Cambridges in NI

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Baron and Baroness Carrickfergus, have arrived in Northern Ireland.

More to follow.

Rathdaire House

THE ADAIRS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN THE QUEEN'S COUNTY, WITH 9,655 ACRES

The family of ADAIR were originally from Scotland and settled in Ireland about 1690, at the time of the battle of the Boyne.  

THOMAS ADAIRE, son of Archibald Adaire, wedded Mary Hamilton, and settled in the Queen's County (Laois).

His son,

ARCHIBALD ADAIRE, married and was father of

JOHN ADAIR, of Rath, Queen's County, High Sheriff of Queen's County, 1782, who died in 1809, and was father of

GEORGE ADAIR JP DL (1784-1873), of Rath, High Sheriff of Queen's County, 1822, who married Elizabeth, second daughter of the Very Rev Thomas Trench, Dean of Kildare (brother of the 1st Lord Ashtown), and had an only son,

JOHN GEORGE ADAIR JP DL (1823-85), of Rathdaire, Queen's County, and GLENVEAGH CASTLE, County Donegal, High Sheriff of Queen's County, 1867, County Donegal, 1874.

George and his son John George, better known as Jack, built a "state of the art" farmyard at Belgrove in 1851. To justify their investment they ejected their tenants from the best land in Ballyaddan, Rathroinsin, Belgrove, etc., expecting to run the land more efficiently in a larger unit, rather than depending on what they could extract from their tenants.

Jack himself acquired more land in Tipperary, Kildare, and Donegal, and also a large ranch in Texas called the JA Ranch. He died in 1885 on his way home from the States, aged 62 years. Thanks to Dr. Bob Spiegelman of New York we have learned a great deal more about the JA Ranch and Jack's connections with it, as well as Glenveagh in Donegal. When the Irish Land Commission acquired the Estate in 1935 they divided it among some of the Estate employees and enlarged many of the small farms in the area.

The farmyard was divided between four families, and four of the farm buildings were converted into dwellings. Later on three of the families moved elsewhere or changed from farming. As the other families left the Murphy family bought out the rest of the yard. Michael Murphy Sr. was yard-man on the estate when he was a youth and he got a quarter of the farmyard in the 1935 division; he survived to see his family own the whole farmyard eventually.

Mr Adair married Cornelia, daughter of General J S Wadsworth, US Army, in 1867, and died without issue.

Former seats - Rathdaire, Monasterevin, County Laois; Glenveagh Castle, County Donegal.

RATHDAIRE HOUSE, or Bellegrove, was a two-storey over basement Italianate house of ca 1835, with the entrance bay to the centre having full-height flanking bows.

It was burnt in 1887 and is now in ruins with the basement filled-in.

The fittings are now gone; the interior ruinous.

The house is set back from road in its own grounds, now in use as a tillage field.

Stable complex, pair of detached gate lodges, gateway and site of former winter garden to site.

First published in June, 2012.

Earl & Countess of Wessex in NI

The Earl and Countess of Wessex have arrived in Belfast this evening on the occasion of the final dinner of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) at Hillsborough Castle, County Down.

Their Royal Highnesses were greeted by the Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast, Mrs Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle CBE.

Castlecomer House

THE WANDESFORDES WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY KILKENNY, WITH 22,232 ACRES

This family was of great antiquity in Yorkshire.

JOHN DE WANDESFORDE, of Westwick, near Ripon, married, in 1368, Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Sir Henry de Musters, Knight, of Kirklington, Yorkshire, and widow of Alexander Mowbray.

He died in 1396, and was direct ancestor of

THOMAS WANDESFORDE, of Kirklington, in 1503, who wedded Margaret, daughter of Henry Pudsey.

He died in 1518, having had four sons and two daughters,

CHRISTOPHER, his heir;
William;
Michael;
John (Rev);
Ellen; Elizabeth.

The eldest son,

CHRISTOPHER WANDESFORD, of Kirklington, espoused Anne, daughter of John Norton, and died in 1540, having had issue,

FRANCIS, his heir;
Christopher.

The elder son,

FRANCIS WANDESFORD, of Kirklington, married Anne, elder daughter and co-heir of John Fulthorpe, of Hipswell, and had by her (who wedded secondly, Christopher, younger son of Ralph, Earl of Westmorland),

CHRISTOPHER (Sir);
John;
Jane.

Mr Wandesford died in 1559, and was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR CHRISTOPHER WANDESFORD, Knight, of Kirklington, who received the honour of knighthood, 1586, and served as Sheriff of Yorkshire, 1578.

He espoused Elizabeth, daughter of Sir George Bowes, of Streatlam, and dying in 1590, was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR GEORGE WANDESFORD, Knight (1573-1612), of Kirklington, knighted by JAMES I, 1607, who wedded firstly, Catherine, daughter and co-heir of Ralph Hansby, of Beverley, and had issue,

CHRISTOPHER, his successor;
John;
Michael (Very Rev);
Anne.

Sir George espoused secondly, Mary, daughter of Robert Pamplin, and had a daughter, Margaret, and a son, WILLIAM WANDESFORDE, Citizen of London, to whom, and his heirs, his eldest brother, in 1637, gave £20 per annum, issuing out of the manor of Castlecomer, and payable upon Strongbow's tomb in Christ Church, Dublin.

Sir George was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER WANDESFORD (1592-1640), being upon close habits of intimacy and friendship with Sir Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, accompanied that eminent and ill-fated nobleman into Ireland when he was constituted Chief Governor of that kingdom, was sworn of the Privy Council, and was appointed Master of the Rolls.

Mr Wandesford was one of the Lords Justices in 1636 and 1639; and was appointed, in 1640, Lord Deputy; but the fate of his friend Lord Strafford had so deep an effect upon him, that he died in that year.

