3 Kinnegar Road

Here is an establishment I have spent many happy hours in, ever since I've been old enough to enjoy a dram or two.

It is now the Dirty Duck Ale House.

The Dirty Duck is situated at the corner of Kinnegar Avenue and Kinnegar Road, at the esplanade in the garrison town of Holywood in County Down.

It enjoys a fine prospect overlooking Belfast Lough.

My father played here during his childhood at the rickety wooden jetty with his chums.

They swam and sailed in dinghies.

This licensed premises has changed its name five times.

Click to Enlarge

It was first opened as the Kinnegar Hotel in 1868, the proprietor being one Daniel Ship.

At the turn of the 19th century it changed hands and became the Kinnegar Bar.

The Kinnegar Bar (Image: Chris Skelly)

Twenty years or so later, it was bought by Alexander Steen (whose name is inscribed on the gable in the old photograph) who restored its original name, although it was invariably known, quite simply, as Steen's.

I vaguely remember Fred Steen who, probably, was Alexander's son.

I think that at that period till the 1970s, the Inn was really a "drinking man's pub".

Click to Enlarge

This was the period when it became the Kinnegar Inn.

The bar's name changed, yet again, to The Clipper, in 1984.

The Clipper became the Waterfront during the 1990s.

Since then, it has changed hands several times.

I seem to recall that, at some stage, SIR JOHN GRAHAM Bt had an interest in it; indeed he may have owned it.

The Grahams had a country house near Dromore.

When I was at Brackenber, they invited us to make use of their swimming-pool which, I think, was outdoors.

I have fond memories of the bar in the 1980s.

I particularly liked the cosy upstairs lounge bar with its banquette, red velour cushioned seating.

Occasionally my father and I enjoyed a drink there of a summer's evening, watching the boats coming up and down the lough.

First published in February, 2009.

Cootehill: IV

From the edge of the lake, not far from the Iron Bridge, we could see the site of Dartrey House (or Castle), a very large mansion which was built in 1846.

The Dartrey Estate lies in County Monaghan, though straddles the neighbouring county of Cavan.

Dartey: Basement Cellar (Image: Henry Skeath, 2002)

All that remains of the house are the ruins of the basement and cellars, so it's almost invisible at ground level from a distance.

Dartrey: Basement Cellar (Image: Henry Skeath, 2002)

The Land Acts deprived great estates like Dartrey and Lough Fea of their income and, when the 2nd Earl of Dartrey died in 1920, without a male heir, the estate was inherited by his eldest daughter, Lady Edith.

Dartrey: Ruins (Image: Henry Skeath, 2002)

Crippled by the immense cost of maintaining Dartrey, its outbuildings, gate lodges, stable block, and everything else, Lady Edith decided initially to sell the contents of the house.

A four-day auction of the contents, including thousands of books from the library, and valuable old-master paintings, was held in 1937.

Dartrey: Terrace Steps (Image: Henry Skeath, 2002)

Lady Edith Windham (1883-1974) couldn't afford the exorbitant rates bills, and found it impossible to find a buyer for the house, so made the decision to salvage what she could of it, including the slates, staircases, and doors, wooden casings etc, before Dartrey House was finally demolished in 1946.

By this stage Lady Edith was living in the former land steward's house, not far from the big house itself.

First published in August, 2020.

Cootehill: III

Dartrey House

The Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland tells us that County Monaghan is an inland county, in the centre of the south of the historic province of Ulster.

It is bounded, on the north, by Tyrone; on the east, by Armagh; and on the west, by Cavan and Fermanagh.

Dawson Grove, now Dartrey, County Monaghan,

"A noble and magnificent demesne, the property of the Viscount Cremorne [later Earl of Dartrey], on the southern margin of the barony of Dartrey, is situated on the gorgeous chain of the Cootehill lakes, 1½ miles from Cootehill; and is separated from the rival demesne of Bellamont Forest in County Cavan, only by the narrow belt of one of the main lakes called Dromore." 

"From the contiguity of Dawson Grove and Bellamont Forest, and the beautiful natural lakes which in many places form their line of demarcation, they may be said in various instances to reflect each other." 

"Separately they are splendid residences; conjointly they form a rich combination of many of the elements of landscape."

On Saturday afternoon four of us met Noel Carney, of Dartrey Heritage Association, who took us to see Dartrey demesne, former seat of the extinct Earls of Dartrey.

This was my first visit to Dartrey, once a very large estate comprising almost 18,000 acres, with extensive boundary walls and picturesque gate lodges (there were eight in total) carrying on interminably.

We stopped off en route at the main entrance lodge of ca 1847, fully restored, extended, and inhabited, once incorporating the estate post office.

This lodge is made of ashlar stone, with a Tudor-style entrance surmounted by a blank shield.

The New Stable Block (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2020)

Several hundred yards further along the main public road we turned into another driveway, which eventually led us to the "new" stable block, a large, impressive, grand affair comprising five sides in red brick.

This derelict stable block was constructed in the 1840s to replace an older block.

The standard of craftsmanship by masons was remarkable, as Noel pointed out to us.

The bricks were made in situ, and even straw marks could be seen on the ones that had dried on the ground.

The New Stable Block is not in a good state, although it's not beyond redemption for another purpose, such as apartments or business premises, or units.

It was practically ruinous several decades ago, and today at least it's in better condition than that.

The New Stable Block (Image: Henry Skeath, 2002)

There used to be a large clock encased in a circular stone feature in the middle of the block, though it has disappeared.

