Shaen House

THE KEMMISES WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN QUEEN'S COUNTY, WITH 5,800 ACRES

Of the early period of the Kemeys family the accounts are somewhat confused, but it is generally agreed that their origin was Norman. They rose to prominence at the period of the conquest of Gwent and Glamorgan. The original form of the name is uncertain, though it is said to be Camois or Camys, identical with Camois in the Roll of Battle Abbey.

They were known as "Kemeys of Began" as early as the 13th century. The Irish branch claims descent from the ancient family of Kemeys of Newport, Monmouthshire, which family bore as their arms vert on a chevron argent, three pheons sable.

THOMAS KEMMIS (1710-74), of Shaen Castle, Killeen, Straboe, Rossnaclough, and Clonin, Queen's County, wedded Susan, daughter of John Long, of Derrynaseera, and had issue,

JOHN, of Shaen;

James, major-general;

THOMAS, of whom we treat;

Joshua, of Knightstown, High Sheriff of Queen's County, 1795;

William Edward;

Elizabeth.

The third son,

THOMAS KEMMIS JP (1753-1823), of Shaen Castle, Crown and Treasury Solicitor for Ireland, patron of Rosenallis, married, in 1773, Anne, daughter of Henry White, of Dublin, and had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
Henry, father of Thomas Arthur Kemmis MP;
William;
James;
Richard;
Anne; Mary; Elizabeth.

The eldest son, 

THE REV THOMAS KEMMIS (1774-1827), of Shaen Castle, and Brockley Park, Queen's County, Patron of Rosenallis, married Mary, daughter and heir of Arthur Riley, of Airfield, County Dublin, and had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
Arthur;
Henry;
Mary.

The eldest son, 

THOMAS KEMMIS JP, (1798-1844), of Shaen Castle and Straboe, Patron of Rosenallis, High Sheriff of Queen's County, 1832, married, in 1834, Mary Henrietta, eldest daughter of the Rev Robert Blackwood Jelly, of Portarlington, and had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
Robert;
William;
Arthur;
Jane.

Mr Kemmis was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS KEMMIS JP DL (1837-1906), of Shaen, High Sheriff of Queen's County, 1860, who married, in 1858, Victoria Alexandrina, eldest daughter of Hans H Hamilton QC, of 26 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin, and had issue,

THOMAS HENRY, his heir;
Augusta Mary; Helen.

His only son,

THOMAS HENRY KEMMIS JP DL (1860-1915), of Shaen, captain, Royal Fusiliers, wedded, in 1904, Mary Caroline, eldest daughter of Charles Stewart Trench, of Clay Hill, Virginia, USA, and had issue,

WILLIAM FREDERICK, b 1905;
Victoria Mary, b 1908;
Elizabeth Gertrude, b 1911.

SHAEN HOUSE, near Port Laoise, formerly Maryborough, County Laois, is a house of late Georgian appearance.

It comprises two storeys over a basement.

The entrance front has two three-sided bows; pedimented one-bay projection in the centre; Greek Ionic porch with acroterion.

There is a notable castellated gateway at the demesne's main entrance.

Shaen House is now a hospital.

First published in April, 2013.