He married, in 1614, Alice, daughter of Sir Hewet Osborne, of Kiveton, Yorkshire, and had issue,

GEORGE, his heir;
CHRISTOPHER, successor to his brother;
John;
Catherine; Alice.

Mr Wandesford was succeeded by his eldest son,

GEORGE WANDESFORD (1623-51), of Kirklington, who dsp and was succeeded by his brother,

SIR CHRISTOPHER WANDESFORD (1628-87), of Kirklington, who was created a baronet in 1662, designated  of Kirklington, Yorkshire.

He married, in 1651, Eleanor, daughter of Sir John Lowther Bt, of Lowther Hall, Westmorland, and had issue,

CHRISTOPHER, his heir;
George;
Charles;
Mary; Eleanor; Catherine; Elizabeth; Alice; Frances; Christiana.

Sir Christopher, MP for Ripon, was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON SIR CHRISTOPHER WANDESFORD (1656-1707), who was sworn of the Privy Council by WILLIAM III, and again, in 1702, by Queen ANNE, who elevated him to the peerage, in 1706, in the dignities of Baron Wandesforde and VISCOUNT CASTLECOMER.

He wedded, in 1683, Elizabeth, daughter of George Montagu, of Horton, Northamptonshire, and had issue,

CHRISTOPHER, 2nd Viscount;
GEORGE, 4th Viscount;
John;
Richard;
Henrietta.

His lordship died in London, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

CHRISTOPHER, 2nd Viscount (1684-1719), MP for Morpeth, 1710, and for Rippon, 1714.

In the latter year he was sworn of the Privy Council to GEORGE I, and the next year appointed Governor of County Kilkenny.

In 1717, he was constituted Secretary-at-War.

His lordship wedded, in 1715, Frances, daughter of Thomas, 1st Lord Pelham, and sister to Thomas, Duke of Newcastle, and had an only child,

CHRISTOPHER, 3rd Viscount (1717-36), who died in London of the smallpox, unmarried, and was succeeded by his uncle,

GEORGE, 4th Viscount (1687-51),

• Christopher Wandesford, 2nd Viscount (1684–1719)
• Christopher Wandesford, 3rd Viscount (1717–36)
• George Wandesford, 4th Viscount (1687–1751)
• John Wandesford, 5th Viscount (1725–84) (created Earl Wandesford in 1758).

The 1st EARL OF WANDESFORD died in 1784, and his son having predeceased him, all his honours, including the baronetcy, became extinct, and his estates upon his only daughter,

THE LADY ANNE WANDESFORDE, who espoused, in 1769, John Butler, to whom the EARLDOM OF ORMONDE was restored by the House of Lords, 1791, as 17th Earl of Ormonde and 10th Earl of Ossory.

Her fourth, but second surviving son,

THE HON CHARLES HARWARD BUTLER-CLARKE-SOUTHWELL-WANDESFORDE (1780-1860), of Castlecomer and Kirklington, inherited his mother's estates, and assumed, in 1820, the additional surname of CLARKE after Butler; and, in 1830, the additional surnames of SOUTHWELL-WANDESFORDE after Butler-Clarke.

He espoused, in 1812, the Lady Sarah Butler, daughter of Henry Thomas, 2nd Earl of Carrick, and had issue,

John, dspvp;
HENRY BUTLER-CLARKE-SOUTHWELL-WANDESFORDE, died unmarried;
Walter, father of CHARLES;
SARAH, of Castlecomer and Kirklington.

The Hon Charles Harward Butler C S Wandesforde was succeeded by his grandson,

CHARLES BUTLER-CLARKE-SOUTHWELL-WANDESFORDE, of Castlecomer and Kirklington, High Sheriff of County Kilkenny, 1879, who died unmarried, 1881, and was succeeded by his aunt,

SARAH PRIOR-WANDESFORDE (1814-92), of Castlecomer, Kirklington, Hipswell, and Hudswell, Yorkshire, who married, in 1836, the Rev John Prior, of Mount Dillon, County Dublin, Rector of Kirklington, Yorkshire, son of the Rev Dr Thomas Prior, Vice-Provost of Trinity College, Dublin, and had issue,

Charles Butler, father of RICHARD HENRY PRIOR-WANDESFORDE;
Henry Wallis;
Sarah Butler; Sophia Elizabeth.

Mrs Prior-Wandesforde succeeded to the Castlecomer and Kirklington estates on the death of her nephew, 1881, and in accordance with the provisions contained in her father's will, assumed, in 1882, for herself and her issue the additional surname and arms of WANDESFORDE.

She was succeeded by her grandson,

RICHARD HENRY PRIOR-WANDESFORDE JP DL (1870-), of Castlecomer and Kirklington Hall, Hipswell, and Hudswell, Yorkshire, High Sheriff of County Kilkenny, 1894, who wedded, in 1896, Florence Jackson von Schwartz, daughter of the Rev Ferdinand Pryor, Rector of Dartmouth, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and had issue,

CHRISTOPHER BUTLER, b 1896;
Ferdinand Charles Richard, b 1897;
Richard Cambridge, b 1902;
Vera; Florence Doreen.

*****

During Lady Ormonde’s time on the estate, the coal mines were mainly run by master miners who leased the land and employed teams of about fifty men to operate them.

Her son, Charles Harward Butler-Clarke-Southwell-Wandesforde, took a great interest in the running of the estate and in the welfare of his tenants and attempted to reduce the role of "middle men" by reducing rents and providing assistance.

He even helped some of his tenants to emigrate.

He was succeeded by his daughter Sarah, who married John Prior.

She outlived all her children and was succeeded by her grandson Richard Henry who inherited the estates and assumed the Wandesforde name in 1892.

When Captain Richard Henry Prior-Wandesforde inherited the estate in the late 19th Century, the family owned thousands of acres of woodland in the area.