The original or "Old" Stable Block (Image: Henry Skeath, 2002)

A short distance further on we stopped off at the original, or "Old" stable block of, it is thought, the 1770s.

It, like its younger sibling, is privately owned and closed off.

The Island Bridge, Dartrey (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2020)

THEREAFTER we drove through overgrown estate tracks to the Island Bridge, also known as the Iron Bridge, which connects the estate to Black Island.

This is a single-arch bridge, erected in the 1840s, which leads to the glorious mausoleum or temple dedicated to the Lady Anne Dawson.

The skill of the blacksmiths and stonemasons  can be admired on this little bridge, with its superbly carved stone abutments and wrought-iron handrails.

When we crossed the bridge we caught a glimpse of the remains of the great mansion house of Dartrey. All that's left of it today is the basement and rubble.

Dartrey House (or Castle) was demolished in 1946, because the last member of the Dawsons to live there, Lady Edith, simply couldn't afford to maintain it, and couldn't find a buyer.

First published in August, 2020.

Archdale of Castle Archdale

THE ARCHDALES WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY FERMANAGH, WITH 27,410 ACRES OF LAND

The earliest reference to the Archdale family relates to Sir Edward Archdale of Norsom, Norfolk, and Macclesfield, Cheshire, who lived during the reigns of HENRY IV and HENRY V, and fought at the battle of Agincourt in 1415.

The first of the family to settle in Ulster, during the reign of ELIZABETH I, was 

JOHN ARCHDALE (1578-1621), of Darsham, Suffolk, who married Katherine, eldest daughter of Sir William Temple, provost of Trinity College, Dublin.

In 1612, this John was granted 1,000 acres of land in County Fermanagh as part of the plantation of Ulster.

This gentleman, by the inscription over the gateway in the ruinous castle, appears to have erected the old mansion-house of Archdale.

By his wife he had, among other issue, two sons,

EDWARD, his heir;
John (Rev), Vicar of Lusk, County Dublin.

Mr Archdale was succeeded by his eldest son,

EDWARD ARCHDALE, who espoused Angel, daughter of Sir Paul Gore Bt (ancestor of the Earls of Ross etc) and had issue.

During his time, the castle which his father had erected was taken and burned by the rebels under Sir Phelim O'Neill, in 1641, and only two children of a numerous family survived.

One, a daughter, who was absent and married; the other, an infant son, WILLIAM, preserved by the fidelity of his nurse, an Irish Roman Catholic, which

WILLIAM ARCHDALE JP, of old Castle Archdale, after succeeding to the estates, married, in 1677, Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Mervyn, of Omagh Castle and Trillick, both in County Tyrone, and had two sons and a daughter, namely,

MERVYN, his heir;
EDWARD, heir to his brother;
ANGEL, heiress to her brother.

He was succeeded by his elder son,

MERVYN ARCHDALE, of Castle Archdale, County Fermanagh, who died unmarried in 1726, and was succeeded by his brother,

EDWARD ARCHDALE (1694-1728), of Castle Archdale, a captain in Sir Gustavus Hume's Regiment of Dragoons, High Sheriff of County Fermanagh, 1722, who married firstly, in 1728, Frances, daughter of Sir John Caldwell Bt; and secondly, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of John Cole, of Florence Court.

Dying without issue, however, before 1730, the estates devolved upon his only sister,

ANGEL ARCHDALE (c1688-1745), of Castle Archdale, who thus became heiress and representative of the family, when the spelling of her surname changed to ARCHDALL.

She espoused NICHOLAS MONTGOMERY, of Derrygonnelly, County Fermanagh, MP for County Fermanagh, 1761-1802, who assumed the surname and arms of ARCHDALL, and left, at her decease, an only son,

COLONEL MERVYN ARCHDALL JP MP (1725-1813), of Castle Archdale, and of Trillick, County Tyrone, MP for County Fermanagh, 1761-1802, who married, in 1762, Mary, daughter of William, 1st Viscount Carlow, and sister of John, 1st Earl of Portarlington, and had issue,

MERVYN, his heir;
WILLIAM, succeeded his brother;
EDWARD, succeeded his brother;
Henry;
Mary; Angel; Martha Caroline; Anna; Catherine; Elizabeth; Sidney; Wilhelmina Henrietta.

Colonel Archdale was succeeded by his eldest son,

GENERAL MERVYN ARCHDALL (1763-1839), of Castle Archdale, and of Trillick, County Tyrone, who wedded, in 1805, Jane, daughter of Gustavus Rochfort MP, of Rochfort, County Westmeath.

General Archdall was returned for the tenth time for Fermanagh at the general election of 1832.

He resigned on account of ill-health in 1834; and died of a stroke in 1839, when he was remembered as ‘a gallant soldier, a good landlord, a kind friend and a staunch Conservative’.

By his will, dated 28 Sept. 1829, he made provision for his relations, including his ‘reputed’ children Henry and Jane Grey, but left his residual estate to his brother,

WILLIAM ARCHDALL (1768-1857), of Castle Archdale and Trillick, Lieutenant-Colonel, 4th King's Own Regiment, wedded Mary, daughter of James Clarke, in an issueless marriage, and was succeeded by his brother,

EDWARD ARCHDALL JP DL (1775-1864), of Riversdale, County Fermanagh, High Sheriff of County Fermanagh, 1813, who espoused, in 1809, Matilda, daughter of William Humphrys, and had issue,

MERVYN EDWARD, his heir;
WILLIAM HUMPHRYS, succeeded his brother;
Edward;
HENRY MONTGOMERY (Rev), succeeded his brother;
Nicholas Montgomery, of Riversdale and Crocknacrieve; father of 1st Baronet;
Ensign John;
Hugh Montgomery;
Audley Mervyn;
James Mervyn;
Richmal Magnall;
Mary; Letitia; Matilda.

