Courtown House

THE EARLS OF COURTOWN WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WEXFORD, WITH 14,426 ACRES 

This family is said to derive its descent from Nicholas de Stockport, Baron of Stockport, one of the eight barons of the county palatine of Chester, created by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, in the reign of WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.

It is probable the family had been settled in that county before the Conquest, and certainly the estate of Salterstown, near Macclesfield, in Cheshire, belonged to the Stopfords from time immemorial.

The first of the family who settled in Ireland,

JAMES STOPFORD (1620-85), of Saltersford, Cheshire, a captain in Cromwell's army in Ireland, married firstly, Ellinor, daughter of John Morewood, of The Oaks, Yorkshire, and had issue (with a daughter),

WILLIAM, his heir, father of JAMES;

James;

Joseph, father of the Rt Rev James Stopford.

He wedded secondly, Mary, daughter of Sir Robert Forth, and had further issue, two daughters.

Upon the restoration of the royal family, acquiring considerable estates in that kingdom, partly by purchase, and partly by grants, he took up his abode at Tara Hill, County Meath.

Captain Stopford was succeeded by his grandson, 

JAMES STOPFORD (1668-1721), MP for Wexford Borough, 1703-13, County Wexford, 1713-21, who wedded Frances, daughter and heir of Roger Jones, of Dublin, by whom he had five sons and four daughters.

He was succeeded at his decease by his eldest surviving son,

JAMES STOPFORD (1700-70), MP for County Wexford, 1721-7, Fethard, 1727-58, High Sheriff of County Wexford, 1756, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1758, in the dignity of Baron Courtown, of Wexford; and, in 1762, advanced to the dignities of Viscount Stopford and EARL OF COURTOWN.

His lordship married Elizabeth, only daughter of the Rt Rev Edward Smyth, Lord Bishop of Down and Connor, and had issue,

JAMES, his successor;
Edward, lieutenant-general in the army;
Thomas (Rt Rev), Lord Bishop of Cork and Ross;
Joseph;
Philip;
Frances; Mary; Anne; Catherine; Charlotte.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

JAMES, 2nd Earl (1731-1810), KP, PC, who was created a peer of Great Britain, in 1794, as Baron Saltersford.

His lordship espoused, in 1762, Mary, daughter and co-heir of Richard Powys, of Hintlesham Hall, Suffolk, by whom he had issue,

JAMES GEORGE, his successor;
Edward (Sir), GCB;
Robert (Sir), GCB, GCMG;
Richard Bruce (Rev).

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

JAMES GEORGE, 3rd Earl (1765-1835), KP, who married, in 1791, Mary, eldest daughter of Henry, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch, by whom he had issue,

JAMES THOMAS, his successor;
Edward;
Henry Scott;
Montagu (Sir), KCB;
Robert;
Mary Frances; Jane; Charlotte; Caroline.

• James Thomas Stopford, 4th Earl (1794–1858);

• James George Henry Stopford, 5th Earl (1823–1914);

• James Walter Milles Stopford, 6th Earl (1853–1933);

• James Richard Neville Stopford, 7th Earl (1877–1957);

• James Montagu Burgoyne Stopford, 8th Earl (1908–75);

• James Patrick Montagu Burgoyne Winthrop Stopford, 9th Earl (b 1954).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son James Richard Ian Montagu Stopford, styled Viscount Stopford (b 1988).

*****

THE COURTOWNS were a "Patrick Family", the 2nd and 3rd Earls having been installed as Knights of St Patrick.

The 6th Earl was the last Lord-Lieutenant of County Wexford, from 1901 until 1922.

James Patrick Montagu Burgoyne Winthrop, 9th and present Earl, was a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip), 1995-97; representative peer to the House of Lords, 1999-.

 

COURTOWN HOUSE, near Gorey, County Wexford, was the 18th century seat of the Earls of Courtown, overlooking the sea at Courtown Harbour.

It was significantly altered and enlarged during the 19th century, following the 1798 rebellion. 

The front consisted of a U-shaped block of two storeys and a dormer attic within the high-pitched, château-style roof.

The five-bay centre had a large open porch, with a porte-cochère carried on four piers.

Courtown House was demolished in 1962, having been sold to the Irish Tourist Board in 1948.

After the 2nd World War, the income from the amount of land left in the estate was not enough to keep Courtown House going and it had to be sold.

Marlfield House, once a Dower House on the Courtown estate, dates back to the 1840s.

The Courtown family also had a seat in Cheshire, Beale Hall.

Courtown Woodland was planted with oak and ash back in 1870.

At this time it was part of a typical Victorian estate woodland where exotic conifers and redwoods from California were planted within viewing distance of Courtown House.

Oak plantations were established at some distance.

They were under-planted with shrubs to provide food for pheasants for shooting parties.

The woodland was regularly cleared and used as firewood by local tenants.

During the 1860s and 1870s the 5th Earl established a pinetum, or conifer collection, in the grounds around Courtown House.

A small number of these trees remain today in the Woodland and in property across the river. 

Courtown arms courtesy of European Heraldry.  First published in January, 2012.

Ballinlough Castle

THE NUGENT BARONETS, OF BALLINLOUGH, OWNED 4,692 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY WESTMEATH

This family paternally derives from the Milesian sept of O'Reilly, Princes of Lower Breffny.

Of the O'Reillys, Richard Gough, in his additions to William Camden's Britannia, makes the following observations:-

WHENCE Mr Camden received his information that the O'Reillys derive from the Ridleys does not concern us to inquire. 

Spencer falls into a similar error; he derives the MacMahons from the Veres of England, because the one in Latin, and the other in Irish, have some affinity in sound to the name of bour pig [sic] in those languages; but both are equally the impositions of etymology. 