In previous years, the mines had been operated by master miners who leased the mines from the Wandesforde family, but ‘the Captain’ took personal control of the mines.

He introduced many improvements in the mine workings including overhead ropeways to transport the coal to the Deerpark railway depot.

He also established the Castlecomer Basket Factory, the Castlecomer Agricultural Bank and the Colliery Co-operative Society and built a number of housing schemes for the mine workers.

Captain Prior-Wandesforde took personal control of the coal mines and invested his own money in upgrading and modernising the mine workings.

CASTLECOMER HOUSE in County Kilkenny, the family seat, was originally built in 1638.

It was burned down during the battle of Castlecomer in 1798.

A larger house was built in its place, in 1802,  during the time of Lady Ormonde.

It was a very large 18th and 19th century mansion consisting of a square, two-storey main block with fronts of five bays; a slightly lower three-storey wing of great length.

There was a battlemented parapet on the main wing and block; rectangular sash windows, mostly astragals; and an enclosed Gothic porch.

Most of the building was demolished in 1975 as it was no longer in use and had fallen into disrepair.

Nothing now remains of the house.

Castlecomer Discovery Park is situated on grounds that once formed part of the Wandesforde family estate.

The Visitor Centre is located in what was originally the farm yard and kitchen gardens of the estate.

The stables and many of the farm buildings have been restored and now house the craft units and the education facilities.

The original walled garden is now home to a small herd of Fallow and Sika Deer and a flock of Jacob Sheep.

First published in December, 2011.

Donadea Castle

THE AYLMER BARONETS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY KILDARE, WITH 13,396 ACRES

This ancient family deduces its descent from Athelmare, or Ailmer, Earl of Cornwall, who lived in the reign of ÆTHELRED I, King of Wessex, and their settlement in Ireland is fixed at some time in the 12th century.

During the reign of HENRY VI, in 1421, we find Richard Aylmer, of Lyons, County Kildare, one of the keepers of the peace for that county, as well as for the adjoining county of Dublin.

In 1432, he is a subscriber (as sovereign of the town of Tassagard) to an indenture made to one John Staunton, and his heirs, of a waste plot of ground there, for the annual consideration of one penny at Easter.

In the reign of HENRY VIII, a member of the family,

THE RT HON SIR GERALD AYLMER (c1500-59), second son of Bartholomew Aylmer, of Lyons, by his wife, Margaret, daughter of Sir Christopher Cheevers, of Macetown, rose to considerable eminence in the legal profession.

Sir Gerald, for his very important services to the crown, obtained a grant of the manor and lordship of Dullardstown, County Meath, and settled there.

The baronetcy, designated of Donadea, County Kildare, was conferred in 1622, little more than a year after the institution of the Order by JAMES I, upon

SIR GERALD AYLMER (1548-1634), Knight, of Donadea, son of George Aylmer, of Cloncurry, and grandson of Richard Aylmer, of Lyons.

Sir Gerald married firstly, Mary, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Henry Travers, Master of the Ordnance, and widow of James FitzEustace, Viscount Baltinglas.

He wedded secondly, Julia, daughter of Christopher, Lord Delvin, by whom he had two daughters and his successor, at his decease in 1634,

SIR ANDREW AYLMER, 2nd Baronet (1613-71), who wedded Ellen, daughter of Thomas, Viscount Thurles, and sister of James, 1st Duke of Ormonde, by whom he had, with one daughter, a son and heir,

SIR FITZGERALD AYLMER, 3rd Baronet (1663-85), who espoused, in 1681, the Lady Helen Plunket, second daughter of Luke, 3rd Earl of Fingall, and at his decease (by smallpox) was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JUSTIN AYLMER, 4th Baronet (1682-1711), who married, in 1702, Ellice, daughter of Sir Gerald Aylmer, of Balrath, and had two sons.

Sir Justin was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR GERALD AYLMER, 5th Baronet (1703-37), who wedded, in 1726, Lucy, daughter of Admiral Sir John Norris, of Hempstead, Kent, by whom he left one son and two daughters, Lucy and Elizabeth.

This gentleman was succeeded by his son,

SIR FITZGERALD AYLMER, 6th Baronet (1736-94), who espoused Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Fenton Cole, of Silver Hill, County Fermanagh, by whom he had issue, with other children who died young,

FENTON, his heir;
John;
Arthur, lieutenant-general;
Margaret.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR FENTON AYLMER, 7th Baronet (1770-1816), who married, in 1795, Jane Grace, daughter of Sir John Evans Freke Bt, of Castle Freke, County Cork, and sister of Lord Carbery, and had issue,

GERALD GEORGE, his successor;
ARTHUR PERCY, 10th Baronet;
William Josiah;
John Freke;
Margaret Susan.

Sir Fenton was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR GERALD GEORGE AYLMER, 8th Baronet (1798-1878), DL, High Sheriff of County Kildare, 1827, who wedded, in 1826, Maria, elder daughter and co-heir of Colonel James Hodgson, East India Company, and had issue, an only child,

SIR GERALD GEORGE AYLMER, 9th Baronet (1830-83), JP, High Sheriff of County Kildare, 1854, who married, in 1853, Alicia Hester Caroline, daughter of Conway Richard Dobbs, and had issue,

JUSTIN GERALD, his successor;
Caroline Maria; Helen Charlotte Nichola.

Sir Gerald was succeeded by his son,

SIR JUSTIN GERALD AYLMER, 10th Baronet (1863-85), who died, unmarried, as the result of a fall from his bicycle, when the title reverted to his cousin,

SIR ARTHUR PERCY AYLMER, 11th Baronet (1801-85), JP, son of the 7th Baronet, who wedded, in 1833, Martha, daughter of Richard Reynell, and had issue,

Fenton John (1835-62), father of the 13th Baronet;
John Evans Freke;
Richard Reynell;
Arthur Percy Barnard;
Harriet Elizabeth; Jane Grace; Catherine Charlotte; Geraldine Maria;
Elizabeth Nannette; Martha Josepha Helena; Anna Angelina. 

