Moydrum Castle

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

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

Mr Handcock married, in 1652, Abigail, sister of Sir Thomas Stanley, by whom he had, with other issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
William (Sir), Recorder of Dublin;
Stephen (Very Rev), Dean of Clonmacnoise;
Matthew (Ven), Archdeacon of Kilmore;
Stanley, drowned;
Hannah; Sarah; Elizabeth.

The eldest son,

THOMAS HANDCOCK (1654-1726), of Twyford, MP for Lanesborough, 1692-5, espoused, in 1677, Dorothy Green, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his heir;
Eliah;
Thomas;
Samuel;
Sarah; Abigail; Mary; Dorothy.

Mr Handcock was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM HANDCOCK (1676-1723), MP for Athlone, 1703-14, County Westmeath, 1721-23, who wedded Sarah, daughter of Richard Warburton, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his heir;
George;
Thomas;
RICHARD, of whom hereafter;
Robert;
John Gustavus;
Abigail; Susan; Dorothy; Susanna.

Mr Handcock was succeeded by his eldest son,

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

THE VERY REV RICHARD HANDCOCK (c1716-91), of Twyford, Dean of Achonry, who married Sarah, only daughter and heiress of Richard Toler, of Ballintore, County Kildare, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his heir;
Richard;
Sarah; Susanna; Dorothy; Mary; Elizabeth; Anne.

The Dean was succeeded by his eldest son,

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

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

On his lordship's death the viscountcy expired, though the barony passed to his brother.

• William Handcock, 1st Viscount Castlemaine, 1st Baron Castlemaine (1761–1839)
• Richard Handcock, 2nd Baron (1767–1840)
• Richard Handcock, 3rd Baron (1791–1869)
• Richard Handcock, 4th Baron (1826–92)
• Albert Edward Handcock, 5th Baron (1863–1937)
• Robert Arthur Handcock, 6th Baron (1864–1954)
• John Michael Schomberg Staveley Handcock, 7th Baron (1904–73)
• Roland Thomas John Handcock, 8th Baron (b 1943)

The heir apparent is the present holder's only son, the Hon Ronan Michael Handcock. 

The 5th Baron was the last Lord-Lieutenant of County Westmeath, from 1899 until 1922.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The walls are now largely overgrown with ivy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The house was burnt by the IRA in 1921 and has remained a ruin ever since.

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

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

They were given time to gather together a few valuable belongings before the building was set alight. The blaze completely destroyed the castle.

Following the establishment of the Irish Free State, much of the land belonging to Lord Castlemaine was acquired by the Irish Land Commission.

The Castlemaines were never to return to Moydrum.

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

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

Former residence ~ Rathmore House, Fiddown, County Kilkenny.

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

Cappoquin House

THE KEANE BARONETS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WATERFORD, WITH 8,909 ACRES

The family of KEANE is descended from the O’Cahan clan of Ulster, who were feudal tenants of the O’Neills. Most of their lands were forfeited in the first Plantation of Ulster, 1610. At the end of the 17th century, George O’Cahan changed his name to Keane, conformed to the established church, and entered government service as a lawyer.

On his retirement he leased the town of Cappoquin, with extensive farm and mountain land, from the Earl of Cork under three 999 year leases.

RICHARD KEANE, of Belmont (son of John Keane, of Cappoquin, County Waterford), married Jane, daughter of Michael Green, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
Michael.

He was succeeded by his elder son,

JOHN KEANE (1757-1829), of Belmont, MP for Bangor, 1791-7, Youghal, 1797-1800, who was created a baronet in 1801, designated of Belmont and Cappoquin, County Waterford.

He married firstly, Sarah, daughter of Richard Keily, of Lismore, and sister of John Keily, of Belgrove, and had issue,

RICHARD, of whom presently;
John, 1ST BARON KEANE; Commander-in-Chief, India;
Henry Edward;
Sarah.