Before the English got footing in Ireland, the O'Reillys of Cavan, the MacMahons of Monaghan, the Maguires of Fermanagh, the O'Donnells of Donegal, with other chieftains in their own septs, were tributaries to O'Neill of Tyrone. 

Such of the descendants of those chieftains as I have conversed with seem rather to glory in their Milesian extraction. 

When Hugh O'Neill threw off his allegiance to ELIZABETH I, he also threw off the title of Earl of Tyrone, saying that he would "rather be O'Neill of Ulster than King of Spain."

JAMES O'REILLY, of Ballinlough Castle, County Westmeath, married Barbara, daughter of Andrew Nugent, of Tullaghan, in the same county, and granddaughter, maternally, of Thomas, Earl of Westmeath, and had issue,

HUGH, his heir;
Andrew;
James;
Margaret, created BARONESS TALBOT OF MALAHIDE;
Barbara.

Mr O'Reilly was succeeded by his eldest son,

HUGH O'REILLY (1741-1821), Lieutenant-Colonel, Westmeath Militia, who wedded, in 1781, Catherine Mary Anne, only daughter and heir of Charles Mathew, of Thurles, County Tipperary, cousin of the Earl Landaff, and had issue,

JAMES, his successor;
JOHN, 3rd Baronet;
Lavelin;
Eliza; Barbara; Isabella.

Mr O'Reilly was created a baronet in 1795, designated of Ballinlough, County Westmeath.

On the death of his uncle, John Nugent, of Tullaghan, he assumed his maternal surname of NUGENT solely, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JAMES NUGENT, 2nd Baronet, who espoused, in 1811, Susan Victoria Regina Mary, only daughter of Baron D'Arabet, of the Holy Roman Empire, and dying sp, 1843, was succeeded by his next brother,

SIR JOHN NUGENT, 3rd Baronet (1800-59), 1st Count of the Austrian Empire, and an officer of rank in the Austrian Service, who married, in 1842, Letitia Maria, daughter of Charles Whyte Roche, of County Limerick, and had issue,

HUGH JOSEPH, his successor;
CHARLES, 5th Baronet;
John Nicholas;
James O'Reilly;
Andrew Greville;
Letitia Mary; Kathleen Mary Georgina; Helena Mary.

Sir John was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR HIGH JOSEPH NUGENT, 4th Baronet (1845-63), who was accidentally killed while shooting, and was succeeded by his next brother,

SIR CHARLES NUGENT, 5th Baronet (1847-1927), 2nd Count, Lieutenant, 17th Lancers, who wedded, in 1871, Emily Ruth Eades, daughter of Thomas Walker, and had issue, an only child,

SIR HUGH CHARLES NUGENT, 6th Baronet (1904-83), 3rd Count, who espoused, in 1931, Margaret Mary Lavallin, daughter of the Rev Herbert Lavallin Puxley, and had issue,

JOHN EDWIN LAVALLIN, his successor;
David Hugh Lavallin.

Sir Hugh was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR JOHN EDWIN LAVALLIN NUGENT, 7th Baronet (1933-2009), JP, 4th Count, High Sheriff of Berkshire, 1981, Lieutenant, Irish Guards, who married, in 1959, Penelope Anne, daughter of Brigadier Richard Nigel Hanbury. and had issue,

NICHOLAS MYLES JOHN, his successor;
Grania Clare.

Sir John was succeeded by his son,

SIR NICHOLAS MYLES JOHN NUGENT, 8th and present Baronet (1967-), 5th Count of the Austrian Empire, of Ballinlough Castle, Director, Goffs Bloodstock Sales, who married, in 1999, Alice Mary, daughter of Captain Peter Dane Player, of Whatton Manor, Nottinghamshire, and has issue,

Lucy Rose, b 2001;
Katie Violet (2003-10).

BALLINLOUGH CASTLE, Clonmellon, County Westmeath, was reconstructed in the 1730s.

The main part of the castle, however, was built in the early 17th century: "1614" is the date on the O' Reilly coat-of-arms above the front door, although this may be inaccurate by several decades.

The newer wing at Ballinlough was added by Sir Hugh O'Reilly, 1st Baronet, ca 1790, and is probably attributable to the amateur architect Thomas Wogan Browne, also responsible for Malahide Castle, County Dublin, the home of Sir Hugh O'Reilly's sister Margaret, Baroness Talbot of Malahide.

The ground floor contains a large drawing-room and dining-room, with four first-floor bedrooms approached by a vaulted corridor above.

The spacious interiors have what may be the tallest windows in a private house of this period, overlooking the woods and lake.

The chimneypiece in the drawing-room is identical to a Wyatt chimneypiece at Curraghmore, County Waterford.

The Nugents of Ballinlough are almost unique in being a Catholic Celtic-Irish family who still live in their family castle.

First published in September, 2018

Kilboy House

THE BARONS DUNALLEY WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY TIPPERARY, WITH 21,081 ACRES

The founder of this noble family in Ireland was

COLONEL HENRY PRITTIE who, for his loyalty and eminent services to the crown during the civil wars, had a grant or confirmation, from CHARLES II, of Dunalley Castle and other estates in County Tipperary, by patent, in 1678.

Henry Prittie, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1650, Tipperary, 1659, was a captain in the Kentish Regiment of Horse, New Model Army; major, Cromwell's new Regiment of Horse.

He wedded Honor, daughter of Richard Foley, and had issue,

HENRY;

Honor; Abigail; Elizabeth.