Mr Archdale was succeeded by his eldest son,

MERVYN EDWARD ARCHDALE JP DL (1812-95), of Castle Archdale and Trillick, MP for Fermanagh, 1834-74, High Sheriff of County Fermanagh, 1879, who married, Emma Inez, daughter of Jacob Goulding, and had issue,

Mervyn Henry, m Mary de Bathe and had issue;
Hugh James (brigadier-general), 1854-1921;
Georgina Emma Matilda; Blanche Mary Mervyn; Evelyn Jane.

The spelling of the surname of this branch reverted to ARCHDALE.

Mr Archdale's younger brother,

WILLIAM HUMPHRYS ARCHDALE JP (1813-99), of Castle Archdale, Riversdale, and Trillick, MP for Fermanagh, 1874-85, wedded firstly, in 1845, Emily Mary Rebecca, daughter of the Rev and Hon John Charles Maude, in a childless marriage; and secondly, in 1894, Matilda Mary, daughter of William Alley, though the marriage was without issue.

His younger brother,

THE REV HENRY MONTGOMERY ARCHDALE (1818-98), Rector of Trory, 1847-76, wedded, in 1848, Sarah Elizabeth, daughter of James Blackwood-Price, and had issue,

EDWARD, his heir;
Henry Dawson, died young;
James Blackwood;
Audley Mervyn;
Montgomery;
GEORGE, of Dromard, Kesh; father of MERVYN HENRY DAWSON;
Elizabeth; Richmal Magnall; Sarah Blackwood; Matilda Humphrys.

The Rev Henry Archdale was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON EDWARD ARCHDALE JP DL (1850-1916), of Castle Archdale and Trillick, Privy Counsellor, Lord-Lieutenant of County Tyrone, 1913, High Sheriff of County Fermanagh, 1902, who espoused, in 1908, Elizabeth, daughter of Nicholas Harwood, though the marriage was without issue.

He was succeeded by his brother,

JAMES BLACKWOOD ARCHDALE JP DL (1853-1936), of Castle Archdale and Trillick, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1921, County Fermanagh, 1923, who married, in 1886, Elizabeth, daughter of George May, and had issue, a son,

HENRY BLACKWOOD ARCHDALE (1887-1939), of Castle Archdale and Trillick, who wedded, in 1921, Dorothy Audley, daughter of William Audley Mervyn, though the marriage was without issue.

He was succeeded by his cousin,

MERVYN HENRY DAWSON ARCHDALE JP DL (1904-68), of Ashburton, New Zealand, and of Castle Archdale, High Sheriff of County Fermanagh, 1944, married Wilhelmina Rachael, daughter of John Castle, and had issue,

DESMOND, b 1932;
Patrick;
Michael;
Denis Theodore.

First published in March, 2012.

Borris House

THE KAVANAGHS WERE THE SECOND LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY CARLOW, WITH 16,051 ACRES

In ancient times the ancestors of this eminent house were monarchs of all Ireland, and at the period of the invasion of that country by HENRY II, were Kings of Leinster.

The family bore the name of MacMORROUGH; in 1171, that of KAVANAGH was given to Donell, son of Dermot MacMorrough; and from him was continued to his descendants. Dermot MacMorrough's daughter, Eva, wedded Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke.

In the reign of PHILIP and MARY,

CAHIR MAC ART KAVANAGH was created Baron of Ballyanne for life.

He married Cecilia, daughter of Gerald, 9th Earl of Kildare, Lord Deputy of Ireland, by the Lady Elizabeth Grey his wife, daughter of Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset, and died in 1554, leaving a son,

BRYAN KAVANAGH, of Borris, who wedded Elinor, daughter of SIR THOMAS COLCLOUGH, Knight, of Tintern Abbey.

He died in 1662, leaving a son,

MORGAN KAVANAGH, of Borris, who married Frances, daughter Sir Lawrence Esmonde, 2nd Baronet, of Ballytrammon, and had issue,

BRYAN, his heir;
Henry;
Charles, general in the Austrian Service and Governor of Prague;
Mary.

The eldest son,

BRYAN KAVANAGH (1699-1741), of Borris, espoused Mary, daughter of Thomas Butler, of Kilcash, and sister of the 15th (de jure) Earl of Ormonde, and had (with six daughters), a son,

THOMAS KAVANAGH (1727-90), of Borris, MP for the city of Kilkenny in the last Irish parliament, and subsequently representative for the same county in the last two parliaments of GEORGE IV and WILLIAM IV.

Mr Kavanagh married, in 1755, the Lady Susanna Butler, sister of John, 17th Earl of Ormonde, and had issue,

Walter;
Brian;
Morgan;
THOMAS, of whom presently;
Helena; Mary; Honora.

The fourth son, and eventual inheritor,

THOMAS KAVANAGH (1767-1837), of Borris House, MP for the City of Kilkenny in the last Irish parliament, and subsequently MP for County Carlow in the last two parliaments of GEORGE IV and first of WILLIAM IV, espoused firstly, in 1799, the Lady Elizabeth Butler, daughter of John, 17th Earl of Ormonde, and had issue,

Walter, d 1836;
Anne; Susanna.