Sir John wedded secondly, in 1804, Dorothy, widow of Philip Champion Crespigny, of Aldborough, Suffolk, and had further issue,

George Michael.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR RICHARD KEANE, 2nd Baronet (1780-1855), Lieutenant-Colonel, Waterford Militia, who married, in 1814, Elizabeth, widow of Samuel Penrose, of Waterford, and daughter of Richard Sparrow, of Oaklands, Clonmel, and had issue,

JOHN HENRY, his successor;
Leopold George Frederick.

Sir Richard was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR JOHN HENRY KEANE, 3rd Baronet (1816-81), who espoused firstly, in 1844, Laura, daughter of the Rt Hon Richard Keatinge, and had issue,

RICHARD HENRY, his successor;
George Wilfred;
Laura Ellen Flora.

Sir John married secondly, in 1880, Harriet Thorneycroft.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR RICHARD HENRY KEANE, 4th Baronet, DL (1845-92), High Sheriff of County Waterford, 1882, who wedded, in 1872, Adelaide Sidney, daughter of John Vance, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
George Michael;
Richard Henry;
Florence.

Sir Richard was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN KEANE, 5th Baronet (1873-1956), DSO, High Sheriff of County Waterford, 1911, who wedded, in 1907, the Lady Eleanor Lucy Hicks-Beach, daughter of Michael, 1st Earl St Aldwyn, and had issue,

RICHARD MICHAEL, his successor;
Adelaide Mary; Sheila; Madeline Lucy.

Sir John was succeeded by his only son,

SIR RICHARD MICHAEL KEANE, 6th Baronet (1909-2010), who married, in 1939, Olivia Dorothy, daughter of Oliver Hawkshaw, and had issue,

JOHN CHARLES, his successor;
David Richard;
Vivien Eleanor.

Sir Richard was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR (JOHN) CHARLES KEANE, 7th and present Baronet (1941-), of Cappoquin, who married, in 1977, Corinne, daughter of Jean Everard de Harzir, and has issue,

CHRISTOPHER;
Gregory;
Emelia.

CAPPOQUIN HOUSE, Cappoquin, County Waterford, is a square, two-storey house of 1779.

It has a handsome seven-bay ashlar front which faces the town of Cappoquin, towards the River Blackwater.

The centre block has a three-bay breakfront, with round-headed windows; prominent quoins; balustraded roof parapet with urns.

The house was burnt in 1923, though later rebuilt with the fine plasterwork interior restored.

When Cappoquin was rebuilt, the front facing the river became the garden front.

The entrance hall has a stone, flagged floor and a frieze of plasterwork in the 18th century manner.

Beyond this hall, there is a top-lit staircase hall with coffered dome.

CAPPOQUIN HOUSE dominates the River Blackwater. Downstream, Dromana, the great castle of the Earl of Desmond, can be seen.

The Keane family have lived at Cappoquin for the last three centuries. They are an old Irish family, descended from the O’Cahan clan of Ulster, who were feudal tenants of the O’Neills.

Most of their lands, beside the River Bann in County Londonderry, were forfeited in the first Plantation of Ulster in 1610. The family consequently resettled in County Waterford, west of the River Shannon.

At the end of the 17th century, George O’Cahan changed his name to Keane, became a protestant and entered government service as a lawyer.

On retirement he leased the town of Cappoquin with extensive farm and mountain land from the Earl of Cork under three 999 year leases.

THE GARDENS were laid out in the mid-19th century, but there are vestiges of earlier periods in walls, gateways and streams.

It was taken in hand by Olivia, Lady Keane, in the 1950s and expanded by her in the late 1970s.

It reflects much of her taste and extensive knowledge of plants.

Former Dublin residence ~ 47, Sandford Road.

First published in January, 2013.

Lighthouse Island: V

Lighthouse Island, with Mew Island in the Background

IN SEPTEMBER, 2012, I SPENT A WEEKEND ON LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND, ONE OF THE COPELAND ISLANDS

Most of us got out of bed early on Sunday morning, certainly before eight o'clock.

The kitchen in the observatory is the hub, in a sense.

