling, and into a secondary hall.

Dunsany Castle (NLI/Robert French)

The ground floor holds the grand dining-room, with portraits of past family members, and a fine arts and crafts billiards-room, as well as kitchen spaces, ancient and modern, and other rooms.

On the first floor are the library, and drawing-room, which has Stapleton plasterwork from 1780.

The library, which may have been worked on by James Shiel, is in the Gothic-Revival style, with a "beehive" ceiling.

Also on this floor is a secondary stairway (where a "priest's hole" for hiding Catholic ministers formerly existed). The third floor holds ornate bedrooms.

The demesne is surrounded by a drystone wall, much of which was built during the Great Famine as a relief work.

There is a full-scale walled garden, over three acres in size, still producing fruit and vegetables for the estate.

A cottage, historically occupied by the head gardener, is built into the walls of the garden.

Nearby are working beehives.

Also within the demesne are stone-built farm and stable yards, an ice-house and wells.

There is a home within the stable yard, and at least one ruined cottage near the walls. 

Rock House

THE CLIVES WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY MAYO, WITH 35,000 ACRES 

The family of CLIVE is descended from Robert Clive, of Styche, Shropshire.

GEORGE CLIVE JP DL (1805-80), of Ballycroy, County Mayo, and of Perrystone Court, Herefordshire, MP for Hereford, third son of Edward Clive, of Whitfield, wedded, in 1835, Ann Sybella Martha, second daughter of Sir Thomas Harvie Farquhar Bt, and had issue,

EDWARD HENRY, his heir;
Archer Anthony (1842-77), Barrister;
Charles Farquhar;
Sybella Harriet; Kathleen.

The eldest son,

GENERAL EDWARD HENRY CLIVE JP DL (1837-1916), of Perrystone Court and Ballycroy, wedded, in 1867, Isabel, daughter of Daniel Hale Webb, and had issue,

GEORGE SYDNEY, his heir;
Edward Archer Bolton;
Richard Alfred;
Henry Ambrose;
Sybil Mary; Isabel Kathleen; Laura Cicely; Judith Evelyn.

General Clive's eldest son,

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR GEORGE SIDNEY CLIVE GCVO KCB CMG DSO (1874-1959), died following a catastrophic fire at the family residence, Perrystone Court, in 1959.

The Clives of Ballycroy, as they subsequently became known, distinguished themselves as parliamentarians and soldiers.

They were cousins of the celebrated Robert Clive of India.

In the vicinity of Rock House, George Clive, who acquired the estate, planted approximately 72 acres of forest, including walkways leading from The Rock House to the sea and rivers on the property.

The forest, now beautifully matured, consists of some unique species, e.g., Austrian Pine, Spanish Chest Nut, etc., some of whom were reportedly supplied by Clive of India and delivered by train to the nearby Mulranny Station.

In 1982 Jacques Maillet and his son Jean Claude established Tucson Investments, having an 80% and 20% ownership respectively.

In 1986 they purchased Rock House in Ballycroy and some 300 acres consisting of woodlands, blanket bog, non-agricultural land, stretches of the Owenduff and Ballyveeney rivers and shooting rights to approximately 32,000 acres in West Mayo.

The Maillets have already made an investment of €600,000 in the refurbishment of Rock House and nearby lodge, converting both to high quality accommodation for paying guests.

Rock House has now become an established tourist destination.

First published in July, 2012.

The Bar Hall Acquisition

SELECTIVE ACQUISITIONS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

PROPERTY: Bar Hall Lands, near Portaferry, County Down

DATE: 1986-2003

EXTENT: 104.90 acres

DONOR: Mrs McClelland

First published in February, 2015.

