Virginia Park

THE MARQUESSES OF HEADFORT WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY MEATH, WITH 7,544 ACRES

THEY OWNED 14,220 ACRES IN COUNTY CAVAN AND 12,851 ACRES IN WESTMORLAND

THOMAS TAYLOR, of Ringmer, Sussex, died in 1629, and was succeeded by his son,

JOHN TAYLOR, of Battle, Sussex, who died in 1638, leaving an only son,

THOMAS TAYLOR,

Who removed to Ireland, in 1653, in the train of Sir William Petty, in order to undertake the Down Survey, in which kingdom, he purchased lands in 1660, of which the town and townlands of Kells formed a portion, having disposed of his estates in England. 

After the Restoration, he was appointed one of the sub-commissioners of the court of claims. In 1669-70, he was deputy receiver-general under Sir George Carteret, and immediately before his death he officiated as vice-treasurer and treasurer-at-war.

Mr Taylor married, in 1658, Anne, daughter of William Axtell, of Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, and had one surviving son, THOMAS, his heir, and one daughter, Anne, married to Sir Nicholas Acheson Bt.

He died in 1682, and was succeeded by his son,

THE RT HON THOMAS TAYLOR (1662-1736), who was created a baronet, 1704, designated of Kells, County Meath, and sworn of the Privy Council in 1726.

Sir Thomas wedded Anne, daughter of Sir Robert Cotton Bt, of Combermere, and had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
Robert (Very Rev), Dean of Clonfert;
Henry;
James;
Henrietta; Salisbury; Anne.

Sir Thomas was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON SIR THOMAS TAYLOR (1657-96), 2nd Baronet, MP for Maidstone, 1689-96, Privy Counsellor, who married Mary, daughter of John Graham, of Platten, County Meath, and left, with a daughter, Henrietta, an only son, 

THE RT HON SIR THOMAS TAYLOR, 3rd Baronet (1724-95), KP, MP for Kells, 1747-60, who wedded, in 1754, Jane, eldest daughter of the Rt Hon Hercules Langford Rowley, by Elizabeth, Viscountess Langford, and had issue,

THOMAS, his successor;
Robert, a general in the army;
Clotworthy, created Baron Langford;
Henry Edward, in holy orders;
Henrietta.

Sir Thomas was elevated to the peerage, in 1760, in the dignity of Baron Headfort; and advanced to a viscountcy, in 1762, as Viscount Headfort.

His lordship was further advanced, in 1766, to the dignity of an earldom, as Earl of Bective.

In 1783 he was installed as a Founder Knight of St Patrick (KP), and sworn of the Privy Council of Ireland.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS, 2nd Earl (1757-1829), who espoused, in 1778, Mary, only daughter and heir of George Quin, of Quinsborough, County Clare, and had issue,

THOMAS, his successor;
George;
Mary; Elizabeth Jane.

His lordship was created, in 1800, MARQUESS OF HEADFORT.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS, 2nd Marquess (1787-1870), KP, MP for County Meath, 1812-29, Lord Lieutenant of County Cavan, 1831-70, who wedded firstly, in 1822, Olivia, daughter of Sir John Stevenson, and had issue,

THOMAS, his successor;
Robert;
John Henry;
Olivia; Mary Juliana; Virginia Frances Zerlina.

His lordship espoused secondly, in 1853, Frances, daughter of John Livingstone Martyn.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS, 3rd Marquess, KP PC (1822-94), High Sheriff of County Meath, 1844, Cavan, 1846, who espoused firstly, in 1842, Amelia, only child of William Thompson MP, and had issue,

Thomas;
Evelyn Amelia; Madeline Olivia Susan; Adelaide Louisa Jane; Isabel Frances; Florence Jane.

He married secondly, in 1875, Emily Constantia, daughter of the Hon Eustace John Wilson-Patten, and had further issue,

GEOFFREY THOMAS, his successor;
Beatrix.

His lordship was succeeded by his surviving son,

GEOFFREY THOMAS, 4th Marquess (1878-1943), a Senator of the Irish Free State, 1922-28, who wedded, in 1901, Rose, daughter of Charles Boote, and had issue,

TERENCE GEOFFREY THOMAS, his successor;
William Desmond;
Millicent Olivia Mary.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

TERENCE GEOFFREY THOMAS, 5th Marquess (1902-60),

• Geoffrey Thomas Taylour, 4th Marquess (1878–1943);
• Terence Geoffrey Thomas Taylour, 5th Marquess (1902–60);
• Thomas Geoffrey Charles Michael Taylour, 6th Marquess (1932–2005);
• Thomas Michael Ronald Christopher Taylour, 7th Marquess (b 1959).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, Thomas Rupert Charles Christopher Taylour, styled Earl of Bective (b 1989).