He married secondly, in 1825, the Lady Harriet Margaret Le Poer Trench, daughter of Richard, 2nd Earl of Clancarty, and had issue,

Thomas (1829-52);
CHARLES, of whom hereafter;
ARTHUR, succeeded his brother;
Harriet.

Mr Kavanagh was succeeded by his second son,

CHARLES KAVANAGH (1829-53), of Borris, who died unmarried, and was succeeded by his brother,

THE RT HON ARTHUR MacMORROUGH KAVANAGH JP (1831-89), of Borris, Lord-Lieutenant of County Carlow, High Sheriff of County Kilkenny, 1856, County Carlow, 1857, who espoused, in 1855, Frances Mary, only surviving child of the Rev J F Leathley, and had issue,

WALTER, his heir;
Arthur Thomas;
Charles Toler (Lt-Gen Sir), KCB, KCMG, CVO, CB, DSO;
Osborne;
Eva Frances; May Sabena; Agnes Mary.

Mr Kavanagh was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON WALTER MacMORROUGH KAVANAGH JP DL (1856-1922), of Borris, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1884, County Wexford, 1893, MP for Carlow, 1908-10, who married, in 1887, Helen Louisa, daughter of Colonel John Stanley Howard, and had issue,

ARTHUR THOMAS MacMORROUGH, his heir;
Dermot McMorrough (Colonel Sir), GCVO.

Captain Kavanagh was succeeded by his elder son,

ARTHUR THOMAS MacMORROUGH KAVANAGH MC (1888-1953), Major, Queen's Own Hussars, who wedded, in 1914, Minna Alice, daughter of Samuel Gurney Buxton, and had issue,

Mary Clare;
JOANNE;
Rolline;
Eva Helen MacMorrough.

The second daughter,

JOANNE KAVANAGH (1915-), married firstly, in 1936, Gerald, 8th Duke of Leinster (divorced), and had issue,

Pamela Hermione;
Rosemary Anne;
Nesta.

She wedded secondly, in 1947, Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Macalpine-Downie, and had issue,

ANDREW McMORROUGH MacALPINE-DOWNIE (1948-), whose surname was legally changed to KAVANAGH, by Deed Poll.

BORRIS HOUSE, Borris, County Carlow, is the ancestral home of the MacMorrough Kavanaghs.

Borris is one of the few Irish estates that can trace its history back to the royal families of ancient Ireland.

Set today in over 650 acres of walled private park and woodlands, Borris House retains its place as the centrepiece of the locality.

Originally an important castle guarding the River Barrow, the house was rebuilt in 1731 and later altered by the Morrisons, chiefly Richard and William.

Externally, they clothed the 18th century house in a thin Tudor-Gothic disguise, adding a crenellated arcaded porch on the entrance and decorating the windows with rectangular and oval hood-moulds.

Inside the mansion they created an exuberant series of rooms, beginning with the most florid room of the house, the entrance hall, where a circle is created within a square space with the clever use of pairs of scagliola columns and richly modelled plasterwork.

The ceiling is like a great wheel with its shallowly-coved circular centre, from which eight beams radiate outwards.

The plasterwork is profuse with festoons in the frieze, eagles with outspread wings in the spandrels and swirling acanthus in the cove of the ceiling.


Major MacMorrough-Kavanagh had no male issue.

Before his sudden death, in 1953, he had been working on setting up a trust to ensure the future of the Borris estate.

The trust had not been finalised, and he had not made a will.

The result was a high burden of death duties and legal costs, which led to the sale of some family treasures.

Among the items sold was an unfinished Rubens, which was sold for £23,000 and has since been sold for a figure in the region of £1,000,000.

In 1958, the house faced the threat of becoming a ruin when Joanne Kavanagh, following the death of her second husband, Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Macalpine-Downie, decided to vacate the big house and move to a new, smaller house on the estate.

The house had been rebuilt, altered, and enlarged to such an extent that it was became almost impossible to maintain.

Joanne Kavanagh's only son, Andrew Macalpine-Downie, after a career in England and his marriage to Tina Murray, returned to Borris and assumed the family surname, Kavanagh.

Other former seat ~ The Lodge, Ballyragget, County Kilkenny.

First published in July, 2011.

Cootehill: II

Cootehill Railway Station Entrance Front (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2020)

After breakfast on Saturday morning I wandered from Bridge Street, in Cootehill, County Cavan, to the wide main street (Market Street).

I passed the Methodist and Presbyterian churches on Bridge Street, before turning left at Market Street.

The old manse between two churches (Image: postcard)

The old photograph above, taken from a postcard of about 1900, shows the Methodist church to the left; the old manse in the middle; and the present Presbyterian church to the right.

I happened to be peering in through the window of the former White Horse Hotel, in Market Street, when somebody from across the road hailed me.

I couldn't quite hear him, so crossed the road to the post office, where he was awaiting a bulky item, to have a word with him.

Kevin, it transpired, was as interested in heritage as myself, and we chatted for awhile about this and that.

He explained that he was a local man, though had lived in Michigan, USA, for a number of years; and that was where he had met his wife (he was collecting a parcel for their daughter).

Concrete shed on the former railway track (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2020)

Kevin invited me to get into his car, and took me to see the old railway station outside the town, now a livestock market (there's a long livestock shed where the railway line used to be, outside the station).

The former Cootehill Railway Station is less than a mile from the town.

It would have been convenient for Bellamont Forest and Dartrey.

The railway line must have passed through land belonging to Lords Bellamont and Dartrey.

Platform Front ca 1900 (Image: postcard)

The station, operated by the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway (later amalgamated with the Great Northern Railway), opened in 1860.