Castle Morres House

THE DE MONTMORENCYS OWNED 4,808 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY KILKENNY

MAJOR HERVEY RANDALL SAVILLE PRATT DL (1782-1859), third son of the Rev Joseph Pratt, of CABRA CASTLE, County Cavan, by the Hon Sarah de Montmorency his wife, daughter of Harvey, 1st Viscount Mountmorres, of Castle Morres, County Kilkenny, High Sheriff of County Kilkenny, 1836, wedded, in 1811, Rose Lloyd, daughter of the Rt Rev John Kearney, Lord Bishop of Ossory, and had issue,

JOHN, his heir;
Joseph;
Hervey Mervyn;
Raymond;
Anne Sarah; Letitia; Elizabeth; Sarah; Fanny.

Mr Pratt, who, upon the death of his father, succeeded his mother in the Kilkenny estates, which she and her sister, the Marchioness of Antrim, had jointly inherited as co-heirs of their brother Hervey Redmond, 2nd Viscount Mountmorres.

He assumed, in 1831, the surname and arms of DE MONTMORENCY.

Mr de Montmorency was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN PRATT DE MONTMORENCY (1815-68), of Castle Morres, who married, in 1838, Henrietta O'Grady, daughter of Standish, 1st Viscount Guillamore, and had issue,

HERVEY JOHN, his heir;
WALLER, successor to his brother;
Mervyn Standish, barrister;
Raymond Oliver;
Katherine Maria; Rose Emily.

Mr de Montmorency was succeeded by his eldest son,

HERVEY JOHN DE MONTMORENCY JP (1840-73), of Castle Morres, High Sheriff of County Kilkenny, 1872, late 2nd Dragoon Guards, who espoused, in 1867, Grace, daughter of Sir Thomas Fraser Grove Bt, of Ferne, Wiltshire, leaving issue, a daughter, Henrietta Kathleen.

He was succeeded by his brother,

THE VEN WALLER DE MONTMORENCY JP (1841-1924), of Castle Morres, Archdeacon of Ossory, who wedded, in 1872, Mary, daughter of the Rt Rev James Thomas O'Brien, Lord Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin, and had issue,

JOHN PRATT, his heir;
Geoffey FitzHervey, b 1876.

The Archdeacon was succeeded by his elder son,

CAPTAIN JOHN PRATT DE MONTMORENCY CMG DL RN (1873-1960), High Sheriff of County Kilkenny, 1921, who espoused firstly, in 1908, Margaret Elinor, eldest daughter of Colonel Samuel Pym; and secondly, in 1934, Norah, daughter of Colonel Mervyn de Montmorency, by whom he had issue,

Jane Avril, b 1936;
Sarah Anne, 1943-97.

CASTLE MORRES, Kilmaganny, County Kilkenny, was a splendid mid-18th century mansion by Francis Binden.

It comprised three storeys over a basement, with a nine-bay front.

There were single wings on either side of the centre block.

There was a three-bay central break-front with quoins and a rusticated ground floor.

The roof parapet had balustrades.

A balustraded perron and double stairway led to the doorway, which had Ionic columns and pediment.

There was a magnificent black marble chimney-piece in the hall, resplendent with a military trophy under a scroll pediment; and an eagle spreading its wings above.

Captain John Pratt de Montmorency sold Castle Morres to the Irish Land Commission in 1926.

In the 1930s its roof was removed; and the once great mansion house suffered its ultimate fate in 1978 when it was demolished.

First published in March, 2016.

Castletown House

THE CONOLLYS OWNED 2,605 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY KILDARE

THE RT HON WILLIAM CONOLLY (1662-1729), of Castletown, Speaker of the House of Commons in Ireland during the reign of QUEEN ANNE, First Lord of the Treasury until his decease during the reign of GEORGE II, and ten times sworn one of the Lords Justices of Ireland, espoused, in 1694, Katherine, sister of HENRY, 1ST EARL CONYNGHAM, by whom he acquired large estates in Ulster.

Speaker Conolly was born in 1662 at Ballyshannon, County Donegal. 