The only son,

HENRY PRITTIE (1683-1738), High Sheriff of County Tipperary, 1706,  sustained a siege of twenty-one days, in his castle of Dunalley, against the disbanded soldiers of of the royal army of JAMES II after the battle of the Boyne.

The besiegers, however, at length entering, Mr Prittie was flung headlong from the top of the castle, though miraculously escaped unhurt.

He married Elizabeth, sister of Charles Alcock, and had issue,

HENRY, his successor;
Richard;
Priscilla; Elizabeth; Honora; Catherine; Judith.

The elder son,

HENRY PRITTIE (1708-68), of Dunalley Castle, MP for County Tipperary, 1761-8, wedded, in 1736, Deborah, daughter of the Ven Benjamin O'Neale, Archdeacon of Leighlin, and had issue,

HENRY, his successor;
Deborah; Elizabeth; Catherine; Martha; Margaret; Hannah.

Mr Prittie was succeeded by his son,

HENRY PRITTIE (1743-1801), of Dunalley, who espoused, in 1766, Catherine, second daughter and co-heir of Francis Sadlier, of Sopwell Hall, County Tipperary, widow of John Bury, and mother, by him, of Charles William, Earl of Charleville, and had issue,

HENRY, his successor;
Francis Aldborough, MP;
Catherine; Deborah; Mary; Martha; Elizabeth.

Mr Prittie, MP for Banagher, 1767-8, Gowran, 1769-76, County Tipperary, 1776-90, was elevated to the peerage, in 1800, in the dignity of BARON DUNALLEY, of Kilboy, County Tipperary.

• Henry Prittie, 1st Baron (1743–1801);
• Henry Sadlier Prittie, 2nd Baron (1775–1854);
• Henry Prittie, 3rd Baron (1807–85);
• Henry O'Callaghan Prittie, 4th Baron (1851–1927);
• Henry Cornelius O'Callaghan Prittie, 5th Baron (1877–1948);
• Henry Desmond Graham Prittie, 6th Baron (1912–92);
• Henry Francis Cornelius Prittie, 7th Baron (b 1948).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, the Hon Joel Henry Prittie.

The 4th Baron was the last Lord-Lieutenant of County Tipperary, from 1905 until 1922.

Henry Francis Cornelius Prittie, 7th and present Lord Dunalley, lives in Oxfordshire.

A note in the Dunalley Papers records the sale of the Kerry estate of this family to the Crosbies in 1742 for £1,500.

KILBOY HOUSE, near Nenagh, County Tipperary, was a middle to late 18th century house built for Henry Prittie MP, afterwards 1st Lord Dunalley, to the design of William Leeson.

It had three storeys over a basement; a five-bay entrance front with a central pediment; and four large, engaged Doric columns.

The top storey was treated as an attic above the cornice.

There was a five-bay side elevation.

Lord Dunalley & Party standing on steps

The mansion was burnt in 1922 and afterwards rebuilt minus the top storey.

About 1955, the house was demolished and a single-storey house in the Georgian style was built over the original basement.

More recently permission was granted for the reconstruction of a new Kilboy House, by the prominent businessman and philanthropist, Tony Ryan.

The project followed a fire that destroyed a large part of the property in 2005.

The local council granted planning permission for the partial demolition of the existing fire-damaged, listed, single-storey dwelling.

The former three-storey period residence over basement, based on the Georgian mansion house, has been built.

The application, in the name of Tony Ryan's son, Shane, and his wife, stated that the aim was to rebuild the house as it was originally constructed in 1780.

Before reconstruction began, the Ryans paid €60,964 to the council as a contribution to providing public infrastructure such as roads and water.

Dunalley arms courtesy of European Heraldry.  First published in January, 2012.

Vice Lord-Lieutenant

APPOINTMENT OF VICE LORD-LIEUTENANT

Mr Robert Scott OBE, Lord-Lieutenant of County Tyrone, with the approval of Her Majesty The Queen, has been pleased to appoint

Mrs Frances Beatrice Nolan MBE DL
Dungannon
County Tyrone

Vice Lord-Lieutenant for the said County, her Commission bearing date the 26th day of November 2020

Lord-Lieutenant of the County

NI Peers Index

AN INDEX OF NORTHERN IRELAND PEERS, EXTANT AND EXTINCT: SELECTIVE AND PERTAINING TO NORTHERN IRELAND

ABERCORN, DUKE OF

ANNESLEY, EARL

ANTRIM, EARL OF

ARDGLASS, EARL OF

ARMAGHDALE, BARON

BANGOR, VISCOUNT

Belfast, Earl of; courtesy lord; see Donegall

BELMORE, EARL OF

BLOOMFIELD, BARON

BROOKEBOROUGH, VISCOUNT

BRYCE, VISCOUNT

CAIRNS, EARL

CALEDON, EARL OF

Castlereagh, Viscount; courtesy lord; see Londonderry

CASTLE STEWART, EARL

CHARLEMONT, VISCOUNT

CLANBRASSIL, EARL OF

Cole, Viscount; courtesy lord; see Enniskillen

Corry, Viscount; courtesy lord; see Belmore

CRAIGAVON, VISCOUNT

CUSHENDUN, BARON

DE BLAQUIERE, BARON

DERAMORE, BARON

DE ROS, BARON

DONEGALL, MARQUESS OF

DORCHESTER, BARON

DOWNSHIRE, MARQUESS OF

DUFFERIN AND AVA, MARQUESS OF

DUNGANNON, VISCOUNT

DUNLEATH, BARON

Dunluce, Viscount; courtesy lord

ELY, MARQUESS OF

ENNISKILLEN, EARL OF

ERNE, EARL OF

GARVAGH, BARON

GLENTORAN, BARON

GOSFORD, EARL OF

Hamilton, Marquess of; courtesy lord

HASTINGS, MARQUESS OF

Hillsborough, Earl of; courtesy lord; see Downshire

KELVIN, BARON

KILMOREY, EARL OF

LECALE, BARON

LONDONDERRY, MARQUESS OF

LURGAN, BARON

MACARTNEY, EARL

MAGHERAMORNE, BARON

MASSEREENE & FERRARD, VISCOUNT

MOIRA, EARL OF; see Hastings

MOUNT ALEXANDER, EARL OF

Newry and Mourne, Viscount; courtesy lord; see Kilmorey

O'NEILL, BARON

PIRRIE, VISCOUNT

RANFURLY, EARL OF

RATHCAVAN, BARON

RODEN, EARL OF

ROKEBY, BARON (89th Lord Archbishop of Armagh)