Cootehill railway station was on a spur off the Enniskillen-to-Dundalk line, from near Ballybay through Rockcorry and terminating at Cootehill.

It closed down less than a century later, in 1947.

This handsome little railway station remains in good order, having been restored to some extent by its present owner.

It was built in the Early English Gothic-Revival style, and comprises five bays and two storeys.

The entrance and platform fronts differ slightly in design.

Unfortunately I was unable to take a photograph of the platform front because it’s obscured by a concrete shed (not to say private).

I had intended walking back to the town from the railway station, though Kevin offered me a lift back, and took me past the location of the old Church of Ireland parish church in Church Street, which was abandoned about 1818 for the present church, All Saints, in Market Street).

First published in August, 2020).

Cootehill: I

The Dawson Monument (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2020)

The Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland describes Cootehill, County Cavan, thus:-

A post and market town in the parish of Drumgoon, barony of Tullaghgarvey. It stands on the River Dromore, and the country around it, including part of County Monaghan, is very beautiful; and within a radius of three miles, contains, among other mansions, those of Bellamont Forest and Dartrey.

The Gazetteer goes on to remark that the town is comparatively well built and respectably inhabited; and is not equalled in appearance by any place between it and Dublin except Navan.

A local historian and friend had arranged for us to see Dartrey, which is near Cootehill, so I based my self in the town for a few days.

Cootehill has a wide main street, which terminates at All Saints parish church (the Rector being the aptly-named Rev David Moses).

The White Horse Hotel, market-house, courthouse, and the provincial bank were also at this end of the town; and the church was within the grounds of Bellamont Forest.

The Dawson Monument, on the Cootehill to Monaghan Road, County Monaghan, is a Roman-Tuscan column, sixty feet in height, designed by the renowned architect, James Wyatt, and erected in memory of Richard Dawson MP (1762-1807).

This column used to be within the Dartrey Estate, though the realignment of the present road caused it to be separated from the demesne.

It was built ca 1810 with cut and carved limestone, in the form of a Doric column on a lofty plinth, topped with a funerary urn, carved with lions' heads, set on an abacus.

The Doric column has a stepped base and plinth, with three steps leading to the base.

Dartrey Heritage Association undertook restoration work on the column quite recently.

Dawson Coat-of-arms (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2020)

The Dawson family shield with laurel leaves adorns the plinth.

The Dawson Monument would undoubtedly have dominated the surrounding landscape when it was erected, and despite the forestry surrounding it today, it remains a major feature in the area.

Dartrey Church (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2020)

From Dawson's Column I made my way to the main church which served the once-great Dartrey Estate.

The Dawsons, Earls of Dartrey, owned almost 18,000 acres of land in County Monaghan.

Their former seat, Dartrey House (or Castle) was demolished in 1946; though more about that later.

Over two decades ago, about 1996, the Rev Canon James Merry, Rector of Ematris (Dartrey Church and Rockcorry Church), wrote a brief history of his Parish.

Dartrey Church, within the demesne boundary, was built by Richard Dawson (c1693-1766), MP, banker, Alderman of the City of Dublin, of Dawson Grove (now called Dartrey).

It was consecrated in 1729 as the Church of St John the Evangelist.

In 1769 the north gallery was erected, with a fireplace, for the use of the Dawson family.

The West Tower was built in 1840; and thirty years later, in 1870, the sanctuary apse was completed.

The Dawsons were closely involved with the running of the parish from Alderman Dawson's time until the last member of the family to reside in the estate, the Lady Edith Windham (née Dawson).

Lord Dartrey had, for many years, the right to present his nominee to the Bishop for appointment as Rector of Ematris.

Several members of the Dawson family are buried in the graveyard which surrounds the church, though one figure's gravestone caught my eye: Brigadier Eric Dorman-O'Gowan MC.

He was removed from his military posting by Winston Churchill, with whom he then continued a long legal battle over the issue.

The acting Major-General, a life-long Catholic, then proceeded to change his name from Smith to O’Gowan and retired to the family home at Bellamont Forest, where he eagerly embraced Irish Republicanism.

He is said to have sold lead from the roof of Bellamont for the cause, and to have allowed the IRA to train on the estate.

First published in August, 2020.

Finnebrogue Visit

Image: Finnebrogue House

In March, 2016, I was invited to see Finnebrogue House, the former seat of the PERCEVAL-MAXWELLS (until, I think, about 1969).

The owner knew of my interest in heritage and country houses and I'd already written about Finnebrogue prior to its admirable restoration.

Finnebrogue is located in a beautiful part of the County Down countryside, close to the river Quoile, near Downpatrick.

Main gate lodge ca 1900

The main entrance lodge of ca 1888 is built of red brick and is generous in size (for a gate lodge).

My main article about Finnebrogue can be seen HERE.

(Timothy Ferres, 2016)

Old gate piers stand isolated in the garden of this lodge, adjacent to the main road.

(Timothy Ferres, 2016)

J A K Dean, in his indispensable gazetteer, The Gate Lodges of Ulster, describes them thus:-

"Square in section, the big dressed sandstone pillars with plinths and full entablatures have breakfronts or pilasters on three faces, one forming a gate stop."

Driving slowly up the main drive, the big house emerges to one's right, slightly elevated on a slope.

Its surrounding demesne was the focus of an extensive late 17th century and early 18th century geometrically designed landscape.

This layout was focussed upon the house, which has a north-south axis view to Down Cathedral and Inch Parish Church.