His father, Patrick Conolly, was attainted by JAMES II's Irish Parliament of 1689: otherwise little is known of Patrick Conolly and his wife, Jane, except that they owned an inn or alehouse and must have conformed to the established church at some stage before Conolly's birth. 

Old Irish Christian names like Terence, Phelim and Thady, predominate among his relatives. Conolly appears to have been the oldest of the family, and was early apprenticed to the law in Dublin. 

In 1685, when his sister Jane was only one year old, he was already qualified as an attorney and attached to the Court of Common Pleas.

Speaker Conolly, MP for Donegal, 1692-9, Londonderry, 1703-29, was succeeded by his nephew,

THE RT HON WILLIAM JAMES CONOLLY (1706-54), of Castletown, County Kildare, and Stratton Hall, Staffordshire, who married the Lady Anne Wentworth, eldest daughter of THOMAS, 1ST EARL OF STRAFFORD KG, son of Sir Peter Wentworth, and nephew of Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford (who was beheaded in the reign of CHARLES I), and had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
Katherine, m Ralph, Earl of Ross;
Anne, m G Byng; mother of Earl of Strafford;
Harriet, m Rt Hon John Staples, of Lissan;
Frances, m 5th Viscount Howe;
Caroline, m 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire;
Lucy; Jane.

Mr Conolly, MP for Ballyshannon, 1727-54, was succeeded by his son,

THE RT HON THOMAS CONOLLY (1738-1803), of Castletown, a member, like his father, of the Privy Council in Ireland, one of the deputation appointed by the Irish Parliament to offer the Regency to the Prince of Wales, on the first indisposition of GEORGE III.

Mr Conolly, MP for County Londonderry, 1761-1800, wedded, in 1758, the Lady Louisa Augusta Lennox, daughter of Charles, 2nd Duke of Richmond and Lennox, KG etc, and dsp.

By his will he devised his estates to his widow for life, and at her death, which occurred in 1821, they devolved upon his grand-nephew,

EDWARD MICHAEL PAKENHAM, who, assuming his surname and arms of CONOLLY in 1821, became

EDWARD MICHAEL CONOLLY (1786-1849), of Castletown, County Kildare, and Cliff, County Donegal, Lieutenant-Colonel, Donegal Militia, MP for County Donegal, 1831-49, who espoused, in 1819, Catherine Jane, daughter of Chambré Brabazon Ponsonby-Barker, by the Lady Henrietta Taylour his wife, daughter of Thomas, Earl of Bective, and had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
Chambré Brabazon, d 1835;
Frederick William Edward, d 1826;
Arthur Wellesley, 1828-54;
John Augustus, VC;
Richard, d 1870;
Louisa Augusta; Henrietta; Mary Margaret; Frances Catherine.

Mr Conolly was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS CONOLLY JP DL (1823-76), of Castletown and Cliff, High Sheriff of County Donegal, 1848, MP for County Donegal, 1849-76, who married, in 1868, Sarah Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Shaw, of Temple House, Celbridge, County Kildare, and had issue,

Thomas (1870-1900), killed in action at S Africa;
William, 1872-95;
EDWARD MICHAEL, of whom hereafter;
CATHERINE, Baroness Carew, mother of 6th BARON CAREW.

Mr Conolly was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

EDWARD MICHAEL CONOLLY CMG (1874-1956), of Castletown, Major, Royal Artillery, who died unmarried, when Castletown passed to his nephew,

William Francis (Conolly-Carew), 6th Baron Carew.

The Conolly Papers are held at PRONI.

CASTLETOWN HOUSE, near Celbridge, County Kildare, is not only the largest, though also the earliest Palladian house in Ireland.

It was built in 1722 for the Rt Hon William Conolly, Speaker of the Irish house of commons, who rose from relatively humble origins to become a man of colossal wealth and power.

Speaker Conolly accumulated his massive fortune by dealing in forfeited estates.

He refused to accept a peerage, preferring instead to remain, like his descendants, as plain "Mr Conolly of Castletown".