• Sir Justin Gerald Aylmer, 10th Baronet (1863–85);

• Sir Arthur Percy Aylmer, 11th Baronet (1801–85);

• Captain Fenton John Aylmer (1835–62);

• Sir Arthur Percy Fitzgerald Aylmer, 12th Baronet (1858–1928);

• Sir Fenton John Aylmer, VC, 13th Baronet (1862–1935);

• John Evans Freke Aylmer (1838–1907);

• Sir Gerald Arthur Evans-Freke Aylmer, 14th Baronet (1869–1939);

• Sir Fenton Gerald Aylmer, 15th Baronet (1901–87);

• Sir Richard John Aylmer, 16th Baronet (b 1937).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, Fenton Paul Aylmer (b 1965).

The 1st Baron Aylmer was the second son of Sir Christopher Aylmer, 1st Baronet, of Balrath, County Meath.

In 1581, Sir Gerald built a new Tower in Donadea, not fully completed until 1624 and now the oldest part of the Castle.

In 1626, he repaired the medieval Church in Donadea and built a new extension in which he established his family burial plot.

In the extension he also constructed an Altar Tomb monument as a burial memorial for his family. Gerald was titled by the Crown and became the first Baronet of Donadea.

The Aylmers were connected with the various conflicts and rebellions over the next two centuries.

During the wars of the 1640s, Sir Andrew, 2nd Baronet, supported the rebels and was imprisoned at the beginning of the war.

Although he was a brother-in-law of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lord Ormond, there were no favours granted to him.

In 1642 Ormond sent an army to capture Donadea Castle which was stoutly defended by Sir Andrew's sister, Ellen Aylmer.

The Castle, nevertheless, was captured and burned. Ellen, however, was not imprisoned and subsequently rebuilt the Castle.

In 1689, after the battle of the Boyne, Lady Helen Aylmer (daughter of 3rd Earl of Fingall) was in charge of the Castle.

Lady Helen was the widow of the 3rd Baronet and was outlawed due to her support for JAMES II.

However, she managed to hold on to the Castle and lands under the terms of the Treaty of Limerick.

In 1736, Sir Gerald, 5th Baronet, died leaving an only son FitzGerald who became the 6th Baronet.

He was only one year old when his father died and was subsequently raised by his mother and her relatives who were members of the established church. FitzGerald subsequently conformed to the established religion.

In 1773, he built a new house in front of the Castle and incorporated the Tower in his new residence.

Sir Fenton Aylmer, 7th Baronet, was well-known as the man who founded the Kildare Hunt.

He was also famous as a Yeoman leader during the Rebellion of 1798.

In the period leading up to the rebellion there was an attempt to burn Donadea Castle.

During the rebellion Fenton’s kinsman, William Aylmer of Painstown, was the leader of the local rebels.

This led to a split among the Aylmer family.

Sir Fenton’s son Gerald, 8th Baronet, held the lands of Donadea between 1816 and 1878 and he is accredited with most of the construction work that is visible in Donadea demesne today.

He began his building program in the 1820s by re-routing the roads away from the Castle and the construction of a high wall enclosing the demesne.

Gate lodges were then built at all the entrances.

He also built a new grand entrance known as the Lime Avenue.

In 1827 he completely remodelled the front of the Castle which gave it an attractive bow shaped appearance.

It has been suggested that he employed the renowned architect Richard Morrison to design this new structure.

The older cabin-type dwellings close to the castle were demolished and new estate houses built at the Range.

To the west of the Castle he built an eight acre area of gardens and paddocks, surrounded and sub-divided by walls.

In the Castle yard he built dwellings for staff and elaborative farm buildings.

He also constructed the artificial lake and the Ice House.

Large areas of the demesne were planted and, by the time of his death, Donadea demesne was listed as one of the finest parkland settings in the county.

Outside the demesne he was involved in numerous construction projects including the famous ‘Aylmer Folly’, viz. the Tower on the summit of the hill of Allen.

Sir Gerald's grandson Justin, 10th Baronet, died unmarried in 1885.

His sister Caroline inherited the castle and much of the demesne, while the baronetcy passed to a cousin.

Caroline Maria Aylmer, who was the daughter of Sir Gerald George Aylmer, 9th Baronet, was the last Aylmer to live at Donadea.

She died in 1935, leaving the estate to the Church of Ireland who, in turn, passed it bequeathed to the Irish state.

The castle remained unoccupied and its roof was removed in the late 1950s.

Lieutenant-General Sir Fenton John Aylmer Bt, 13th Baronet, VC KCB, was a recipient of the Victoria Cross.

In 1981, the Irish Minister for Lands designated the area of the demesne held by his department as Donadea Forest Park.

Under their management, a new era of history then began which transformed the old demesne into Donadea Forest Park.

First published in December, 2011.

Ballyheigue Castle

THE CROSBIES WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY KERRY, WITH 13,422 ACRES

This is a branch of the CROSBIES OF ARDFERT, extinct Earls of Glandore, themselves scions of a family long settled in the Queen's County and in County Kerry, and latterly represented by the Crosbie Baronets, of Maryborough.

The common ancestor of the Baronet's family and the two branches of Ardfert and Ballyheigue was

THE RT REV JOHN CROSBIE, Lord Bishop of Ardfert, appointed to that See in 1601.

The Queen's letter to the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Lord Mountjoy, dated from the manor of Oatland, in 1600, directing his appointment, describes him as "a graduate in schools, of English race, skilled in the English tongue, and well disposed in religion."