A series of symmetrical enclosures, comprising courts, gardens and orchards, would have surrounded the building, including an entrance court on the north side.

The formal geometric layout was replaced by the present ‘naturalistic’ landscape park in the late 18th century.

Finnebrogue House was built in 1660 and is reputedly the oldest inhabited private residence in Northern Ireland.

It is built on an "H"-plan: a long, central block with wings projecting at the front and back.

It comprises two storeys over a basement, and the wings have attic storeys.

The interior dates mainly from 1795.

The owner gave me a complete tour of the house, which has been sympathetically and fully restored; including the old wooden flooring.

Image: Finnebrogue House

One striking feature is the colourful skylight above the main staircase which has several county family coats-of-arms; and the quartered armorial bearings of the Perceval-Maxwells, complete with supporters and crest.

Image: Finnebrogue House

Although Finnebrogue House is a private home, it's available for selected corporate & charity events by prior arrangement; and its period architecture also makes it suitable as a location for film and television.

First published in March, 2016.

Glenart Castle

THE EARLS OF CARYSFORT WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WICKLOW, WITH 16,674 ACRES

The family of PROBY, of antiquity and distinction, came originally from Wales, and were there named Ap-Probyn; though they flourished for many ages in Huntingdonshire.

RANDOLPH PROBY, of Chester, afterwards of Brampton, Huntingdonshire, at the close of the 15th century, by his wife, Alice Bernard, had two sons,

RALPH, of Brampton, dsp;
PETER, of whom we treat.

The younger son,

SIR PETER PROBY, of Brampton, Huntingdonshire, and Swithin's Lane, London, Lord Mayor of London, 1622-23, married Elizabeth, widow of Edward Henson, of London, and daughter of John Thorowgood, had issue, with two daughters,

HENEAGE;
Emanuel;
Henry;
Edmond;
Walsingham.

The eldest son,

SIR HENEAGE PROBY (1600-67), Knight, of Elton and Rans, married Helen, daughter of Edward Allen, of Finchley, and had issue,

THOMAS;
John;
Heneage;
Elizabeth; Hellen.

Sir Heneage, High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, 1644, MP for Agmondesham, was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS PROBY (1632-89), who was created a baronet in 1662, designated of Elton, Huntingdonshire.

He married Frances, daughter of Sir Thomas Cotton Bt, of Connington, Huntingdonshire, and left an only surviving daughter, Alice, who wedded Thomas Wentworth, and was mother of Thomas, Marquess of Rockingham.

Sir Thomas dying thus without male issue, the baronetcy expired, and the estates devolved upon his brother,

JOHN PROBY, at whose decease, in 1710, those estates passed to the next male heir,

WILLIAM PROBY, Governor of Fort St George, Madras, who married Henrietta, daughter of Robert Cornwall, of Borrington, Herefordshire, by whom he had a daughter, Editha, the wife of Sir John Osborne Bt, of Newtown, County Tipperary, and an only son,

JOHN PROBY, of Elton Hall,  MP for Huntingdonshire, who espoused Jane, eldest daughter of John, 1st Baron Gower, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
William;
Thomas, killed at the attack of Fort Ticonderoga, 1756;
Charles, captain RN;
Baptist (Very Rev), Dean of Lichfield;
Caroline.

Mr Proby was succeeded by his eldest son, 

THE RT HON SIR JOHN PROBY KB (1720-72), MP for Huntingdonshire, and one of the Lords of the Admiralty in 1757, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1752, in the dignity of Baron Carysfort, of Carysfort, County Wicklow.

His lordship wedded, in 1750, Elizabeth, daughter of John, 2nd Viscount Allen, and co-heir of her brother John, 3rd Viscount, and had issue,

JOHN JOSHUA, 2nd Baron (1751-1828), KP, who was created, in 1789, EARL OF CARYSFORT.

His lordship was appointed a Knight of St Patrick in 1784.

He espoused, in 1774, Elizabeth, only daughter of the Rt Hon Sir William Osborne Bt, of Newtown, County Tipperary, and had issue,

William Allen, Lord Proby (1779-1804); Captain, RN;
JOHN, 2nd Earl;
GRANVILLE LEVESON, 3rd Earl;
Gertrude.

His lordship espoused secondly, in 1787, Elizabeth, daughter of the Rt Hon George Grenville, and sister of George, 1st Marquess of Buckingham, and left by that lady at his decease, in 1828, a son and three daughters, viz.

George;
Charlotte; Frances; Elizabeth.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN, 2nd Earl (1780-1855), a general in the army, who died unmarried, and was succeeded by his brother,

GRANVILLE LEVESON, 3rd Earl (1782-1858), Admiral in the Royal Navy, High Sheriff of County Wicklow, 1831, who married, in 1818, Isabella, daughter of the Hon Hugh Howard, and had issue,

John Joshua, Lord Proby (1823-58);
GRANVILLE LEVESON, 4th Earl;
Hugh (1826-52);
WILLIAM, 5th Earl;
Theodosia Gertrude; Frances; Isabella; Elizabeth Emma.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

GRANVILLLE LEVESON, 4th Earl (1824-72), KP, who wedded, in 1853, the Lady Augusta Maria Hare, daughter of WILLIAM, 2ND EARL OF LISTOWEL, though the marriage was without issue, and his lordship was succeeded by his brother,

WILLIAM, 5th Earl (1836-1909), KP, High Sheriff of County Wicklow, 1866, Lord-Lieutenant of County Wicklow, 1890-1909, who espoused, in 1860, Charlotte Mary, daughter of the Rev Robert Boothby Heathcote, though the marriage was without issue.