The Taylour family became very much involved in the political life of the locality, and several members of the family served as MPs for Kells and the county of Meath.


They were also a "Patrick Family", the 1st Earl, and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Marquesses all having been appointed Knights of St Patrick.

His seat, Headfort House, in County Meath, was the only Adam house in Ireland.

In 1901 the 4th Marquess, an eminent horticulturist, caused a sensation when he converted to Rome to marry a showgirl called Rosie Boote.

A figure of great dignity, she remained the dominant personality in the family during young Michael's youth and early adult life.

Virginia, in the county of Cavan, was named after ELIZABETH I, "the Virgin Queen".

It owes its origin to the plantation of Ulster in 1609.

The lands eventually passed into the possession of Lucas Plunkett, Earl of Bective, a Roman Catholic, who was later created Earl of Fingall.

It can also be said that Lucas Plunkett, along with his son Christopher, frustrated the plans of the Government to proceed with the development of the town and its incorporation during his tenure.

He was sympathetic to the rebel Irish and sided with them against the planters during the 1641 Rebellion and the Williamite Wars of 1688-91, earning him the label of 'traitor'.

Consequently it fell to Thomas, 1st Marquess of Headfort, and his successors, to fulfil the patent in relation to the development of the town in the second half of the 18th century and 19th century - the patent which was originally granted to Captain Ridgeway in 1612.

Lord Headfort maintained a beautiful park beside Lough Ramor, where he had a hunting lodge (above) in plain, rambling, Picturesque cottage style; a two-storey house with a three-bay centre and single-storey, three-bay wings.

The family often stayed here during the summer or autumn months, between 1750 and 1939.

The former hunting lodge, located on the shore of Lough Ramor, is now a hotel, Virginia Park Lodge.

First published in July, 2011. 

New Vice Lord-Lieutenant

APPOINTMENT OF VICE LORD-LIEUTENANT

Dame Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle DBE, Lord-Lieutenant of the County Borough of Belfast, with the approval of His Majesty The King, has been pleased to appoint:-

Dr Robert Alan Logan DL
Belfast

Vice Lord-Lieutenant for the said County Borough, his Commission bearing date the 19th day of March 2023


Signed: Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle DBE DStJ LLD (Hon QUB)

Lord-Lieutenant of the County Borough of Belfast

Hillsborough Painting

Photo Credit ~ Historic Royal Palaces

Art UK is a marvellous resource.

I was searching for a painting recently and came across Hillsborough Guard with a Horse.

The artist is unknown.

In the background we can see the spire of the parish church and Hillsborough Fort.

The 210 foot spire of St Malachy's was erected in 1773.

First published in February, 2019.

Edermine House

THE POWER BARONETS, OF EDERMINE, WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WEXFORD, WITH 10,205 ACRES

JAMES POWER, an innkeeper, Proprietor of the New Sun Inn, 109, Thomas Street, Dublin, established a distillery for the production of whiskey at his premises in 1791.

The site selected by Mr Power was in the suburbs of Dublin, just outside the city walls, upon a plot of ground formerly known as the Friary Gardens of St John, adjacent to Wormwood (Ormond) Gate, the principal western entrance to the city, and was the property of the Countess of Charleville, by whom it was leased to James Power, by indenture bearing date 29th September, 1785.

James Power continued to extend the distillery until his death in 1817.

He was buried in St James's churchyard, Dublin.

Mr Power was succeeded by his son,

JOHN POWER JP DL (1771-1855), of Roebuck House, County Dublin, and Sampton, County Wexford, who married, in 1799, Mary, eldest daughter of Thomas Brenann, County Wexford, and had issue,

JAMES, his successor;
Mary; Catherine; Margaret; Elizabeth; Emily; Ellen.

Mr Power was created a baronet in 1841, designated of Edermine, County Wexford.

He was succeeded by his only son,

SIR JAMES POWER, 2nd Baronet, JP DL (1800-77), MP for County Wexford, 1835-47, High Sheriff of County Wexford, 1849, Dublin City, 1859, who married, in 1843, Jane Anne Eliza, daughter and co-heiress of John Hyacinth Talbot DL MP, of Castle Talbot, County Wexford, and had issue,

JOHN TALBOT, his successor;
JAMES TALBOT, 5th Baronet;
THOMAS TALBOT, 6th Baronet;
Mary Jane; Gwendoline Anna Eliza; Francis Mary Ursula.