The Bishop was previously Prebendary of Disert, in the Diocese of Limerick.

He married Winifred O'Lalor, of the Queen's County, and had, with four daughters, six sons,

Walter (Sir), 1st Baronet, of Maryborough;
DAVID, of whom presently;
John (Sir), of Tullyglass, County Down;
Patrick;
William;
Richard.

The Lord Bishop of Ardfert died in 1621.

His second son,

DAVID CROSBIE, of Ardfert, Colonel in the army, Governor of Kerry, 1641, stood a siege in Ballingarry Castle for more than twelve months.

He was afterwards Governor of Kinsale for CHARLES I; and in 1646 he inherited a portion of the estate of his cousin, Sir Pierce Crosbie Bt, son of Patrick Crosbie, who had been granted a large portion of The O'More's estate in Leix.

Mr Crosbie wedded a daughter of the Rt Rev John Steere, Lord Bishop of Ardfert, and had, with four daughters, two sons,

THOMAS, his heir;
Patrick.

Colonel Crosbie died in 1658, and was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR THOMAS CROSBIE, Knight, of Ardfert, High Sheriff of County Kerry, 1668, knighted by His Grace the Duke of Ormonde, in consideration of the loyalty of his family during Oliver Cromwell's rebellion.

He was MP for County Kerry in the parliament held in Dublin by JAMES II in 1688, and refused to take the oath of allegiance to WILLIAM III.

Sir Thomas married firstly, Bridget, daughter of Robert Tynte, of County Cork, and had issue,

DAVID, ancestor of THE EARLS OF GLANDORE;
William;
Patrick (Rev);
Walter;
Sarah; Bridget.

He wedded secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of Garrett FitzGerald, of Ballynard, County Limerick, by whom he had no issue; and thirdly, in 1680, Elizabeth, daughter of William Hamilton, of Liscloony, King's County, and had issue,

THOMAS, of whom hereafter;
John;
Charles;
Pierce;
Ann.

By a very peculiar, probably unique, settlement, executed on the marriages of Sir Thomas Crosbie and his eldest son respectively, to the two sisters, on the same day (1680), a new settlement and redistribution of all the family estates was made, by which those of Ballyheigue were appointed to the issue of the last marriage.

Under this settlement Ballyheigue passed to the eldest son of his third marriage,

THOMAS CROSBIE, of Ballyheigue, MP for County Kerry, 1709, High Sheriff of County Kerry, 1712 and 1714, who espoused, in 1711, the Lady Margaret Barry, daughter of Richard, 2nd Earl of Barrymore, and had issue,

JAMES, his heir;
Anne Dorothy; Harriet Jane.

Mr Crosbie died in 1731, and was succeeded by his son and heir,

JAMES CROSBIE, of Ballyheigue, High Sheriff of County Kerry, 1751, who married Mary, daughter of Pierce Crosbie, of Rusheen, and had issue,

PIERCE, his heir;
James;
Catherine; Henrietta.

Mr Crosbie died in 1761, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

PIERCE CROSBIE, of Ballyheigue, High Sheriff of County Kerry, 1797, who wedded Frances, daughter of Rowland Bateman, of Oak Park, and had issue,

JAMES, his heir;
Pierse;
Elizabeth; Frances Anne.

The elder son,

JAMES CROSBIE (c1760-1836) of Ballyheigue, High Sheriff of County Kerry, 1792, MP for County Kerry, 1797-1800, espoused, in 1785, his cousin Elizabeth, daughter of Rowland Bateman, of Oak Park, and had issue,

PIERCE, his heir;
James;
Francis;
Thomas;
Letitia; Frances.

Colonel Crosbie died in 1836, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

PIERCE CROSBIE (1792-1849), of Ballyheigue, High Sheriff of County Kerry, 1815, who espoused firstly, Elizabeth, daughter of General John Mitchell. She dsp.

He married secondly, in 1831, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas William Sandes DL, of Sallow Glen, County Kerry, and had issue,

JAMES, his heir;
Margaret Catherine.

Mr Crosbie wedded thirdly, Margaret, daughter of Leslie Wren, and had further issue,

William Wren;
Pierce;
Leslie Wren;
George Wren;
Francis;
Elizabeth Margaret; Alice Julia.

Mr Crosbie was succeeded by his eldest son,

JAMES CROSBIE JP DL (1832-79), of Ballyheigue, High Sheriff of County Kerry, 1862, Colonel, Kerry Militia, who espoused, in 1860, Rosa, daughter of Sir John Lister Lister-Kaye Bt, of Denby Grange, Yorkshire, and had issue,

Piers Lister (1860-78), died at Harrow;
JAMES DAYROLLES, of whom hereafter;
Kathleen Matilda; Rosa Marguerite; Marcia Ellen.

Mr Crosbie was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

BRIGADIER-GENERAL JAMES DAYROLLES CROSBIE CMG DSO JP DL (1865-1947), of Ballyheigue, High Sheriff of County Kerry, 1894, who married, in 1894, Maria Caroline, daughter of Major James Leith VC, Scots Greys, and granddaughter of Sir Alexander Leith, of Glenkindie, and had issue, an only child, OONAGH MARY.

BALLYHEIGUE CASTLE, near Tralee, County Kerry, was originally low, long and thatched, facing on to an enclosed courtyard, where there was a stone tower, part of an ancient castle.

The original house on this site was constructed about 1758, but was renovated and enlarged to the design of Richard Morrison ca 1809.

The last member of the family, Brigadier Crosbie, sold Ballyheigue Castle in 1912.

The building was used as a prison at the time of the Irish civil war in 1920.

It was burnt in 1921.

Very little of the original remains, but some renovation has taken place and there is holiday accommodation at the site, now surrounded by the Golf Course.