On the 5th Earl's decease, all the titles expired.

GLENART CASTLE, near Arklow, County Wicklow, was originally a hunting lodge of ca 1750, enlarged in the castellated style during the early 1800s by John Proby, 1st Earl of Carysfort.

It was known for a while as Kilcarra Castle.

Between 1177 and 1185, large quantities of land were granted by Prince John acting on behalf of his father, HENRY II, to Theobald Walter from whom were descended the Butler Family and the Earls of Ormonde.

The Butlers held their possession in this area for the next 500 years.

Glenart was enlarged again in 1869.

It is a fairly austere structure, mainly two-storey, though partly of three storeys dominated by a square, battlemented tower.

There are large rectangular windows with hood mouldings, three-sided bows and a battlemented parapet.

The Castle was partially burnt in 1920, though the remaining half continued to be inhabited by the family as an occasional residence until it was sold during the 2nd World War to a religious order, which rebuilt it in an institutional style. 

Other seat ~ Elton Hall, Peterborough.
Former London houses ~ 11 Lower Berkeley Street; 18 Ely Place.

First published in May, 2012.

Manor of Joymount

Artist's impression of Joymount (Mid & East Antrim Council)

Extract from The History and Antiquities of the County of the Town of Carrickfergus, by Samuel Miskimmin, 1832.

ABOUT the latter end of 1606, and in the three following years, SIR ARTHUR CHICHESTER purchased several lots of ground on the east of Castle Worraigh [an ageing stone tower in the middle of Carrickfergus's high street] from Thomas Whitager, Carew Hart, Thomas Stevenson, Owen Magee, and William Dobbin.

At the same time he also obtained a grant of the ruined abbey of St Francis adjoining, and in 1610, he began to erect a magnificent building on the grounds, the north part of which was built on the south end of the said abbey.

This mansion was called Joymount, in honour of Sir Arthur's late patron, LORD MOUNTJOY, and was not finished till 1618, as appeared from that date over the great entrance on the south-east.

The oral history of this place says that it was built by the celebrated Inigo Jones, and was a large building, 112 feet in front [the White House, Washington DC, is 168 feet long, by comparison], with two wings extending northward, the same length, having 365 windows, 52 doors, and 12 chimneys.

In front of the chief entrance was a gatehouse with lofty turrets, between which and the main building was a court, from whence was an ascent of a few steps to a fine terrace that extended the entire length of the front, in the centre of which was the hall-door.

The following account of Joymount is given by Sir William Brereton Bt, who landed here in 1634:-

"The only grace of this town is the lord Chichester's house, which is a very stately house, or rather like a prince's palace; whereunto there belongs a stately gatehouse and graceful terrace, and walks before the house, as at Denton, my lord Fairfax's house." 

"A very fine hall there is, and a stately staircase, and fair dining-room, carrying the proportion of the hall: fine gardens, and mighty spacious orchards, and they say they have good store of fruit." 

"I observed on either side of his garden there is a dove-house, placed one opposite the other to the corner of the garden, and 'twixt the garden and orchards a most convenient place for apricots or some such tender fruit, to be planted against the dove-house wall, that by the advantage of the heat thereof they may be rendered most fruitful, and come sooner to maturity, but this use is not made thereof." 

"Very rich furniture belongs unto this house, which seems much to be neglected and begins to go something to decay."

"It is a most stately building, only the windows and rooms and whole frame of the house is over-large and vast; and in this house you may observe the inconvenience of great buildings which require an unreasonable charge to keep them in repair, so as they are a burden to the owners of them."

Some difference taking place between the noble family of Chichester and the inhabitants, the family ceased to reside there about 1724, from which time the building was suffered to go to ruin.

In the latter end of 1768, it began to be taken down, and its oak timber was divided amongst those who were attached to the interests of the family; but its marble chimneypieces, and the like valuable articles, were taken to FISHERWICK PARK, Staffordshire.

Joymount is reputed to have cost in excess of £20,000 (equivalent to about £3.5 million in 2021) to construct.

Carrickfergus town hall now occupies the site of Joymount.

First published in July, 2022.

Earl of Blessington

The ancestor of William Stewart, first and last Earl of Blessington of the first creation, the Rt Hon Luke Gardiner (c1690-1755), MP for Tralee, 1725-7, Thomastown, 1727-55, Privy Counsellor, Vice-treasurer of Ireland, married, in 1711, Anne, only daughter and sole heiress of the Hon Alexander Stewart, second son of William, Viscount Mountjoy and Earl of Blessington.

Mr Gardiner was succeeded in his estates by his son,

THE RT HON CHARLES GARDINER MP (1720-69), also of the Privy Council, MP for Taghmon, 1742-60, who inherited the estates of his maternal great-grandfather, Lord Blessington, upon the extinction of the male issue in that family.

He married, in 1741, Florinda, daughter of Robert Norman, and had issue,

LUKE, his successor;
Florinda; Anne;
William Neville, General in the Army.

The eldest son,

THE RT HON LUKE GARDINER MP (1745-98), Privy Counsellor, Colonel, the Dublin Militia, succeeding to his ample possessions, MP for County Dublin, 1773-79, Colonel, the Dublin Militia, married, in 1773, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Sir William Montgomery, and had issue,

CHARLES JOHN, his successor;
Margaret; Louisa.

Mr Gardiner was elevated to the peerage, in 1795, in the dignity of VISCOUNT MOUNTJOY, of Mountjoy, County Tyrone.

