Glanomera House

THE ARTHURS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY CLARE, WITH 10,534 ACRES

The Arthurs are stated to have been originally 'Artureighs', and to derive their descent from a common ancestor with the O'Briens, viz. Cormac Cas, King of Munster. The name, it is further asserted, was anglicised, in common with many others, on the invasion of Ireland by HENRY II, who is stated to have conferred honours and grants of land on one of that name in 1178.

In the records of Limerick, the name of ARTHUR frequently occurs from the earliest period down to the time of CHARLES I, when the family estates in County Limerick were confiscated by the usurper CROMWELL for loyalty to the royal cause.

The Arthurs subsequently removed to County Clare, and became seated at Glenomera. On the municipal roll of the city of Limerick are given the names of no less than forty-eight ARTHURS as mayors etc of that city.

From John Arthur, Mayor of Limerick in 1340, and Sir Dominick Arthur, also Mayor of that city, we pass to Sir Nicholas Arthur, Knight, Mayor in 1591.

Thomas Arthur was Bishop of Limerick in 1470; Richard Arthur was RC Bishop, 1643.

The Rev Geoffrey Arthur, of the Church of Rome, Treasurer of Limerick Cathedral, died in 1519, and was buried there, where his monument, with a curious Latin inscription, may still be seen.

Edward Arthur was MP for the city of Limerick, 1599; and Thomas Arthur, MP in 1585.

THOMAS ARTHUR, of Glanomera, son of Piers Arthur, wedded Elizabeth, daughter of Captain John Butler, heiress of the BUTLERS of Kilmoyler, County Tipperary, descended from the 9th Earl of Ormonde and the 11th Earl of Desmond; and was father of

THOMAS ARTHUR DL, of Glanomera, who wedded Lucy, fourth daughter of Sir Edward O'Brien Bt, of Dromoland, and left by her at his decease, 1803 (with a daughter, Mary), an only son and successor, 

THOMAS ARTHUR DL (1778-1845), of Glanomera, who espoused, in 1803, Harriet, second daughter and co-heir (with her only sister, Charlotte, wife of Sir Edward O'Brien Bt, of Dromoland) of William Smith, of Cahermoyle, County Limerick, and had (with nine daughters) seven sons,

THOMAS, his heir;
William Smith;
LUCIUS (Rev);
Edward;
Augustus;
Henry;
Frederick Brian Boru (Rev).

Mr Arthur was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS ARTHUR (1806-84),  of Glanomera, who wedded Elizabeth, daughter of Captain John Butler, of Kilmoyler, descended from Piers, seventh son of James, 9th Earl of Ormonde.

He was succeeded by his brother,

THE REV LUCIUS ARTHUR (1810-87), of Glanomera, who married, in 1840, Caroline Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of John Haycock Jervis, of Moseley, Warwickshire, and had issue,

THOMAS LUCIUS JERVIS, his heir;
Edward Henry Frederick;
Charles William Augustus;
Harriet Elizabeth Augusta; Ellen Lucy Julia; Maria Anne Florence;
Charlotte Katherine Susan; Grace Caroline Frances.

The eldest son,

THOMAS LUCIUS JERVIS ARTHUR JP (1847-88), of Glanomera, Captain, 6th R V Regiment, married, in 1881, Constance Helen, daughter of William Steele Studdert, of Clonboy, County Clare, by Constance his wife, daughter of Robert George Massy, and had issue,

CHARLES WILLIAM AUGUSTUS, his heir;
Desmond Phelps Pery Lucius Studdert, b 1884.

His elder son, 

CHARLES WILLIAM AUGUSTUS ARTHUR (1882-), of Glanomera, County Clare, wedded, in 1904, Rose Violet, daughter of John Joseph Roche-Kelly, of Rockstown Castle and Islandmore, County Limerick, and had issue,

Charles Augustus, died in infancy;
LUCIUS, of whom hereafter.

His second son, 

LUCIUS ARTHUR, born in 1913, was the grandfather of the surviving members of that line.

Photo Credit: Limerick City Museum; © Michael Kelly; Paul Kelly

GLANOMERA HOUSE, County Clare, was burnt in 1905.

Select Bibliography: Burke's Landed Gentry of Ireland, 1912, page 15.   First published in March, 2013.