A wing was reconstructed and remodelled about 1975, to accommodate use as apartments, with the remainder of the building now ruinous.

First published in August, 2018.

Lough Eske Castle

LOUGH ESKE ESTATE COMPRISED 15,134 ACRES OF LAND IN 1876

CHARLES NICHOLAS WHITE (1754-1839), of Datchet House, Windsor, Berkshire, East India Company, Chief Secretary to the Government of Madras and Judge of the High Court, son of Captain John White RN, by Joanna Dormer his wife, of Alphington, Devon, married, in 1792, Letitia Mytton, daughter of Edward Owen Williams, of Eaton Mascott Hall, Shropshire, and had issue,

Charles;
Frederic;
HENRY, of whom presently;
Raymond.

The third son,

THE REV HENRY WHITE, of Almington Hall, Shropshire, born in 1804, sometime Lieutenant, Coldstream Guards, wedded, in 1834, Sarah Ford, daughter of George Stevens RN, and had issue,

HENRY GEORGE;
Ada Letitia; Edith.

His only son,

MAJOR-GENERAL HENRY GEORGE WHITE JP DL (1835-1906), of Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, espoused, in 1874, Frances Cromwell, widow of Captain Raymond Henry Pelly, Royal Engineers, son of Colonel Raymond Pelly CB, and had issue,

HENRY HERBERT RONALD, his heir;
Sybil Georgina.

General White was succeeded by his only son,

MAJOR HENRY HERBERT RONALD WHITE DSO OBE JP (1879-1939), of Lough Eske Castle, High Sheriff of County Donegal, 1912, who married, in 1906, Florence Geraldine, daughter of Sir John Arnott, 1st Baronet, and had issue,

HENRY GEORGE RONALD, b 1907;
John Maxwell, b 1909.

LOUGH ESKE CASTLE, near Donegal, County Donegal, is a Elizabethan-Revival mansion of 1859-61 by the architect FitzGibbon Louch.

It was built on the site of an older castle for the Donegal branch of the Brooke family (whose ancestor erected Donegal Castle).

There is an imposing four-storey square tower at one end.

A large Gothic porch stands between two oriels; the parapet is crenellated, with two blind gables.

The tower has machiolations, crow-step battlements, and curved, corbelled oriels.

A date stone of 1621 on the plantation house displays initials "WH" for William Hamilton, father of Gavin Hamilton (progenitor of Brown Hall.) and "IM" for Joan Merbury, sister of the wife of the William Brooke of Colebrooke in Cheshire (father of Sir Basil Brooke, proprietor of Donegal Castle).

Thus the Hamilton and Merbury armorial bearings beside the central beaver of Brooke surmount the main entrance of the Lough Eske Castle Hotel.

All the stone for the ornamental stonework came from Monaghan’s Quarry, Drimkeelan, near Frosses, and the road from there to Lough Eske was built to transport the sandstone or freestone for the Castle.

Mr Brooke even brought two Clydesdale horses with cockney drivers from England to draw the stone.

His ancestors had acquired the Lough Eske estate in 1717 through a marriage with the Lough Eske Knoxes.

Thomas Brooke, who built the castle, was not a Brooke by birth.

He was born Thomas Young, but changed his surname to order inherit the property.

The Brooke coat-of-arms still stands over the door on the east and main entrance.

The tower is an impressive part of the Castle’s architecture and dominates the whole building and adjoining countryside.

The tower held the flagstaff where the family flag would have flown, visible for miles around.

Beneath the battlements, all along the front of the castle were a line of finely carved gargoyles faces, no two alike.

During the time that the estate belonged to the Irish forestry commission most of the gargoyles were stolen.

In 1859, architect-designed enhancements were installed by a local contractor.

In 1897, after visiting audience with Prince ofWales, embarked on modern improvements projects continued in 1911, with pleasure-rooms, steam-heated “Roman Bath”; master suite and guest rooms.

Colonel de Vere Brooke inherited the estate in 1884 and remained there for ten years until Lough Eske was sold, in 1894, to Major-General Henry George White.

During this period the the estate comprised 15,134 acres.

General White had a great love for the area and he was buried close to the lake, where there stands a fine Celtic high cross.

The burial site is enclosed by a wall and railings, with double gates at the entrance which bear plaques.

One of these carries the figure of a pelican, the symbol of mortality, with the inscription “Beware in Time”.

The second plaque bears the inscription Virtus Semper Vincit (Virtue Always Conquers).

The burial plot is maintained with the help of a bequest invested in the representative church body, donated by Mrs Sybil Georgina Barnes, General White's only daughter.

The Castle was operated it as a hotel from 1930 to 1939.

In 1939, a curtain in the ballroom caught fire due to a candle that hadn’t been extinguished.

The ballroom and billiards-room were destroyed, and by the time the fire brigade was able to attend (it had to come from Londonderry in Northern Ireland) most of that wing of the castle had been destroyed.

Thereafter the Knee family decided to vacate Lough Eske and sold the estate to Mr Scott Swan, who sold the castle to an American gentleman, Bernard Etzin, of Ardnamona House.

In the early 1980s the castle and estate were taken over by the Irish forestry commission, which had little interest in the castle itself.

Consequently, Lough Eske Castle became derelict.

The present owners, Solis Hotels, bought the estate (all that remained of the house at the time were the outer walls).

Trees grew inside the castle and their strengthening roots threatened to knock the castle down altogether.

After eighteen months and a considerable financial investment, Lough Eske Castle has been faithfully restored, including the interiors of the reception rooms.

First published in December, 2016.

Menlough Castle

THE BLAKE BARONETS OWNED 2,030 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY GALWAY

The founder of this family in Ireland, Richard Blake, alias Caddell, is said to have accompanied Prince (afterwards King) JOHN into that kingdom, 1185, and obtained for his military services large grants of land in the counties of Galway, Mayo, Clare, and in the town of Galway.