Stuart, Viscount; courtesy lord; see Castle Stewart

TEMPLETOWN, VISCOUNT

TREVOR, BARON

WAVENEY, BARON

WESTMINSTER, 6TH DUKE OF (b 1951 at Omagh, Co Tyrone)

First published in February, 2013.

Brackenber Day

THE HEADMASTER'S VALEDICTORY LETTER

Here is the final correspondence I received from Brackenber's last headmaster, Mr John Craig, following his retirement.

It is clearly valedictory in nature.

Click on the image to read it.

It reflects Mr Craig's feelings about Brackenber; his profound devotion and deep affection for what became his home and his life; his dedication, care and passion for our school:-

click to enlarge

First published in February, 2011.

Hamwood House

THE HAMILTONS OF HAMWOOD OWNED 352 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY MEATH

HUGH HAMILTON (1572-1655) settled in Lisbane, County Down, during the reign of JAMES I, and was made a denizen of Ireland, 1616.

This Hugh Hamilton married, and had issue,

John, of Ballymenoch;

ALEXANDER, of whom presently;

Robert.

The second son,

ALEXANDER HAMILTON, of Killyleagh, County Down, wedded Jean, daughter of John Hamilton, of Belfast, and had issue,

HUGH, his heir;

Jane, married William Sloane, of Chelsea.

Mr Hamilton died in 1676, and was succeeded by his son,

HUGH HAMILTON (1664-1728), of Ballybredagh, County Down, who married Mary, sister of Robert Ross, of Rostrevor, County Down, and daughter of George Ross, of Portavo, by Ursula his wife, daughter of Captain Hans Hamilton, of Carnesure, and had issue (with three daughters), two sons,

George;

ALEXANDER.

The younger son,

ALEXANDER HAMILTON (1690-1768), of Knock, County Dublin, and Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, MP for Killyleagh, 1730-61, wedded Isabella, daughter of Robert Maxwell, of Finnebrogue, County Down, and had issue,

Hugh (Rt Rev), Lord Bishop of Ossory;

George, MP for Belfast, 1769-76;

CHARLES, of whom hereafter;

Anne.

The youngest son,

CHARLES HAMILTON (1738-1818), married Elizabeth, daughter of Crewe Chetwood, of Woodbrook, Queen's County, and had issue,

CHARLES, his heir;
Robert, of Liverpool;
George, of Quebec, and Hawkesbury, Canada;
William Henry;
John, of Liverpool;
Henrietta.

Mr Hamilton was succeeded by his eldest son,

CHARLES HAMILTON (1772-1857), of Hamwood, County Meath, who wedded, in 1801, Marianne Caroline, daughter of William Tighe MP, of Rossana, County Wicklow, by Sarah his wife, only child of Sir William Fownes Bt, of Woodstock, County Kilkenny, and had issue,

CHARLES WILLIAM, his heir;
William Tighe;
Frederick John Henry Fownes;
Sarah; Mary; Caroline Elizabeth.

Mr Hamilton was succeeded by his eldest son,

CHARLES WILLIAM HAMILTON JP (1802-80), of Hamwood, who espoused, in 1841, Letitia Charlotte, eldest daughter of William Henry Armstrong MP, of Mount Heaton, King's County, and had issue,

CHARLES ROBERT, his heir;
Edward Chetwood;
Arthur, of Hollybrook.

Mr Hamilton was succeeded by his eldest son,

CHARLES ROBERT HAMILTON JP (1846-1913), of Hamwood, who married, in 1874, Louisa Caroline Elizabeth, daughter of Francis Richard Brooke, of Somerton, County Dublin, by his wife, the Hon Henrietta Monck, eldest daughter of 3rd Viscount Monck, and had issue,

Charles George (1875-77);
GERALD FRANCIS CHARLES, of whom hereafter;
Frederick Arthur (1880-1962);
Henry John;
Eva Henrietta; Letitia Marion; Amy Kathleen; Ethel Grace; Constance Louisa; Lilian Mary.

Mr Hamilton was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

GERALD FRANCIS CHARLES HAMILTON JP (1877-1961), of Hamwood, who wedded firstly, in 1911, Violet Travers, daughter of Robert Craigie Hamilton, and had issue,

CHARLES ROBERT FRANCIS, his heir;
Esme Violet; Elizabeth Mary.

He married secondly, in 1949, Rosamund Mary, daughter of Maurice Bauer.

Mr Hamilton was succeeded by his son,

MAJOR CHARLES ROBERT FRANCIS HAMILTON (1918-2005), of Hamwood, who wedded, in 1958, Margaret Anne Lanfear, daughter of Captain Simon Ralph Fane Spicer, and had issue,

CHARLES RALPH, b 1960;
Annabel Honor, b 1959.

HAMWOOD HOUSE, Dunboyne, County Meath, is a small Palladian house of the 1764, with a central block joined to little octagonal ‘pepper-pot’ wings by elegantly curved sweeps.