I had brought twenty sausages, with potato and soda farls.

Rosie & Nick supplied more bangers, with fresh farm eggs and bacon.

We used the three gas cookers and fried the lot.

The grub was placed in the centre of the table and we all tucked in.

Timothy Belmont was, as ever, amongst the leaders in the race to the food-trough.

Thus the troops were nourished and prepared to stride down to the Heligoland trap for a final push.

We managed to complete about 80% of the trap.

The bird observers might need to finish it off themselves; there's now a good basis for completion.

Thereafter we assembled out tools, placed them in the wheelbarrows, and left for the observatory at the top of the island.

I went for a stroll afterwards with Ron.

The remains of the "new" lighthouse (above), in the courtyard at the back of the observatory, are used as storage for fire-wood.

The original lighthouse was more of a square-shaped tower affair and some of it still exists beside the new lighthouse.

The top half of the lighthouse has been shorn off, so the open roof affords a panoramic view of the island and beyond.

Mew Island Lighthouse

Mew Island, adjacent to Lighthouse Island, has the main lighthouse.

It is named after the common gull or sea mew, Larus canus, which nested there in great abundance during bygone years.

Mew Island Lighthouse

It was not until 1969 that electricity powered the lamp on Mew Island.

The light was converted to automatic operation, and the last keeper left the island in 1996.

*****

AT ABOUT FOUR O'CLOCK, we all packed and tidied up, locked up and took our belongings down to the jetty, where MV Mermaid was waiting to convey us back to Donaghadee harbour.

It was a wonderful experience, though I think forty-eight hours was sufficient for self!

Incidentally, a few of us were bitten by what are thought to have been bracken mites: We have several hives to prove it!

First published in September, 2012.

Kilboy House

THE BARONS DUNALLEY WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY TIPPERARY, WITH 21,081 ACRES

The founder of this noble family in Ireland was COLONEL HENRY PRITTIE or PRETTY as the name is variously spelt (whose brother was Oliver Prittie of London, Lieutenant in Cromwell's army), who served as Captain in a Kentish regiment of Horse which formed part of Cromwell's New Model Army. Prittie, who was an Independent, became Major in 1649 in Cromwell's new Regiment of Horse, and later succeeded to the command.

In 1652 he was Governor of Carlow. Colonel Prittie was High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1650, Tipperary, 1659, and had a grant, or confirmation, from CHARLES II, of Dunalley Castle, and other estates in counties Kerry and Tipperary by patent, in the 18th year of His Majesty's reign. 

Colonel Prittie wedded Honor, fifth daughter of Richard Foley, of Stourbridge, Worcestershire, and had issue,

HENRY;

Honor; Abigail; Elizabeth.

Colonel Prittie died in 1671, having had (with three daughters) a son,

HENRY PRITTIE, of Kilboy and Dunalley, Captain of Horse, High Sheriff of County Tipperary, 1706, who sustained a siege of twenty-one days, in his castle against the disbanded soldiers of of the royal army of JAMES II after the battle of the Boyne; when the besiegers at length entering, Mr Prittie was flung headlong from the top of the castle, but miraculously escaped unhurt.

He married Elizabeth, sister of Charles Alcock, of Powerstown, County Tipperary, and died in 1691, having had issue,

HENRY, his successor;
Richard;
Priscilla; Elizabeth; Honora; Catherine; Judith.

The elder son,

HENRY PRITTIE (1683-1738), of Kilboy, High Sheriff of County Tipperary, 1706, espoused, in 1702, Elizabeth, only daughter and heir of Colonel James Harrison, of Cloughjordan, MP for County Tipperary, 1707-13, and had issue, with three daughters, an only son,

HENRY PRITTIE (1708-68), of Kilboy, MP for County Tipperary, 1761-8, wedded, in 1736, Deborah, daughter of the Ven. Benjamin O'Neale, Archdeacon of Leighlin, and had issue,

HENRY, his successor;
Deborah; Elizabeth; Catherine; Martha; Margaret; Hannah.