Sir James, Governor of the Bank of Ireland, Chairman, Dublin, Wicklow & Wexford Railway, and, for many years, Commissioner for Charitable Bequests in Ireland, was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN TALBOT POWER, 3rd Baronet, JP DL (1845-1901), of Edermine, County Wexford, MP for County Wexford, 1868-74, High Sheriff of County Wexford, 1880, who espoused, in 1876, Frances Emma, daughter of Captain Henry Segrave, of Kiltymon, County Wicklow, and had issue,

JAMES DOUGLAS TALBOT, his successor;
Eileen Maréli.

Sir John was succeeded by his only son,

SIR JAMES DOUGLAS TALBOT POWER, 4th Baronet (1884-1914), of Edermine, Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, who died unmarried, and was succeeded by his uncle,

SIR JAMES TALBOT POWER, 5th Baronet, DP DL (1851-1916), High Sheriff of County Dublin, 1906, who married, in 1877, Gertrude Frances, only child of Thomas Hayes, of Grenville House, Cork.

Sir James dsp 1916, and was succeeded by his brother,

SIR THOMAS TALBOT POWER, 6th Baronet (1863-1930), who wedded, in 1884, Margaret, daughter of Thomas S Martin, of Beaufield, Stillorgan, County Dublin.

Sir Thomas died without issue, when the title expired.

THE last member of the Board of Power's whiskey with a family connection was Sir Thomas Talbot Power Bt.

Ownership remained in the family until 1966, when Power's joined with the only other remaining distillers in the Irish Republic, the Cork Distillers Company, and their Dublin rivals, John Jameson & Son, to form the Irish Distillers Group.

In 1989, Pernod-Ricard successfully bid for ownership of the Irish Distillers.

Photo credit:  The Rev Canon Patrick Comerford

EDERMINE HOUSE, near Enniscorthy, County Wexford, is a two-storey Italianate house, built about 1839 for the Power family.

It has an eaved roof on a bracket cornice and a three-bay front with a pillared porch.

There is a five-bay side elevation with a central Venetian window, recessed in a huge blind arch.

The interior is Grecian, with fluted Doric columns in the hall; paired Ionic columns and pilasters on the staircase landing.

A Gothic chapel was later built at one side of the house, to designs by Pugin, a family friend.

This chapel was originally free-standing, though was later joined to the house by an extension to the rear which includes a small Italianate campanile.

Photo credit:  The Rev Canon Patrick Comerford

Adjacent to the chapel is a splendid, early Victorian iron conservatory, joined to the chapel by a cast-iron veranda.

First published in February, 2013.

St Patrick's Day

The Princess of Wales presenting shamrock to the Irish Guards on St Patrick's Day, 2012. 

Her Royal Highness visited their barracks to meet officers and soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the regiment.

This tradition was maintained for many years by Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1900-2002).

The Princess of Wales is Royal Colonel of the Irish Guards.

The royal tradition dates back to 1901, when Queen Alexandra asked for shamrocks to be presented to the newly-formed regiment.

The badge of the Irish Guards comprises a star, within which is a shamrock with three crowns on its leaves (the historic kingdoms of England, Ireland and Scotland), the shamrock being placed on a cross of St Patrick.

The centre is surrounded by a circle which bears the legend QUIS SEPARABIT - who shall separate - and the date MDCCLXXXIII (1783), the establishment of the MOST ILLUSTRIOUS ORDER OF ST PATRICK (KP).

House of Chichester

The surname of the house of DONEGALL was written Cirencester, and the family appears to have been one of the most eminent in Devon; quartering, according to Sir William Pole, in his manuscript survey of Devon, the arms of the Raleighs; the Beaumonts; the Willingtons; and many other noble families. JOHN CHICHESTER, during the reign of HENRY VI, married Thomasine, daughter and heir of Sir John de Raleigh, and acquired with her the estate of Raleigh, long the residence of the family.

Sixth in descent from Sir John was

EDWARD CHICHESTER (c1496-c1526), who wedded the Lady Elizabeth Bourchier, daughter of John, 1st Earl of Bath, and was father of

SIR JOHN CHICHESTER (c1520-68), of Great Torrington, Youlston and Raleigh, Devon, who, in the reign of ELIZABETH I, represented Barnstaple and Devon in Parliament.

He espoused Gertrude, daughter of Sir William Courtenay, of Powderham, and had issue,

John, ancestor of Sir Arthur Chichester Bt, of Raleigh;

Adrian, died unmarried in France;

John (Sir), Governor of Carrickfergus;

ARTHUR, of whom hereafter;

EDWARD, succeeded to his brother's estates.