Unusually, one wing contains the main entrance, since the house (as originally built) was reputedly so cold that the family decided to place the hall door as far away from the main rooms as possible.

The removal of the front entrance from the main block creates an interesting internal arrangement with a double drawing-room, unusual in a house of this size.

There is good late-18th century decoration and an interesting family collection, including the intriguing drawings and paintings of Caroline Hamilton.

Hamwood’s builder, Charles Hamilton, acted as land agent for the Dukes of Leinster whose principal seat, Carton, is nearby; and the Duke generously gave the Hamiltons a present of the impressive fights of granite steps leading to the doors in the end pavilions.

Successive generations of the family acted as the Leinsters' agents until the present owner's husband, Charles Hamilton (1918-2005), retired in the 1970s.

*****

MRS ANNE HAMILTON, Major Charles Hamilton's widow, died suddenly on the 4th December, 2013.

She represented the family at a function in Farmleigh House in 2012 honouring the Irish team at the 1948 Olympics in London.

A relative, Letitia Hamilton, was the only Irish medal-winner at those Games, for her painting of a scene at the Meath Hunt Point-to-Point races. 

Anne Hamilton was born Anne Spicer in Wiltshire, England. Her father, Ralph Spicer, had married Mary Graham, whose family lived at Spye Park, near Bromham, Wiltshire, since 1855.

The Grahams were originally from Lisburn in Northern Ireland, involved in the linen industry.

Anne and her siblings holidays at their grandparents’ place at Sallins every summer, and to escape the rationing and austerity England in the years following the 2nd World War, her mother moved them to Carnew in County Wicklow.

In 1958, Anne married Charles Hamilton, who had served in the 2nd World War.

He was a farm estate manager and they lived in County Galway for a period before returning to Hamwood in 1963, following the death of Charles’ father, who was the land agent at Carton House.

Charles also managed the Slane Castle estate for a period.

At Hamwood, they were involved in bloodstock breeding and a pure-bred Charolais herd.

The gardens were also a great treasure and open to the public.

In an interview for the Irish Life and Lore Collection at South Dublin Libraries, Mrs Hamilton was critical of how the Irish Land Commission had broken up large estates and the manner in which they allowed fine houses to decay.

In recent years, she continued to open the gardens and house at Dunboyne to the public.

Mrs Hamilton was survived by her son, Charles, of London, and Annabel, of Paris, and her sister in County Cork.

Her funeral service took place at St Peter’s parish church, Dunboyne, County Meath, followed by burial in the adjoining graveyard.

First published in November, 2017.  Select bibliography: Irish historic Houses Association.

Lord Bingham's Theory

The Daily Telegraph published an interview given by George, Lord Bingham, only son and heir of the 7th Earl of Lucan, in September, 2012.

Lord Lucan likely committed suicide by drowning himself following the murder of family nanny Sandra Rivett, his son has said.

George Bingham said he was certain his father wished to "vanish for ever" and died in a small boat which sank to the bottom of the English Channel after drinking whisky and taking sleeping pills.

Lord Bingham spoke for the first time about the mysterious disappearance of his father in 1974. He has been unable to succeed to the titles because a death certificate has not been issued.

In his first in-depth interview about the murder, he insisted he was certain his father was not the killer, though he said that he did hope his father had been involved in some way as it would make him "feel better" about his disappearance.

Sandra Rivett, 29, was found dead at the Lucan home in Belgravia, London, in 1974, after being bludgeoned with a lead pipe.

The nanny's attacker turned on the Countess of Lucan, beating her severely before she managed to escape and raise the alarm at a nearby pub.

Lord Lucan's car was later found abandoned and soaked in blood in Newhaven, East Sussex, and an inquest jury declared that the nobleman was the killer a year later.

What happened to Lucan remains a mystery and he was officially declared dead by the High Court in 1999.

George Bingham, who was in the house with his siblings at the time of the attack, said it was "extraordinarily unlikely" that his father was the killer or paid somebody else to carry out the atrocity.

He believes his father lost all sense of perspective as he became increasingly worried about being blamed for the nanny's death:

"I think Dad felt backed into a terrible corner. I think he chose almost immediately to take his own life. He had such a huge sense of pride and couldn't bear to consider the horrendous storm that was coming. It was his intention, therefore, to vanish ... and vanish for ever."

Lord Bingham added:

"Dad adored boats. He even built a powerboat. As a seaman, he would have known that if you jump from a boat in the English Channel, you will bloat, float and be washed up with the tides. It seems very likely he would have had access to a small motor boat somewhere in Newhaven harbour.

He would have got on board with a bottle of whisky and some pills and taken it out to the 50 metre mark, the point where if you go down you're not going to come back up again, but not so far out that you are in the shipping lane."

The former merchant banker has said he would prefer that to trying to understand why his father had left the family for "no apparent reason".

Lord Bingham continued,

"I've always thought it extraordinarily unlikely my father went into our family home, wandered down and killed anybody with a piece of lead piping for the love of his children, while those very children might well have come downstairs and witnessed this appalling carnage."

He also dismissed the possibility of a contract killer being involved, but added he had no idea of the extent of his father's involvement or his guilt.

First published in September, 2012.

Kenure Park

THE PALMER BARONETS, OF CASTLE LACKIN, WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY MAYO, WITH 80,990 ACRES

THEY OWNED 3,991 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DUBLIN

ROGER PALMER (alleged to have been the third son of Edward Palmer, of Nayton and Casterton, Norfolk) went over to Ireland and had a grant of Castle Lackin, and many other lands in County Mayo, in 1684.