VALENTINE BLAKE (1560-1635), married firstly, Margaret, daughter of Robert French, and had, with other issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
Margaret.

He wedded secondly, Annabel, daughter of James Lynch, without further issue.

Mr Blake, Mayor of Galway, MP for Galway, was created a baronet in 1622, designated of Menlough, County Galway.

Sir Valentine was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR THOMAS BLAKE, 2nd Baronet, MP for Galway Borough, 1645-5, Mayor of Galway, 1637, who espoused Julianne, daughter of Geoffrey Browne, and was father of

SIR VALENTINE BLAKE, 3rd Baronet, of Menlough Castle, MP for County Galway, 1634-5, Galway Borough, 1639-42, Mayor of Galway, 1643, who wedded Eleanor, daughter of Sir Henry Lynch Bt, and had issue,

THOMAS, his successor;
Francis;
John;
Henry;
Julianne; Elizabeth; Annabel.

Sir Valentine died in 1652, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR THOMAS BLAKE, 4th Baronet, who married firstly, in 1649, Mary, daughter of Richard Martin; and secondly, in 1656, Maria, daughter of Robert French, by whom he had issue,

VALENTINE, 5th Baronet;
WALTER, 6th Baronet.

Sir Thomas died ca 1670, and was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR VALENTINE BLAKE, 5th Baronet (1664-86), who fell in a duel, and leaving no issue, the title devolved upon his only brother,

SIR WALTER BLAKE, 6th Baronet, who was the first Catholic gentleman of distinction who joined the standard of the Prince of Orange, and obtained a commission from His Royal Highness to raise a regiment, which he maintained and clothed at his own expense.

Sir Walter, MP for Galway, 1689, wedded firstly, in 1687, Anne, daughter of Sir John Kirwan, and had, with other issue,

THOMAS, his successor;
Mary.

He espoused secondly, in 1706, Agnes, daughter of John Blake, and had further issue, a daughter, Catherine.

Sir Walter died in 1748, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR THOMAS BLAKE, 7th Baronet, of Somerville, County Galway, who married, in 1716, Elizabeth, daughter of Ulick Burke, and had issue,

ULICK, his successor;
Anne.

Sir Thomas died in 1749, and was succeeded by his son,

SIR ULICK BLAKE, 8th Baronet, who wedded Mary, daughter of Richard Blake, though the marriage was without issue.

Sir Ulick died in 1766, when the title passed to his cousin,

SIR THOMAS BLAKE, 9th Baronet, who espoused, in 1730, Eleanor Lynch, though the marriage was without issue, and the title passed to his brother,

SIR WALTER BLAKE, 10th Baronet, who wedded, in 1751, Barbara, daughter of Myles Burke, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
Dominick Joseph;
Stephen;
Thomas;
Walter (Brigadier).

Sir Walter died in 1802, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN BLAKE, 11th Baronet (1753-1834), who married firstly, in 1779, Eleanor, daughter of Edward Lynch, and had issue,

VALENTINE, his successor;
Barbara.

He espoused secondly, in 1800, Rose, daughter of Edward Brice, of Kilroot, County Antrim, by his wife Theodora, daughter of Thomas , 1st Baron Ventry, and had further issue,

John Brice;
Eliza; Jane Margaret; Arabella.

Sir John was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR VALENTINE BLAKE, 12th Baronet (1780-1847), MP for Galway, 1813-20 and 1841-7, who wedded firstly, in 1803, Eliza, daughter of Joseph Donellan, and had issue,

THOMAS EDWARD, his successor;
John Francis;
Elly; Eleanor; Eliza.

He married secondly, in 1843, Julia Sophia, daughter of Robert MacDonnell, and had further issue, a son,

Valentine Charles.

Sir Valentine was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR THOMAS EDWARD BLAKE, 13th Baronet (1805-75), who espoused, in 1830, Lætitia Maria, daughter of Ulick O'Brien, and had issue,

VALENTINE, his successor;
Louisa; Eliza Maria.

Sir Thomas was succeeded by his son,

SIR VALENTINE BLAKE, 14th Baronet (1836-1912), JP, High Sheriff of County Galway, 1872, Honorary Major, Galway Militia, who wedded, in 1864, Camilla Eugenia, daughter of Harvey Combe, and had issue,

THOMAS PATRICK ULICK JOHN HARVEY, his successor;
Valentine Joseph;
James Herbert;
Florence Anne; Maude Julia.

Sir Thomas was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR THOMAS PATRICK ULICK JOHN HARVEY BLAKE, 15th Baronet (1870-1925), JP, Captain, Royal Garrison Artillery, who espoused, in 1903, Evelyn winifred, daughter of Lewes Arthur Stewart, and had issue, an only child,

SIR ULICK TEMPLE BLAKE, 16th Baronet (1904-63), Lieutenant, Royal Artillery, who married, in 1940, Betty, daughter of Arthur Gordon, and had issue, an only child,

THOMAS RICHARD VALENTINE, his successor.

Sir Ulick was found dead in his car after inheriting Menlough Castle.

He was succeeded by his son,

SIR THOMAS RICHARD VALENTINE BLAKE, 17th Baronet (1942-2008).

Sir Anthony Teilo Bruce Blake, 18th Baronet (1951–2014), great-great-great-great grandson of the 10th Baronet through his 2nd son, Dominck Joseph Blake (1754–1843);
Sir Charles Valentine Bruce Blake, 19th baronet (b 1994).

MENLOUGH CASTLE, County Galway, was originally a gabled 17th century tower-house on the bank of the river Corrib, two miles from Galway City.

The building had several additions and extensions during the 19th century, in including battlements, curvilinear gables, Georgian sashes etc.

In July, 1910, the castle was gutted by a catastrophic fire, in which a daughter of the 14th Baronet perished.