Mr Prittie was succeeded by his son,

HENRY PRITTIE (1743-1801), of Dunalley, who espoused, in 1766, Catherine, second daughter and co-heir of Francis Sadlier, of Sopwell Hall, County Tipperary, widow of John Bury, and mother, by him, of Charles William, Earl of Charleville, and had issue,

HENRY, his successor;
Francis Aldborough, MP;
Catherine; Deborah; Mary; Martha; Elizabeth.

Mr Prittie, MP for Banagher, 1767-8, Gowran, 1769-76, County Tipperary, 1776-90, was elevated to the peerage, in 1800, in the dignity of BARON DUNALLEY, of Kilboy, County Tipperary.

• Henry Prittie, 1st Baron (1743–1801);
• Henry Sadlier Prittie, 2nd Baron (1775–1854);
• Henry Prittie, 3rd Baron (1807–85);
• Henry O'Callaghan Prittie, 4th Baron (1851–1927);
• Henry Cornelius O'Callaghan Prittie, 5th Baron (1877–1948);
• Henry Desmond Graham Prittie, 6th Baron (1912–92);
• Henry Francis Cornelius Prittie, 7th Baron (b 1948).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, the Hon Joel Henry Prittie.

The 4th Baron was the last Lord-Lieutenant of County Tipperary, from 1905 until 1922.

Henry Francis Cornelius Prittie, 7th and present Lord Dunalley, lives in Oxfordshire.

A note in the Dunalley Papers records the sale of the Kerry estate of this family to the Crosbies in 1742 for £1,500.

KILBOY HOUSE, near Nenagh, County Tipperary, was a middle to late 18th century house built for Henry Prittie MP, afterwards 1st Lord Dunalley, to the design of William Leeson.

It had three storeys over a basement; a five-bay entrance front with a central pediment; and four large, engaged Doric columns.

The top storey was treated as an attic above the cornice.

There was a five-bay side elevation.

Lord Dunalley & Party standing on steps

The mansion was burnt in 1922 and afterwards rebuilt minus the top storey.

About 1955, the house was demolished and a single-storey house in the Georgian style was built over the original basement.

More recently permission was granted for the reconstruction of a new Kilboy House, by the prominent businessman and philanthropist, Tony Ryan.

The project followed a fire that destroyed a large part of the property in 2005.

The local council granted planning permission for the partial demolition of the existing fire-damaged, listed, single-storey dwelling.

The former three-storey period residence over basement, based on the Georgian mansion house, has been built.

The application, in the name of Tony Ryan's son, Shane, and his wife, stated that the aim was to rebuild the house as it was originally constructed in 1780.

Before reconstruction began, the Ryans paid €60,964 to the council as a contribution to providing public infrastructure such as roads and water.

First published in January, 2012.

Finnebrogue Revisited

Finnebrogue House (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2020)

Quoile Countryside Centre was a haven of tranquillity that morning in July, 2020.

I spent fifteen or twenty minutes there en route to Finnebrogue, Noel Lamb's lovely country estate near Downpatrick, County Down.

Finnebrogue is close to the River Quoile, and within sight of Down Cathedral in the far distance.

The big house emerges as you make your way along the winding drive, through mature woodland.

(Image: Timothy Ferres, 2020)

I've been at the house before, though that must have been four or five years ago; so it was fascinating to see many of its features once again.

Finnebrogue is one of the oldest inhabited houses in Northern Ireland, dating from the early 1660s.

The exterior is largely original, though the interior needed considerable refurbishment following a fire in 1795.

Watchful Gargoyles (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2020)

I'm sure it's one of the largest country houses in County Down.

We had coffee on the front lawn, close to the ha-ha which Noel had constructed, and I can verify that it serves its purpose well.

Cattle could be seen in the adjoining field, though were unable to cross over the ha-ha.

(Image: Timothy Ferres, 2020)

We were blessed with fine weather, so after coffee we strolled past a deer park and through woods to the old pleasure garden.

This area is in the process of being cleared due to the proliferation of laurel.

