Magan of Killyon

THE MAGANS OWNED 5,604 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY WESTMEATH

The family of MAGAN claims descent from the ancient Irish sept of MacCEAN or MacGEAN, latterly written MacGAN and MAGAN, a collateral branch of the sept of MacDermot Roe. Six successive generations of the MAGANS resided in the townland of Umma More or Emoe, about two and a half miles in distance from Ballymore, County Westmeath.

MORGAN MAGAN, of Clonearl, County Westmeath, brother of Richard Magan, of Emoe, had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
MORGAN, successor to his brother;
Susannah.

The elder son,

THOMAS MAGAN, of Togherstown, County Westmeath, a commissioner in the years 1695, 1697 and 1698 for raising a supply in County Westmeath for WILLIAM III, married Sarah Morgan, and dsp 1710, when he was succeeded by his brother,

MORGAN MAGAN, of Togherstown, who wedded Elizabeth ________, and had issue,

Thomas, dsp;
Hubert, dsp;
William, dsp;
Edward, dsp;
Morgan, dsp;
ARTHUR, his heir;
Eliza; Sarah; Ann; Frances.

The sixth son,

ARTHUR MAGAN (1721-77), of Clonearl, Philipstown, King's County (Offaly), High Sheriff of County Westmeath, 1759, MP for Newtown Limavady, 1765, espoused, in 1754, Anne, daughter of Hugh Henry, of Straffan, County Kildare, and had issue,

Edward, dsp 1779;
Hugh Henry;
ARTHUR, who carried on the line;
Anne; Harriet.

The youngest son,

ARTHUR MAGAN (1756-1808), of Clonearl and Togherstown, married Hannah Georgina, daughter and co-heir (with her sister, Elizabeth Anne, wife of Charles, 2nd Baron Castle Coote) of the Rev Dr Henry Tilson, of Eagle Hill, County Kildare, and had issue,

Edward, died young;
WILLIAM HENRY, his heir;
Arthur, Captain RN;
Thomas Tilson, Captain in the army;
GEORGE PERCY, ancestor of GEORGE, cr BARON MAGAN OF CASTLETOWN;
Henry (Rev), dsp;
Charlotte; Eliza; Harriett; Louisa; Emily; Henrietta.

Mr Magan was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

WILLIAM HENRY MAGAN (1790-1840), of Clonearl, High Sheriff of County Westmeath, 1827, who wedded, in 1817, Elizabeth Georgina, widow of Colonel Thomas Lowther Allen, and second daughter and co-heir of Dudley Loftus, of Killyon, head of the ancient and distinguished house of LOFTUS, and had issue,

WILLIAM HENRY, his heir;
Dudley, died unmarried;
AUGUSTA ELIZABETH, of whom hereafter.

The elder son,

WILLIAM HENRY MAGAN (1819-60), of Clonearl, Captain, 4th Light Dragoons, MP for Westmeath, 1847-57, espoused, in 1849, the Lady Georgiana Charlotte Keppel, youngest daughter of WILLIAM CHARLES, 4TH EARL OF ALBEMARLE; though dsp 1860, and was succeeded eventually by his sister,

MISS AUGUSTA ELIZABETH MAGAN (1825-1905), of Clonearl, King's County, and Killyon, County Meath, who died unmarried.

Her estates included 5,604 acres in County Westmeath, 4,418 acres in County Meath, 2,374 in County Kildare, 1,023 in the King's County, and 165 acres of land in County Dublin.

Miss Magan's paternal uncle,

GEORGE PERCY MAGAN (1799-1857), of County Carlow,  married, in 1824, Ellen, daughter of Valentine O'Connor, and had issue,

PERCY TILSON, his heir;
Thomas Tilson;
Henry;
Henry Augusta;
Edward William;
Hugh Tilson;
Albert Edward;
Valentine John;
Arthur;
Georgina; Mary Monica; Ellen; Charlotte Elizabeth;
Henrietta; Flora Emily; Harriet Honoria.

Mr Magan was succeeded by his eldest son,

PERCY TILSON MAGAN JP (1828-1903), of Correal, County Roscommon, Marlfield House, County Wexford, and Kilcleagh Park, County Meath, who wedded, in 1865, Anne Catherine, daughter of the Rev Edward Richards, and had issue,

Percy Tilson (1867-1947);
ARTHUR TILSON SHAEN, of whom we treat;
Emily Georgina; Muriel Rozel; Rachel Evelyn; Violet Augusta.

The younger son,

ARTHUR TILSON SHAEN MAGAN CMG (1880-1965), of Killyon Manor, Hill of Down, County Meath, Lieutenant-Colonel, Royal Army Service Corps, married, in 1906, Kathleen Jane, daughter of Assheton Biddulph, and had issue,

WILLIAM MORGAN TILSON, his heir;
Francis Shaen;
Annie Sheelagh; Violet Mary; Maureen.

Colonel Magan was succeeded by his eldest son,

BRIGADIER WILLIAM MORGAN TILSON MAGAN CBE (1908-2010), of Killyon Manor, and St Michael's House, Tonbridge, Kent, who wedded, in 1940, Maxine, daughter of  Sir Kenneth Grant Mitchell KCIE, and had issue,

Thomas Kenneth Shaen Biddulph (1941-3);
GEORGE MORGAN, of whom hereafter;
Hugh William;
James Henry.

The eldest surviving son,

GEORGE MORGAN MAGAN (1945-), married, in 1972, Wendy Anne, daughter of Major Chilton, and has issue,

Patrick G B;
Edward William Morgan.

Mr Magan, formerly of CASTLETOWN COX, County Kilkenny, was created a life peer, in 2011, as BARON MAGAN OF CASTLETOWN, of Kensington in the Royal Borough of Chelsea.

In 1876, Mrs Elizabeth Georgina Loftus Magan, of Killyon Manor (above), owned 4,418 acres in County Meath, 5,604 acres in County Westmeath, 2,374 acres in County Kildare, 1,023 acres in County Offaly, and 165 acres in County Dublin, totalling 13,584 acres.

Mrs Magan managed the estates until she died, in 1880, designating her only surviving child Elizabeth Augusta Magan as her heir.

When the Magan family's main residence, Clonearl, was destroyed by fire in 1846, Killyon Manor became their seat.

Killyon was sold about 1970 to Sir Rivers Verain Carew Bt, who lived there for a time until it was purchased by the Purcell family, who have restored the house and gardens.

First published in April, 2018.