His signature appears to the address from the nobility and gentry of County Mayo to CHARLES II in 1682. 

The Palmer family had come to Ireland in 1681 from Norfolk, and had acquired lands in County Mayo, where by the end of the 19th Century, they had amassed 80,000 acres. 

THOMAS PALMER, of Castle Lackin, second son of Roger Palmer, of Palmerstown, in the same county, was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROGER PALMER, who was created a baronet in 1777, designated of Castle Lackin.

Sir Roger wedded Miss Andrews, and had issue,

JOHN ROGER, his successor;
WILLIAM HENRY, succeeded his brother;
Sophia.

He died about 1790, and was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR JOHN ROGER PALMER, 2nd Baronet, who married Mary, only daughter of the Rev Thomas Althem, and was succeeded at his decease, in 1819, by his brother,

SIR WILLIAM HENRY PALMER, 3rd Baronet, of Castle Lackin, who espoused Alice, daughter of _____ Franklin, and had issue,

WILLIAM HENRY ROGER, his heir;
Francis Roger;
John Roger;
Charlotte Alice; Augusta Sophia; Ellen Ambrosia.

Sir William died in 1840, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR WILLIAM HENRY ROGER PALMER, 4th Baronet (1802-69), who married and was succeeded by his only son,

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR ROGER WILLIAM HENRY PALMER, 5th and last Baronet (1832-1910), MP for Mayo, 1857-65.

Kenure Park

The Palmers owned a number of seats, including Keenagh Lodge, Crossmolina, and the ruinous Castle Lackin in County Mayo; Cefn Park, near Wrexham, North Wales; Glenisland, Maidenhead, Berkshire.

Their principal Irish seat (through marriage) was Kenure Park, near Rush, County Dublin, where the estate comprised 3,991 acres.

Lieutenant-General Sir Roger Palmer, 5th and last Baronet, MP for Mayo, 1857-65, was Ellen Palmer's only brother.

He resided at Kenure with his wife, Gertrude Millicent, until his death in 1910.

Lady Palmer survived her husband for many years. She continued to spend much of her time in Kenure (above) until her death in 1929.

There are people in Rush who still remember the parties held in the house for the children of the town.

Sir Roger and Lady Palmer left no heirs, and the property devolved to Colonel Roderick Henry Fenwick-Palmer, who had fought in the 1st World War, and still bore the marks of shrapnel wounds to his face.

He had property of his own in Wrexham, North Wales, and only came to Kenure in the summer.

A plain man, he was not given to living the high life, apart from dining occasionally with friends, such as the late Lord Revelstoke.

He spent a lot of money trying to keep the house in repair.

He was finally defeated by rising costs on a property which was not making money.

Part of the estate had already been sold years before.

He eventually sold Kenure to the Irish Land Commission, in 1964, for £70.000.

Most of the land was divided up among local farmers.

The remainder was sold to Dublin County Council for housing and playing fields.

The woodland was cleared and all that now remains of the trees, which once dominated the skyline, is a small area around the main gate.

The front gate lodge is now the local Scouts' Den.

The gate lodge at Skerries Road belongs to Rush Cricket Club, which has beautifully refurbished it.

The Gate-Keeper's Lodge, the walled garden, the Steward's Lodge, the pond and shady avenues, have all gone the way of the big house itself. Only the portico remains, a stark remainder of what once was there.

The contents of the house were auctioned in September 1964, the auction lasted four days and realised £250,000, which would be over £1,000,000 in present day values.

Socially, Kenure had been a place apart from the ordinary life of the town, but it had been there for hundreds of years, an essential part of the Rush scene.

The general feeling was one of regret and disbelief that it was disintegrating.

As landlords, the Palmers had not been the worst.

However, there had been some evictions, and one action, which is still adversely remembered, was the removal of some of their tenants from their ancient holdings in order to lengthen the main avenue and have the main entrance gate near the town.

Nevertheless the Palmers were in many ways beneficent to Rush.

They gave land for the Catholic and Protestant churches, for a presbytery and for a teacher's residence.

In 1896, when the Catholic church was being refurbished, they donated the seating for the nave, and a brass memorial tablet in the church testifies to this.

A portion of the estate was allocated to the local cricket club, and it was certainly the most beautifully situated cricket pitch in north County Dublin.

Dublin County Council was left with an empty mansion, for which they could find no buyer.

The house continued to deteriorate.

During this time it was rented to a film company and a few films were made there, including "Ten Little Indians", "Rocket to the Moon", and "The Fall of Fu Manchu".

In 1978, after a series of incidents in which the house was vandalized and set on fire, with the inevitable water damage that resulted from the fire engines having to put out the blaze, the house was in a very dangerous condition structurally.

The County Council decided it had no choice but to demolish the house.

Within a few days, all that was left of this once great house was a mountain of rubble, from which the massive portico arose, forlorn and lonely against the sky.

First published in September, 2011. Select bibliography: KENURE HOUSE AND DEMESNE

Baron Rees-Mogg

JOHN REES, of Wick, Glamorganshire, was father of

THE REV JOHN REES (1772-1835), Prebendary of Tytherington, Cheshire, Chaplain to HRH The Duke of Cumberland, who married, in 1805, Mary Mogg, daughter of William Wooldridge, and assumed the additional surname and arms of MOGG.

By his wife he had issue,

WILLIAM REES-MOGG (1815-1909), of Cholwell House, Somerset, who wedded, in 1847, Ann, daughter of William Coxeter James, and had issue,

WILLIAM WOOLDRIDGE, his heir;
Henry James (Rev), Vicar of Midgham.