He desired a residence within easy reach of Dublin, and purchased land near Celbridge, County Kildare, in order to build the grandest, finest Palladian house in Ireland.

Castletown was designed by the Italian architect, Alessandro Galilei and also partly by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce.

It is said that Castletown's design was an influence on that of The White House in Washington DC, USA (built between 1792 and 1800).

The main block comprises three storeys over a basement, with thirteen bays.

The centre block is joined by curved, Ionic colonnades to two-storey, seven-bay wings.

The entrance hall, designed by Pearce, rises to two storeys.

Lady Louisa Conolly (daughter of 2nd Duke of Richmond and sister of Emily, Duchess of Leinster) and her husband, Tom Conolly, employed the Francini brothers to embellish the walls of the staircase hall with rococo stucco-work.

The refurbishment of the house was mostly supervised by Lady Louisa (notably the Print Room, and the magnificent Long Gallery on the first floor).

The Long Gallery

Lady Louisa had the Long Gallery (eighty feet in length and one of the most beautiful rooms in Ireland) decorated with wall paintings in the Pompeian style by Thomas Riley in 1776.

The Long Gallery and other principal rooms face the garden front and a two-mile long vista to the Conolly Folly, an obelisk elevated on arches erected by Speaker Conolly's widow in 1740.

This obelisk stands on ground belonging to the Earls of Kildare (later Dukes of Leinster) at Carton House.

The Conolly Folly

The Print Room was conceived by Lady Louisa in the 1760s, likely with assistance from her close friends, probably as a diversion on rainy days.

The Print Room

The Conolly family continued to own Castletown until 1965.

In 1967, it was purchased by the Hon Desmond Guinness for £93,000 as the GHQ of the Irish Georgian Society.

Thereafter, Castletown was restored, and in 1994 it was transferred to the Irish government's Department of Public works.

The Conollys owned 22,736 acres of land in County Donegal, and 1,512 acres in County Dublin.

Former estates ~ The manors of Castletown and Leixlip, in County Kildare; of Rathfarnham, in County Dublin; of Ballyshannon and Parkhill, in County Donegal; besides estates in County Roscommon and the King's County, all purchased by His Excellency the Rt Hon William Conolly, Speaker of the House of Commons in Ireland, and Lord Justice of Ireland.

Former London residence ~ 20 Grosvenor Square.

First published in March, 2016.

New DL

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY LIEUTENANT

Mr Gawn Rowan-Hamilton, Lord-Lieutenant of County Down, has been pleased to appoint:-

Mrs Susan Shirley Cunningham
Belfast

To be a Deputy Lieutenant of the County her Commission bearing date the 1st day of January, 2022.

Lord Lieutenant of the County

Culdaff House

THE YOUNGS OWNED 7,989 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DONEGAL

THE REV ROBERT YOUNG (1610-82), who was ordained by the RT REV ANDREW KNOX, Lord Bishop of Raphoe in 1632, instituted Rector of Clonca, 1640, and of Culdaff, 1661, is supposed to have gone over to Ulster from Devon, under the auspices of the DONEGALL family, the parishes to which he was instituted being in the gift of the Chichesters.

His son,

THE REV ROBERT YOUNG (1640-1706), Rector of Culdaff and Clonca, 1668, married firstly, about 1667, Anne Cary, and had issue (with five daughters), two sons,

Robert, born 1673;

Thomas, born 1675.

He wedded secondly, in 1679, Elizabeth Hart, of Kilderry, by whom he had further issue, one son, GEORGE, and four daughters.

His son by his second wife,

GEORGE YOUNG (1680-1729), espoused, in 1702, Elizabeth, sister of the Rev Daniel McLaughlin, Rector of Errigal, leaving, with other issue, an elder son,

ROBERT YOUNG (1703-47), who married, in 1731, Hatton, daughter of Alderman Thomas Hart, of the City of Londonderry, and had issue,

Robert;

Thomas;

Gardiner;

GEORGE, of whom hereafter;

Mary; Elizabeth (m Rev J Harvey, of MALIN HALL).