Luke Gardiner, 1st Viscount Mountjoy, by Francis Cotes (1726-70)

His lordship's first wife died in 1783, and he wedded secondly, in 1793, Margaret, eldest daughter of Hector Wallis.

Lord Mountjoy fell at the head of his regiment, during the unfortunate rebellion in Ireland, in 1798, and was succeeded by his son and heir,

CHARLES JOHN, 2nd Viscount (1782-1829), who was created, in 1816, EARL OF BLESSINGTON (of the second creation).

His lordship married firstly, in 1812, Mary Campbell, daughter of Alexander MacDougall, and had issue,

Luke Wellington (1813-23);
Harriet Anne Jane Frances.

He espoused secondly, in 1818, Margaret, daughter of Edmund Power.

The peerages expired on the decease of the first and last Earl in 1829.

Charles John Gardiner, 1st Earl of Blessington (1782-1829)  was best known for his marriage to Margaret Farmer, née Power, whom he married at St Mary's, Bryanston Square, London, on 16 February 1818 (only four months after her first husband's death).

He was present at the trial of Queen Caroline.

After she left her first unhappy marriage, Margaret Power had stayed for almost three years with her parents, then moved to Cahir, in 1809 to Dublin, and from 1809-1814 with a Dublin acquaintance, Captain Thomas Jenkins, of the 11th light dragoons, with whom she formed a close relationship.

It was during her Hampshire stay that she met Gardiner, seven years her senior (Gardiner's first wife died sometime after 1812, having borne him two illegitimate children prior to their marriage and two legitimate children, Lady Harriet Gardiner and Luke Wellington Gardiner, Viscount Mountjoy).

Jenkins received £10,000 from Gardiner to cover the jewels and clothing that he had purchased for Margaret, buying his approval for Gardiner's and Power's marriage, after which she changed her name to Marguerite.

Honeymooning in Ireland, they returned to a newly leased town mansion at 10 St James's Square, London, in 1820.

This address (now the base of Chatham House) soon became a social centre, but their heavy spending and extravagant tastes meant that, despite his annual income of £30,000 from his Irish estates, they were soon both heavily in debt.

On the 25th August, 1822, they set out for a continental tour with Marguerite's youngest sister, the twenty-one-year-old Mary Anne, and servants.

They met Count D'Orsay (who had first become an intimate of Lady Blessington in London in 1821) in Avignon on 20 November 1822, before settling at Genoa for four months from 31 March 1823.

There they met Byron on several occasions, giving Lady Blessington material for her "Conversations with Lord Byron".

After that they settled for the most part in Naples, also spending time in Florence with their friend Walter Savage Landor, author of the "Imaginary Conversations" greatly admired by Lady Blessington.

It was in Italy, on 1 December 1827, that Count D'Orsay married Harriet Gardiner to strengthen the tie between himself and her stepmother Lady Blessington.

The Blessingtons and the new couple moved to Paris towards the end of 1828, taking up residence in the Hôtel Maréchal Ney, where Lord Blessington suddenly died aged 46 of an apoplectic stroke in 1829.

D'Orsay and his wife then accompanied Lady Blessington to England, but the couple soon separated.

D'Orsay lived with Lady Blessington until her death, and she let out Lord Blessington's St James's house.

Lord Blessington's country seat was Mountjoy Forest Lodge, near Omagh, County Tyrone.

His London residence was at 10 St James's Square.

The County Tyrone estates, comprising about 40,000 acres in Newtownstewart, Rash and Mountjoy Forest, contained two residences of quite modest size, Rash House and The Cottage.

Given his wealth, status and interest in architecture, it is surprising that Gardiner never constructed a large country residence in County Tyrone, although it was reported in 1791 that he was ‘about building’ a great house near Omagh.

The Blessington estate stretched from Newtownstewart to Mountfield at its height.

The afforestation was supervised by John McEvoy from 1791.

Part of the estate was sold ca 1846 to a prosperous Omagh family balled Spiller, who acquired 400 acres, including Rash House, the original shooting-lodge of Old Mountjoy and built by the Gardiners.

Luke Gardiner, Viscount Mountjoy, developed large parts of the city of Dublin, including Mountjoy Square.

His principal Dublin homes were at 10, Henrietta Street, and Mountjoy House, Pheonix Park.

J A K Dean, in his gazetteer, The Gate Lodges Of Ulster, tells us that,

Mountjoy Forest was an estate with a convoluted history. Sir William Stewart bought the property here at Rash in 1631, his grandson becoming Lord Mountjoy in 1688. By 1782, the property had passed to Luke Gardiner, a rich Dublin banker, who became Viscount Mountjoy in his own right.

It was he who was mainly responsible for giving the estate its present appearance, planting upwards of 200,000 trees in a programme of afforestation that was to be continued by his son Charles John, who became Earl of Blessington in 1816. At this time the demesne was "7-8 miles in circumference, and enclosed in an 8' high stone wall for much of its length".

He also gave the house, then called "The Cottage", its present castellated Tudor character. The Earl is best known for his lavish theatrical entertainments here, his beautiful and wayward wife and the squandering of his inheritance before his death in 1829.

A visitor in 1854 refers to an auction six years previous: "...the once magnificent demesne ... affords nothing of the attention of the tourist , being quite broken up, and sold to different proprietors".

There were two gate lodges, both pre-1833.

S J Murphy has written an account of the Gardiners here. 

First published in June, 2012.  Blessington arms courtesy of European Heraldry.