The elder son,

WILLIAM WOOLDRIDGE REES-MOGG (1848-1913), of Cholwell House, who espoused, in 1884, Emily Walcot, daughter of the Rev Henry Stiles Savory, and had issue (with a daughter),

EDMUND FLETCHER REES-MOGG JP (1889-1962), of Cholwell House, High Sheriff of Somerset, 1945, who married, in 1920, Beatrice, daughter of Daniel Warren, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his heir;
Elizabeth.

The only son and heir,

WILLIAM REES-MOGG (1928-2012), of the Old Rectory, Hinton Blewett, Somerset, High Sheriff of Somerset, 1978, wedded, in 1962, Gillian Shakespeare, daughter of Thomas Richard Morris, and had issue,

Thomas Fletcher (1962-);
JACOB WILLIAM, of whom we treat;
Emma Beatrice; Charlotte Louise; Annunziata Mary.

Mr Rees-Mogg, Director, Times Newspapers, 1978-81, Vice-Chairman, BBC Board of Governors, 1981-6, was appointed a Knight Bachelor in 1981.

Sir William was created a life peer, in 1986, in the dignity of BARON REES-MOGG, of Hinton Blewett, Somerset.

Lord Rees-Mogg's younger son, the Rt Hon Jacob William Rees-Mogg (1969-), is Member of Parliament for North East Somerset.

First published in November, 2018.

Days of Yore

Here I am, about 1960, with darling mother, probably on or close to Spence's Mountain in the glorious and legendary mountains of Mourne, County Down.

First published in April, 2014.

The Stewart Baronets

This is a branch of the royal house of STEWART, springing from Robert, Duke of Albany and Regent of Scotland, third legitimate son of ROBERT II, King of Scotland.

MURDOCH, 2nd Duke of Albany (1362-1425), succeeded his father, Robert, as Regent of the Kingdom, but was beheaded with his two eldest sons, 1425.

His third son, JAMES MOR STEWART, called James the Fat, fled to Ulster, and was father of

ANDREW STEWART, 1st Lord Avondale (c1420-88), who died without issue; and of WALTER, whose son,

ANDREW (c1505-48), succeeding to the titles and estates of his uncle, became 2nd Lord Avondale, and "exchanged" the title for that of OCHILTREE.

His lordship married Margaret, natural daughter of James, 1st Earl of Arran, and had issue,

ANDREW, his successor;
Walter;
Isobel.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

ANDREW (c1521-91), 2nd Lord Ochiltree, who married Agnes Cunningham, and had a son and heir, Andrew Stewart, styled Master of Ochiltree, who predeceased him in 1578, and was succeeded by his grandson,

ANDREW, 3rd Lord Ochiltree (c1560-1629), who having sold the feudal barony of OCHILTREE to his cousin, Sir James Stuart, of Killeith, was created, 1619, Baron Castle Stewart, of County Tyrone, where he possessed considerable estates.

His lordship wedded, ca 1587, Margaret, daughter of Sir John Kennedy, of Blairquhan, and had issue,

ANDREW, his successor;
JOHN, 5th Baron;
Robert, ancestor of the Earl Castle Stewart;
Margaret, m George Crawford, of Crawfordsburn;
Maria, m John Kennedy, of Cultra;
Anna.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR ANDREW, 2nd Baron (1590-1629), who had been previously created a baronet.

*****

ARTHUR PATRICK AVONDALE, 8TH EARL CASTLE STEWART is the 15th and present Stewart Baronet.

Seat ~ Stuart Hall, Stewartstown, County Tyrone.

First published in April, 2011.

New Tyrone DL

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY LIEUTENANT

Mr Robert Scott OBE, Lord-Lieutenant of County Tyrone, has been pleased to appoint:-

Mr Christopher Leonard Kerr QFSM 

Cookstown 

County Tyrone 

To be a Deputy Lieutenant of the County his Commission bearing date the TENTH day of NOVEMBER 2020 

Signed:  RWL Scott

Lord-Lieutenant of the County

Mountshannon House

THE EARLS OF CLARE WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY LIMERICK, WITH 10,316 ACRES

The Earls of Clare are said to have represented a collateral branch of the Duke of Leinster's family; the FitzGibbons, the chief of whom was styled "The White Knight", being descended from the FitzGeralds, Barons Offaly, progenitors of the great houses of KILDARE and DESMOND; as were the Knights of Glin, of the Valley, and of Kerry, titles conferred on junior branches of the house of FitzGerald, by the Earl of Desmond, as Count Palatine.

THOMAS, 3rd Baron Offaly, had an only son,

JOHN, who had issue,

MAURICE, grandfather of 1st Earl of Kildare;
GILBERT, ancestor of Thomas FitzGibbon, of Ballylander.

The younger son,

GILBERT, represented the collateral male line of the White Knights, the elder branch having terminated in an heiress, who carried the estate of the Kingston family.

His son,

DR JOHN FITZGIBBON, was father of

THOMAS FITZGIBBON, of Ballysheedy, County Limerick, father of 

JOHN FITZGIBBON (1708-80), of Mount Shannon, County Limerick, an eminent barrister, who published a work entitled "Notes of Cases determined at Westminster", which was highly spoken of by Lord Chancellor Hardwicke.

He wedded Ellinor, daughter of John Grove, of Ballyhimmock, County Cork, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
Arabella; Elizabeth; Eleanor.

Mr FitzGibbon was succeeded by his son,

THE RT HON JOHN FITZGIBBON (1748-1802), who having been bred to the Bar, was appointed Attorney-General of Ireland, 1784; and, five years later, filled the high office of LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND.

This gentleman was elevated to the peerage, in 1789, in the digniy of Baron FitzGibbon, of Lower Connello, County Limerick.