Menlough Castle was thereafter abandoned and has remained a ruin since then.

First published in September, 2018.

New Vice Lord-Lieutenant

APPOINTMENT OF VICE LORD-LIEUTENANT

Dr Angela Garvey, Lord-Lieutenant of the County Borough of Londonderry, with the approval of Her Majesty The Queen, has been pleased to appoint,

Mr Ian Crowe MBE DL 

Eglinton 

County Londonderry 

Vice Lord-Lieutenant for the said County Borough, his Commission bearing date the First day of September 2021 

Angela Garvey

Lord-Lieutenant of the County Borough

Drumcondra House

THE COGHILL BARONETS OWNED 472 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DUBLIN

The family of COGHILL was prominent in Yorkshire.

JOHN COCKHILL, of Cockhill, lived at Knaresborough, Yorkshire, in the reigns of RICHARD II and HENRY IV, as appears by ancient records.

The seventh in lineal descent from him was

SIR JOHN COGHILL, Master in Chancery in Ireland, knighted in 1686, who married Hester, daughter of Tobias Cramer, of Ballyfoyle, County Kilkenny, and dying in 1699, left issue,

Marmaduke (Rt Hon), CHANCELLOR OF THE IRISH EXCHEQUER;
JAMES, of whom we treat;
Hester, m Oliver Cramer, mother of JOHN CRAMER;
Mary.

The younger son,

JAMES COGHILL (c1677-1734), Registrar of the Prerogative Court, MP for Clogher, 1723-7, MP for Newcastle, 1727-34,  wedded Mary, sister of Thomas Pearson MP, of Rathmore, County Meath, and died leaving an only daughter and heir,

HESTER COGHILL, who espoused Charles, Earl of Charleville (who dsp 1764, when that dignity and the barony of Tullamore became extinct); and secondly, Major John Mayne, who assumed the name of COGHILL, and was created a baronet in 1781, denominated of Richings, Buckinghamshire ; but dying in 1785 without an heir, that title expired.

The Countess of Charleville thus having no issue by either of her husbands, bequeathed her property, at her decease, to her cousin (refer to issue of Hester, daughter of Sir John Coghill, Master in Chancery),

JOHN CRAMER (1732-90), of Coghill Hall, Knaresborough, Yorkshire, who thereupon assumed the name of COGHILL, and was created a baronet in 1778, designated of Coghill, Yorkshire.

Sir John wedded Maria, daughter of the Most Rev Josiah Hort, Lord Archbishop of Tuam, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
JOSIAH, 3rd Baronet;
Judith; Eliza; Frances; Priscilla; Sophia.

He was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR JOHN CRAMER-COGHILL, 2nd Baronet (1766-1817), who assumed, in 1807, the surname and arms of COGHILL only.

Sir John died without issue, when the title devolved upon his brother,

VICE-ADMIRAL SIR JOSIAH COGHILL, 3rd Baronet (1773-1850), who married firstly, in 1812, Miss Dodson, and had three daughters,

Caroline Mary; Emmeline Katherine Egerton; Josephine.

He wedded secondly, in 1819, Anna Maria, eldest daughter of the Rt Hon Charles Kendal Bushe, Lord Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench in Ireland, and had issue,

JOHN JOSCELYN, his successor;
Kendal Josiah William;
Rosanna Louisa; Sydney Alicia; Florence; Georgina; Adelaide; Sylvia.

Sir Josiah was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN JOSCELYN COGHILL, 4th Baronet (1826-1905), JP DL, High Sheriff of County Dublin, 1859, who married, in 1851, Katherine Frances, daughter of John, 3rd Baron Plunket of Newton, and had issue,

NEVILL JOSIAH AYLMER;
EGERTON BUSHE, 5th Baronet;
Claude Plunkett;
Ethel Charlotte; Violet Alice Penrose.

Sir John's eldest son,

NEVILL JOSIAH AYLMER COGHILL VC (1852-79), Lieutenant, 24th Foot Regiment, was killed in action whilst saving the colours of his regiment.

His younger brother,

SIR EGERTON BUSHE COGHILL, 5th Baronet (1853-1921), JP DL, wedded, in 1893, Elizabeth Hildegarde Augusta, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Henry Somerville, and had issue,

MARMADUKE NEVILL PATRICK SOMERVILLE, his successor;
Nevill Henry Kendal Aylmer, 1899-1980;
JOSCELYN AMBROSE CRAMER, 7th Baronet;
Katherine Adelaide Hildegarde.

Sir Egerton was succeeded by his eldest son,

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL SIR MARMADUKE NEVILL PATRICK SOMERVILLE COGHILL, 6th Baronet (1896-1981), TD DL, who died unmarried, when the title devolved upon his brother,

SIR JOSCELINE AMBROSE CRAMER COGHILL, 7th Baronet.

• Sir Joscelyn Ambrose Cramer Coghill, 7th Baronet (1902-83);
• Sir Egerton James Nevill Tobias (Toby) Coghill, 8th Baronet (1930–2000);
• Sir Patrick Kendal Farley Coghill, 9th Baronet (b 1960).

DRUMCONDRA HOUSE, Drumcondra, County Dublin, now All Hallows College, is an early 18th century house of considerable significance.

It comprises three storeys with two adjoining fronts.

The more august of the two has massive Corinthian pilasters which support a balustraded Corinthian entablature.

This feature is adorned with niches, aedicules and segmental pediments above the windows and two doorways.

The plainer front was designed by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce for Marmaduke Coghill, MP, Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer, and Judge of the Prerogative Court.

In the grounds is a temple with pediment and Corinthian pilasters.

Other former seats ~ Randall's Park, Surrey; Glen Barrahane Castle, Castletownshend, County Cork.

First published in June, 2016.