The Kiosk (Image: Timothy Ferres, 2020)

Noel showed me a little summer-house that he is restoring, known as The Kiosk.

Until relatively recently it was roofless and overgrown, though this little summer-house has been restored.

I gather it dates from about 1802.

This summer-house leans against the south wall of the walled garden, and is canted or five-sided.

Its façade is rendered, and the chimney emerges from the wall behind it.

Before I left Noel showed me the cavernous basement, one door of which is believed to be 360 years of age.

Some of the stone steps leading to the old kitchen are almost hollowed out with wear over generations of servants or staff.

It was like stepping back in time and wonderful that such a historically important house in Ulster has been fully restored and maintained.

First published in July, 2020.

Lighthouse Island: IV

Privy overlooking Mew Island (Timothy Ferres, 2012)

IN SEPTEMBER, 2012, I SPENT A WEEKEND ON LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND, ONE OF THE COPELAND ISLANDS

The throne-room, otherwise known as loo-with-a-view, is situated half-way down a cliff, overlooking Mew Island.

For those who haven't been following the narrative, Lighthouse Island is one of the three Copeland Islands, off the coast of County Down.

From the observatory at the top of this little island it takes about four minutes to get to the said convenience.

As the steps wind their way down the path, there is a wooden notice which is raised or lowered in order to alert users to the fact that this lavatory is otherwise engaged or not.

At the loo itself there is, helpfully, a second notice (Belt & Braces approach).

View from loo-with-a-view (Timothy Ferres, 2012)

This little cubicle has a half-door, open to the elements, where occupants can enjoy the most splendid prospect (above) of Mew Island.

I concur with Nick: Lawnmower Man needs to prune a bush which is obscuring the view somewhat [in 2012].

Next episode ... The Last Day.

First published in September, 2012.

Lisheen House

THE PHIBBSES WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY SLIGO, WITH 10,507 ACRES

The earliest record of this family is found in a list of names of subscribers to a loan raised in 1589, during the reign of ELIZABETH I, to defray expenses incurred during the arming of the country at the time of the threatened Spanish Armada.

The name there appears as PHILLIPS, as it also does in the official list of High Sheriffs for County Sligo, as late as 1716, where Matthew Phibbs, of Templevaney, is styled Matthew Phillips. 

Of this family two brothers came over to Ireland as soldiers about 1590. From records now existing in Trinity College, Dublin, they are found on half-pay, in 1616 and 1619, under the name of PHIPPS, a name that some of the younger branches of the family resumed about 1765. Of these two, William settled in County Cork, in the south-west of which county the name existed as ffibbs.

The armorial bearings of Phibbs’ and 1st Baron Mulgrave (top) are similar.

The elder of the two,

RICHARD PHIPPS, who served under Sir Tobias Caulfeild, and was pensioned as a maimed soldier in 1619, settled at Kilmainham, Dublin, where he died in 1629, and was buried at St James's Church.

He had issue,

RICHARD, of whom presently;
John, living in County Sligo, 1663;
Edward;
Hester; Jane; Sarah; Rebecca.

The eldest son,

RICHARD PHIBBS or FFIBS, of Coote's Horse, who was granted land in County Sligo, 1659, and served in Captain Francis King's troop of horse in Lord Collooney's regiment.

He died in 1670, and was interred in St John's Church, Dublin, having had issue,

MATTHEW, of Templevaney;
William, of Grange.

The elder son,

MATTHEW PHIBBS (1660-1738), of Templevaney, and afterwards of Rockbrook, County Sligo, High Sheriff of County Sligo, 1716, had issue, four sons and two daughters,

WILLIAM, of Rathbrook and Rathmullen;
Richard;
Robert;
Matthew;
Anne; Margaret.

Mr Phibbs died in 1738, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM PHIBBS (1696-1775), of Rockbrook and Rathmullen, married, in 1717, Mary, only daughter of John Harlow, of Rathmullen, by whom he had twenty-one children, including

Harlow;
Matthew;
WILLIAM, of whom presently;
Mary; Anne; Joanna; Rebecca; Eleanor.