His lordship was advanced to a viscountcy, in 1793, as Viscount FitzGibbon, of Limerick; and further advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1795, as EARL OF CLARE.

He wedded, in 1786, Anne, eldest daughter of Richard Chapel Whaley, of Whaley Abbey, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
Richard Hobart, father of JOHN CHARLES HENRY;
Isabella Mary Anne.

• John Fitzgibbon, 1st Earl (1748-1802);
• John Fitzgibbon, 2nd Earl (1792-1851);
• Richard Hobart Fitzgibbon, 3rd Earl (1793-1864).

Richard Hobart, 3rd Earl, was MP for County Limerick, 1818-41, Usher and Registrar of Affidavits in the Irish Court of Chancery 1810-36, Lord Lieutenant of County Limerick, 1831-48 and 1851-64.

On the decease of the 3rd Earl the titles expired.

On display in the coach-house of Newbridge House is the sumptuous state coach made in London, in 1790, for John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare, Lord Chancellor of Ireland and a relation of the Cobbe family.

The coach had been painted black until restored by the Irish National Museum to its former golden magnificence - even the fresco panels had been painted out, probably for the funeral of Queen Victoria.

Entrance Front

MOUNTSHANNON HOUSE, near Castleconnell, County Limerick, was an 18th century mansion, bought from the White family by John FitzGibbon before 1780.

Seven-bay entrance front with pedimented porte-cochere of four massive Ionic columns; adjoining front of five bays.

The rooms were large and spacious, though boasted little internal ornament; a fine hall and library; French gilt furniture in the drawing-room and morning-room.

The 1st Earl was one of the most powerful men in Ireland at the time.

The house was re-modelled in neo-classical style after 1813 to the designs of Lewis Wyatt.

Mount Shannon appears to have been called Ballingown on the Taylor and Skinner map of the late 1770s.

Mark Bence Jones writes that it was enlarged by the 1st Earl of Clare and remodelled by the 2nd Earl.

The contents of the house were sold in 1888 and the house was purchased by the Nevin family ca 1893 (Bence Jones).

The 3rd and last Earl, who didn't have the government pension that his predecessors enjoyed, and who was most generous in providing financial succour to emigrants after the Irish famine, left the estate impoverished.

As a consequence, his daughter, who inherited the estate, was obliged to sell most of the precious contents of the house in 1888.

Abandoned Ireland has written an excellent article about the family and estate:

Lady Louisa Georgina FitzGibbon, daughter of the 3rd Earl, came into possession of Mountshannon on the death of her father. She was a very extravagant and over-charitable woman who gave lavish banquets and balls at the mansion to which all the aristocracy and landed gentry from Limerick and neighbouring counties were invited...

But the world of reality eventually took control as Lady Louisa frittered away the Fitzgibbon fortune and ran up huge debts in an effort to keep up the grand lifestyle to which she had become accustomed.

She became engaged to a Sicilian nobleman, The Marquis Della Rochella, thinking his wealth would rescue her from financial ruin, only to discover that her betroth was himself almost penniless and was marrying her for the same reason.

During a sumptuous party in the mansion to announce their engagement, the sheriff arrived to seize some of the mansion's valuable effects.

Two large paintings hanging in the main hall were among the items earmarked for confiscation, but were found to have holes burned through the canvas when the sheriff's men were removing them. The restored and still very valuable pictures were in later years hung in the hall of Dublin Castle.

It was on this occasion that the Marquis discovered that Lady Louisa, like himself, was bankrupt but, noble gentleman that he was, he went ahead with the marriage - even if it was a misguided union.

The Marquis, unaccustomed to the Irish climate, fell into bad health and died a few years later, still pining for his native sunny Sicily. Still struggling to keep face, Lady Louisa was forced to sell much of the contents of the mansion including the priceless collection of books from the family library.

Soon the lavish entertainment, the sumptuous feasting and the glittering balls were all gone and the magic that once was Mountshannon disappeared. Gone too were Lady Louisa's wealthy friends, leaving her at the mercy of her creditors who quickly foreclosed on her and she was forced to sell the mansion and the estate.

Lady Louisa left Mountshannon in 1887 and went to live in the Isle of Wight at St. Dominic's Convent where she spent the rest of her life .... The powerful FitzGibbon line that had stretched across one hundred and twenty years at Mountshannon had finally ended.

The next owner of Mountshannon was an Irishman, Thomas Nevins, who had made a large fortune in America and returned to Ireland with his wife and three daughters and purchased the mansion and estate. 

For the Nevins, who were a decent and honest Catholic family, their years at Mountshannon were fraught with trouble and ill-luck, so much so that people said the curse that many believed was on the place must surely have touched on these unfortunate people...

...Tom Nevins, like Lord Clare before him, was thrown from his horse while riding through the estate and died a few months after from his injuries. His body was also placed in the Cooling House, as was his wife's who died some years later the little building had by then become the family burial chamber ...

... So at last the tragic Nevins family rest undisturbed and entombed in what was once the cold storage house for Mountshannon Mansion.

Dermot O'Hannigan was the last owner of Mountshannon and in 1921, during the Troubles, in a spectacular and devastating fire, the flames of which could be seen, it is said, from many parts of Limerick city and county, the beautiful mansion was burned to the ground.

The estate was eventually taken over by the Irish Land Commission and divided up into several farm holdings.

Little remains of Mountshannon Mansion today but the ivy-clad shell of the great house, its four columns at the entrance still stand defiantly against the elements and even time itself, like some battle-scarred warriors still guarding the faded remnants of a grandeur that is no more.

First published in March, 2012.   Clare arms courtesy of European Heraldry.