Estate: Donnellan/Donelan

Associated Families

• O'Conor Donelan
• Donnelan/Donelan/Donnellan

Description

An estate of over 3,000 acres in the baronies of Clonmacnowen and Kilconnell, county Galway, was granted to John Donnellan by patent dated 6 Feb 1677/8. Burke states that the Donnellan families of Ballydonnellan, Nutgrove and Hillswood derive from him while the Donnellans of Ballyeighter descend from his younger brother, Richard. Anthony Donnellan, Ballyeighter and Stephen Donnelan, Killagh, are recorded as resident proprietors in 1824. The Ballydonnellan estate, the property of Charlotte Donelan, was offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates court in July 1850. In the 1870s the Donnellan estate at Killagh amounted to over 1100 acres. For more information on the Donnellan estate see www.ballyd.com.

Houses

House Name / Description	Townland	Civil Parish	PLU	DED	Barony	County	Map Ref
Ballydonnellan Castle (H807) At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Ballydonnellan Castle was occupied by John D. Mahon and was valued at £62. It was still extant in the 1890s but is described as "in ruins" on the 1933 edition of 6" map. These ruins are still visible.	Ballydonnellan East	Killalaghtan	Ballinasloe	Killoran 13	Kilconnell	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.25036 -8.41503 OSI Ref: M723223 Discovery map #47. OS Sheet #98.
Ballyeighter (H826) In 1814 Ballyeighter was the residence of Anthony Donnellan. Lewis records Balleighter as the seat of P. Donnellan. By 1855 it was being leased by Lord Clonbrock's estate to Martin Coolahan and was valued at £8. The Coolahans continued to own the property until the mid-20th century when it was divided by the Land Commission who also demolished the house. There is no trace of Ballyeighter now.	Ballyeighter	Aughrim	Ballinasloe	Oatfield 15	Clonmacnowen	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.28746 -8.33591 OSI Ref: M776264 Discovery map #47. OS Sheet #87.
Killagh (H827) Lands at Killaghmore and Clonecallin amounting to 635 acres were granted to Edmond Donnellan in 1684. Wilson refers to it as the seat of Mr. Donnellan in 1786. Stephen Donnellan was occupying the property at Killagh, valued at £33, at the time of Griffith's Valuation. In 1906 it was in the possession of Stephen J.R. Donnellan. It is no longer extant.	Killagh More	Killallaghtan	Ballinasloe	Killallaghtan 10	Kilconnell	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.30599 -8.44108 OSI Ref: M706285 Discovery map #46. OS Sheet #86.
Nutgrove (H1418) Taylor and Skinner record Nutgrove as a seat of the Donnellan family in 1783 and Wilson refers to it as the seat of Mr. Donnellan in 1786. At the time of Griffith's Valuation Anthony Nugent was leasing a property at Nutgrove or Feebrack, valued at £3 to Thomas Breheny. The site is now occupied by farm buildings.	Nutgrove or Feebrack	Tynagh	Portumna	Pallas 182	Longford	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.14726 -8.34080 OSI Ref: M772108 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #117.

Archival sources

• Irish Architectural Archive: Ballydonelan. Photographs. 022/012.
• Irish Architectural Archive: Killagh. Photographs. 024/079.
• James Hardiman Library, National University of Ireland, Galway: O'Connor Donelan Papers, LE10.
• National Archives of Ireland: Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Donelan, 9 July 1850, Vol 2, 39/001 (microfilm copy at NUIG).
• National Library of Ireland: Includes legal papers re Blackgarden, barony of Dunkellin leased to Charles Donelan, 1870s. D8493-8557
• National Library of Ireland: Pedigree of the family of O'Donnellan, c. 1560-1900, compiled in Ulster's Office. Genealogical Office: Ms. 467

Contemporary printed sources

Many of these resources are now available online. For a list with Web links please see the Online Printed Sources Links

• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Ballinasloe Union, 84 (Killagh), 86 (Ballydonnellan).
• DUTTON, Hely. Statistical and agricultural survey of the county of Galway. Dublin: Royal Dublin Society, 1824. : 416 & 417.
• HUSSEY DE BURGH, U. H. The Landowners of Ireland. An alphabetical list of the owners of estates of 500 acres or £500 valuation and upwards in Ireland. Dublin: Hodges, Foster and Figgis, 1878. [available online at www.askaboutireland.ie] : 133.
• LEET, Ambrose. A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 20 (Balleighter), 38 (Ballydonnellan), 182 (Farmhill), 235 (Killagh).
• LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: Vol I, 97.
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion..., HC 1906, c, 177: 308.
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. 15th Annual Report of the Commissioners of Public Records Ireland, 1825. Vol XVI, Appendix I, Grants under Acts of Settlement: 243, 280 (Killaghmore)
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland. HC 1876, LXXX: 295.
• TAYLOR, George & SKINNER, Andrew. Maps of the Roads of Ireland, surveyed in 1777 and corrected down to 1783. Facsimile of 2nd edition. Shannon: Irish University Press, 1969: 76 (Ballydonelan), 88 (Nutgrove)
• WILSON, William. The Post-Chaise Companion or Travellers Directory Through Ireland. The author: Dublin, 1786 : 119 (Killagh), 139 (Nutgrove)

Modern printed sources

• BENCE-JONES, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses. Revised ed. London: Constable, 1988. : 20 (Ballydonelan)
• BURKE, Sir Bernard. A genealogical and heraldic history of the Landed Gentry of Ireland. London: Harrison & Sons, 1904: 154
• BURKE, Sir Bernard. A genealogical and heraldic history of the Landed Gentry of Ireland. London: Harrison & Sons, 1912: 187-188
• DEAN, J.A.K. The gate lodges of Connaught: a gazetteer. Dublin ; Wordwell, 2019. : p.19 (Ballydonnellan)
• MELVIN, Patrick. Estates and landed society in Galway. (Dublin: Éamonn de Búrca, 2012). : p.4-5, p.413 Photograph of Ballydonelan
• MULLIGAN, Kevin. Vain transitory splendours: the Irish country house and the art of John Nankivell. Dublin: Irish Georgian Society, 2018. : Ballydonelan, pp.28-29.