The youngest son,

GEORGE YOUNG (1731-89), of Culdaff, High Sheriff of County Donegal, 1766, wedded, in 1760, Rebecca Lamy (of French origin and almost related to the Croftons, Whalleys, and other Dublin families), and had issue,

John;

Thomas;

ROBERT, of whom presently;

George;

Ralph;

Hatton; Rebecca (m her cousin, Rev E Harvey); Susan; Elizabeth; Anne.

The third son,

ROBERT YOUNG (1764-1824), of Culdaff, espoused, in 1790, Marcia, daughter of George Nesbitt, of Woodhill, County Donegal, and had issue,

GEORGE, his heir;

Robert James;

James William;

Catherine, m REV EDWARD CHICHESTER; Marcia; Anne.

Mr young was succeeded by his eldest son,

GEORGE YOUNG JP DL (1792-1877), of Culdaff House, who married, in 1832, Mary Anne, eldest daughter of John Ffolliott, of Hollybrook, County Sligo, and had issue,

ROBERT GEORGE, his heir;

Frances.

Mr young was succeeded by his only son,

ROBERT GEORGE YOUNG JP (1834-1912), who wedded, in 1858, Letitia, youngest daughter of the Rev Robert Stavely, of St Munchin's, Limerick, and had issue,

GEORGE LAWRENCE, his heir;

Robert Stavely;

Henry Crofton;

John Ffolliott;

Mary Anne; Frances Sarah.

Mr Young was succeeded by his eldest son,

GEORGE LAWRENCE YOUNG JP (1859-1926), of Millmount, Randalstown, County Antrim, and Caratra Lodge, Culdaff, County Donegal, High Sheriff of County Donegal, 1914, who espoused, in 1883, Annie, youngest daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Gardiner Harvey, of Islandnahoe, County Antrim, and had issue,

ROBERT CHICHESTER, his heir;

George Neville Gardiner (1893-1915, killed in action);

Guy Owen Lawrence, b 1896;

Rosetta Mary, b 1884 (died an infant); Dorothy Gage, b 1889.

The eldest son,

ROBERT CHICHESTER YOUNG (1887-1941), of Culdaff, County Donegal, and Ballymena, County Antrim, married Amy Isabel Stuart, and had issue,

GEORGE STUART (1914-71);

Olive Margaret Lawrence.

The only son,

GEORGE STUART YOUNG (1914-71), sold Culdaff estate to his sister,

OLIVE MARGARET LAWRENCE YOUNG.

Culdaff House (Image: Buildings of Ireland website)

CULDAFF HOUSE, near Moville, County Donegal, is a three-storey Georgian house of 1779,  built for George young.

It was burnt by the IRA in 1922; and rebuilt four years later, in 1926.

The house was re-modelled about 1950, when the original frontage was removed and a service wing was converted into main accommodation.

Culdaff House pre-1922 (NLI, Robert French, Lawrence Collection)

The Buildings of Ireland website remarks:-

"This fine house was originally built by George Young in 1779."

"It probably replaced an earlier Young house or houses in the area as Robert Young first came to this area in 1640 as rector of Culdaff Parish."

"The Young family remained in ownership of the estate until into the twentieth century."

"In 1856 the then owner of the estate, George Young, had amassed an estate of some 10,500 acres with an annual income of over £3,000."

Robert Chichester Young inherited Culdaff in 1926, and his son, George Stuart Young, inherited Culdaff in 1941; and sold Culdaff to his sister, Olive Margaret Lawrence Winton, ca 1945 (funded by her inheritance from her first husband, Thomas Stanley Winton).

Olive's second child, George Mills (b 1952), from her second marriage in 1950 to Angus Mills (foreman of the Culdaff estate, who saw Culdaff House burn as a 14 year-old farm hand in 1922) is the current owner of Culdaff.