The second surviving son,

WILLIAM PHIBBS (1738-1801), of Hollybrook, High Sheriff of County Sligo, 1781, wedded, in 1768, Jane, daughter of Owen Lloyd, of Rockville, County Roscommon, by whom he had ten children, of whom

William, 1771-2;
William, 1773-97;
OWEN, of whom presently;
Susan; Mary.

Mr Phibbs was succeeded by his only surviving son,

OWEN PHIBBS (1776-1829), of Merrion Square, Dublin, High Sheriff of County Sligo, 1804, who espoused, in 1798, Anne, daughter of Thomas Ormsby, of Ballimamore, County Mayo, and had issue,

WILLIAM, of Seafield;
Ormsby;
Owen;
Elizabeth; Jane; Maria.

Mr Phibbs was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM PHIBBS (1803-81), of Seafield, County Sligo, High Sheriff of County Sligo, 1833, 11th Light Dragoons, who married, in 1840, Catherine, daughter of George Meares Maunsell, of Ballywilliam, County Limerick, and had issue,

OWEN, his heir;
George;
William;
Catherine; Anne; Edythe Frances.

Mr Phibbs was succeeded by his eldest son,

OWEN PHIBBS JP DL (1842-1914), of Lisheen (name changed in 1904), High Sheriff of County Sligo, 1884, Lieutenant, 6th Dragoon Guards, who wedded, in 1866, Susan, daughter of William Talbot-Crosbie, of Ardfert Abbey, County Kerry, and had issue,

BASIL, his heir;
William Talbot;
Owen;
Darnley.

Mr Phibbs was succeeded by his eldest son,

BASIL PHIBBS, (1867-1938), of Corradoo, Boyle, and Lisheen, High Sheriff of County Sligo, 1905, who married, in 1899, Rebekah Wilbraham, youngest daughter of Herbert Wilbraham Taylor, of Hadley Bourne, Hertfordshire, and had issue,

GEOFFREY BASIL;
Denis William;
Richard Owen Neil;
Catherine Meave.

Mr Phibbs was succeeded by his eldest son,

GEOFFREY BASIL PHIBBS (1900-56), of Lisheen,

Born in Norfolk; Irish Guards; worked variously as demonstrator in College of Science; librarian; factory-worker in London and school-teacher in Cairo;worked with Nancy Nicholson at the Poulk (Hogarth) Press.

Mr Phibbs married Norah McGuinness in London.

He subsequently changed his name to TAYLOR, following his father’s refusal to "allow his wife over the threshold".

He lived in a Georgian house in Tallaght, County Dublin.

Denis William Phibbs inherited the house and some of the lands, which he sold to Isaac Beckett of Ballina for £1,400 ~ less than one third of the original construction price.

Beckett later sold the house to a builder, John Sisk.

In 1944, the Becketts sold the lands they owned to George Lindsay.

Other lands on the Phibbs estate were bought by the Lindsay and McDermott families.

LISHEEN HOUSE (formerly Seafield), near Ballysadare, County Sligo, although now in a ruinous state, casts an impressive presence on the landscape.

Many clues as to its original state survive, including some fine stonework to the facades, chimneys, and openings.

This was clearly a house rich in history and skilfully designed.

The Sligo architect John Benson, who designed the house, was knighted for designing the building at the Dublin Exhibition of 1853.

Lisheen is a two-storey rendered house, built ca 1842, now ruinous.

Symmetrical main elevations, extensive vegetation growth internally and externally; roof collapsed; remains of chimney-stacks survive; section of moulded eaves cornice survives.
 

Painted smooth-rendered walling, horizontal banding between floors, plain pilasters to corners, moulded dado, ashlar limestone plinth.

Square-headed full-height window openings, moulded architraves, entablatures supported on console brackets, all evidence of timber windows missing.

No evidence of entrance doors survive; all internal finishes and features removed; remote location in fields.

First published in November, 2012.