Clonbrock House

THE BARONS CLONBROCK WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY GALWAY, WITH 28,246 ACRES OF LAND

This family deduces its descent from a common progenitor with the Dillons, Earls of Roscommon, and the Dillons, Viscounts Dillon.

Sir James Dillon, brother of Sir Maurice, who was ancestor of the Viscount Dillon, was father of Sir Robert, who had two sons, Sir Richard, of Riverston, ancestor of the Earls of Roscommon; and Gerald, ancestor of the Barons Clonbrock.

This Gerald married Elizabeth, daughter of John, Baron Barry, and was ancestor of Thomas Dillon, of Clonbrock, County Galway, Chief Justice of Connaught, 1603; from whom was descended

ROBERT DILLON (c1704-46), MP for Dungarvan, 1728-46, who wedded Margaret, daughter of MORGAN MAGAN, of Togherston House, County Westmeath, and was father of

LUKE DILLON, of Clonbrock, who wedded Bridget, daughter of John Kelly, of Castle Kelly, County Galway, and the Lady Honoria Burke, daughter of JOHN, 9TH EARL OF CLANRICARDE, and had issue,

ROBERT, his heir;
Luke;
John;
Honoria; Susanna.

The eldest son,

ROBERT DILLON (1754-95), MP for Lanesborough, 1776-90, was elevated to the peerage, in 1793, in the dignity of BARON CLONBROCK, of Clonbrock, County Galway.

His lordship married, in 1776, Letitia, only daughter and heir of John Greene, of Old Abbey, County Limerick, and niece, maternally, of John, Earl of Norbury, and had issue,

LUKE, his successor;
Catherine Bridget; Letitia Susannah.

His lordship was succeeded by his son,

LUKE, 2nd Baron (1780-1826), who wedded, in 1803, Anastasia, only daughter and heir of Joseph Henry, 1st Baron Wallscourt, by the Lady Louisa Catherine Bermingham, his wife, third daughter and co-heir of Thomas, Earl of Louth, and had issue,

ROBERT, his successor;
Louisa Harriet; Letitia.

The only son,

ROBERT, 3rd Baron (1807-93), espoused, in 1830, Caroline Elizabeth, daughter of Francis, 1st Baron Churchill, and had issue,

Luke Almeric, died in infancy;
LUKE GERALD, his successor;
Fanny Letitia; Caroline Anastasia.

His lordship was succeeded by his surviving son,

LUKE GERALD, 4th Baron (1834-1917), KP PC, who married, in 1866, Augusta Caroline, daughter of Edward, 2nd Baron Crofton, and had issue,

ROBERT EDWARD, his successor;
Georgiana Caroline; Edith Augusta; Ethel Louisa.

His lordship was succeeded by his only son,

ROBERT EDWARD, 5th Baron (1869-1926), who died unmarried, when the title expired.

CLONBROCK HOUSE, Ahascragh, County Galway, was built between 1780-88 by Robert Dillon, later 1st Baron Clonbrock.

It comprised three storeys over a basement, and replaced a an older castle which was burnt in 1807 owing to a bonfire lit to celebrate the birth of his lordship's son and heir, the 2nd Baron.

Clonbrock had a seven-bay entrance front with a three-bay, pedimented breakfront.

A single-storey Doric portico was added about 1824.

In 1855, the 3rd Baron added a single-storey, two-bay bow-ended wing to the right of the entrance front.

Following the death of the bachelor 5th Baron in 1926, Clonbrock passed to his sister, the Hon Ethel Louisa Dillon.

It was subsequently bequeathed to her nephew, Mr Luke Dillon-Mahon, who sold it in 1976.

Clonbrock suffered a catastrophic fire in 1984 and is now ruinous.

First published in March, 2014.  Clonbrock arms courtesy of European Heraldry.