Monday 22 November 2021

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.

First published in January, 2013.

4 comments :

Historic House Crawler said...

County Waterford, west of the Shannon...!!!

Dale Jarvis said...

Do you happen to know where the original image for the house crest came from? Is it from a book or somewhere else online? dale@dalejarvis.ca

Timothy Belmont said...

I think I obtained it here - https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=uFE4AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Andrew said...

Cappoquin House was open to the public and Sir Charles Keane was very welcoming in showing us through the house. His father was still alive at that point, so it was before he succeeded to the baronetcy. It's a beautiful spot in a sublime part of Ireland. Well done to the late Senator for rebuilding after the house was burnt.