The first of the family settled in Ireland was SIR ARTHUR CHICHESTER, Knight, a distinguished military officer.

This gentleman was the second son of Sir John Chichester, Knight, High Sheriff of Devon in 1550, MP for Devon, 1554 and 1563, by Gertrude, daughter of Sir William Courtenay, Knight, of Powderham Castle, Devon. 

In 1595, Sir Arthur commanded two hundred foot-soldiers at Carrickfergus; and at the end of November, in the following year, being garrisoned at that place, laid all the country waste within a circumference of twenty miles. 

In 1603, he was sworn of the privy council; and, in 1605, appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland. Sir Arthur, in consideration of his eminent services, military and civil, obtained considerable grants of land in the province of Ulster, and was elevated to the peerage, in 1612, in the dignity of Baron Chichester, of Belfast. 

His lordship continued in the government of Ireland for ten years successively, and was re-appointed in July, 1613; in which year the harp of Ireland was first marshalled with the arms of England; and thereafter continued to be impressed upon the coin of the realm. In 1615, he retired from his high office, and was appointed, in 1616, Lord High Treasurer of Ireland. 

His lordship chiefly resided at Carrickfergus, where he erected, in 1618, a magnificent mansion called Joymount. In 1622, he went as ambassador to the Palatinate, and thence to treat of a peace with the emperor. 

His lordship married Letitia, daughter of Sir John Perrott, sometime Lord Deputy of Ireland, and died in London in 1625, when leaving no issue, the barony expired, while his large estates devolved upon his brother,

SIR EDWARD CHICHESTER (1568-1648), in whose favour the dignity was revived, in 1625, with the additional honour of Viscount Chichester, of Carrickfergus.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son, 

ARTHUR, 2nd Viscount (1606-75), MP for County Antrim in 1630, who, in consideration of his eminent services against the rebels, when Colonel Chichester, and at the express solicitation of the Marquess of Ormonde, had been elevated to the peerage as EARL OF DONEGALL.

His lordship was one of the four hostages sent by Lord Ormonde, in 1647, to the English parliament, as surety for the delivery of Dublin to their commissioners.

After the Restoration, he was Governor of Carrickfergus.

Having had no issue from his marriages, the 1st Earl died in 1675, when his honours devolved upon his nephew,  

ARTHUR, 2nd Earl, who married Jane, daughter of John Itchingham, of Dunbrody, County Wexford, and was succeeded upon his death, in 1678, by his eldest son,

ARTHUR, 3rd Earl (1666-1706), who, having distinguished himself in the military service of his own country, was appointed, by the Prince of Hesse, in 1704, major-general of the Spanish forces; and fell, in 1706, at Fort Montjuich.

His lordship's second wife was the Lady Catherine Forbes; and by this lady he had two sons and six daughters; three of the latter, Jane, Frances and Henrietta, were unfortunately burnt to death in Belfast Castle, consumed by the carelessness of a servant.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

ARTHUR, 4th Earl (1695-1757); upon whose demise without issue, the honours devolved upon his nephew,

ARTHUR, 5th Earl (1739-99), who was created, in 1790, Baron Fisherwick, of Staffordshire.

His lordship was advanced, in 1791, to the dignities of Earl of Belfast and MARQUESS OF DONEGALL.

• Arthur Chichester, 1st Marquess (1739–99);
• George Augustus Chichester, 2nd Marquess (1769–1844);
• George Hamilton Chichester, 3rd Marquess (1797–1883);
• Edward Chichester, 4th Marquess (1799–1889);
• George Augustus Hamilton Chichester, 5th Marquess (1822–1904);
• Edward Arthur Donald St George Hamilton Chichester, 6th Marquess (1903-75);
• Dermot Richard Claud Chichester, 7th Marquess (1916–2007);
• Arthur Patrick Chichester, 8th Marquess (b 1952).

The heir apparent is the present holder's only son James Arthur Chichester, styled Earl of Belfast (b 1990).

The seats of the 2nd Marquess were Ormeau and Hay Park, County Down, and Fisherwick Lodge, County Antrim.

First published in January, 2012.

New Vice Lord-Lieutenant

APPOINTMENT OF VICE LORD-LIEUTENANT

Mr Ian Crowe MBE, Lord-Lieutenant of the County Borough of Londonderry, with the approval of His Majesty The King, has been pleased to appoint:-

Mr Alan John Lindsay Moore OBE TD DL
Londonderry
County Londonderry

Vice Lord-Lieutenant for the said County Borough, his Commission bearing date the 7th day of March, 2023

Lord-Lieutenant of the County Borough