Estate: Burke (Clanricarde)

Associated Families

• Burke (Clanricarde) (Marquis of Clanricarde)

Description

The Clanricarde estate was one of the largest in county Galway. In the 1870s it amounted to over 49,000 acres as well as extensive property in the town of Galway. In 1855 Robert D'Arcy acted as an agent for the Clanricarde estate and was leasing 586 acres and buildings valued at £26 from the Clanricarde estate at Ballygarraun in the parish of Isertkelly, barony of Loughrea. Lord Clanrickard, a minor, is listed as a resident proprietor in 1824. The family also held an estate at Warnford, Hampshire, England. In 1915 an offer was accepted from the Congested Districts Board for the sale of over 46,000 acres of the Clanricarde estate.

Houses

House Name / Description	Townland	Civil Parish	PLU	DED	Barony	County	Map Ref
Portumna Castle (H643) The house we know as Portumna Castle was built in the early seventeenth century by Richard de Burgo or Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde. It was used as the de Burgo/Burke family residence for over 200 years until it was badly damaged by fire in 1826 when it was replaced by another house close by. This second house is no longer extant. In 1906 the buildings at Portumna were valued at £40. The original Portumna Castle has been restored and is open to the public.	Portumna Demesne	Lickmolassy	Portumna	Portumna 183	Longford	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.08280 -8.24178 OSI Ref: M838036 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #126, 127.
Woodville House (H667) Woodville House is described as "a gentleman's seat, having fine premises and a good deal of woodland attached" in the 1830s. Robert Darcy, who acted as a land agent, was leasing this house from the Clanricarde estate in 1855. In 1906 it was valued at £26. It is still extant and occupied. The walled garden has also been restored and is open to visitors at certain time. See woodvillewalledgarden.com.	Ballygarraun	Isertkelly	Loughrea	Killogilleen 132	Loughrea	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.18541 -8.66874 OSI Ref: M553152 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #104.
Rafarn House (H802) At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Rafarn House was leased from the Clanricarde estate by Thomas Tully and was valued at £17 and was accompanied by over 400 acres. In 1814 it was recorded as the residence of Joseph Tully. It is still extant.	Rafarn	Kilmeen	Loughrea	Leitrim 139	Leitrim	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.18449 -8.48770 OSI Ref: M674150 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #106.
Fearmore House (H873) In 1856 Edward Horsman was leasing a house in the townland of Fearmore from the Clanricarde estate. It was valued at almost £9 at the time. It is still extant and occupied.	Fearmore	Clonfert	Portumna	Meelick 176	Longford	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.19802 -8.11074 OSI Ref: M926164 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #108.
Woburn (H876) A "gentleman's seat" called Waburn is recorded here in the Ordnance Survey Name Books of the 1830s. Slater refers to Woburn as the seat of Henry Flanagan in 1846. Buildings in this townland valued at £15 were leased by Henry Flanagan from the Clanricarde estate in 1856. Woburn is still extant though disused.	Lisdooaun	Donanaghta	Portumna	Eyrecourt 173	Longford	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.20966 -8.14670 OSI Ref: M902177 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #108.
Moat (H880) A property in the townland of Moat, parish of Killimorbologue, valued at £9 was being leased from the Clanricarde estate by John Donnelly in 1856. The house was demolished in the later half of the twentieth century and no traces remain.	Moat	Killimorbologue	Portumna	Moat 177	Longford	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.14467 -8.29893 OSI Ref: M800105 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #117.
Earlstown (H881) In 1786 Wilson refers to "Capasell" s the seat of Mr. Devenish [?]. The house at this location is labelled Earlstown on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map. In 1846 Slater refers to Robert Grace resident at Earlston. Robert Eyre was leasing a property in the townland of Cappasallagh, parish of Kilmalinogue, barony of Longford, valued at £11 from the Clanricarde estate in 1856. There are still occupied buildings at this site, the focus of a large farming enterprise.	Cappasallagh	Kilmalinogue	Portumna	Kilmalinoge 181	Longford	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.11522 -8.20014 OSI Ref: M866072 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #118, 127.
Thornfield (H891) Slater refers to Thornfield as the seat of John Davis in 1846. In 1856 Thomas Galbraith was leasing a property valued at £7 in the townland of Thornfield, parish of Lickmolassy, barony of Longford, from the Clanricarde estate. It is no longer extant.	Thornfield	Lickmolassy	Portumna	Portumna 183	Longford	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.12323 -8.24500 OSI Ref: M836081 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #117.
Burke's Court (H1083) In 1846, Slater refers to Mrs. Bedelia Burke, resident at Clondagoff. At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Garrett Burke was leasing a house valued at £7 at Cloondadauv, parish of Ballinakill, barony of Leitrim, from the Clanricarde estate. The house is labelled Burke's Court on both the 1st and 25-inch edition Ordnance Survey maps. A house still exists at the site. An ancient Burke castle is also sited in this townland.	Cloondadauv	Ballynakill	Portumna	Drummin 186	Leitrim	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.04674 -8.29079 OSI Ref: R805996 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #132.
Oghilly (H1084) At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Michael Page was leasing a house at Oghilly, parish of Ballynakill, barony of Leitrim, county Galway from the Clanricarde estate. It was valued at £9. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage suggests that this house dates from the 1770s. It is still extant and occupied.	Oghilly	Ballynakill	Portumna	Drummin 186	Leitrim	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.02319 -8.35770 OSI Ref: R760970 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #132.
Clooncona (H1419) Laurence Mitchell was leasing a house valued at almost £4 at Clooncona, barony of Longford, from the Clanricarde estate at the time of Griffith's Valuation. There is still an occupied house at this site which in 2007 was offered for sale at www.propertypartners.ie. Extensive nurseries are shown in this location on the 1st edition OS Map.	Clooncona	Killimorbologue	Portumna	Moat 177	Longford	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.16349 -8.31999 OSI Ref: M786126 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #117.
Woodfield House (Donanaghta) (H4842) At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Timothy Egan was leasing a property valued at £7 from the Clanricarde estate. On the 25-inch map of the 1890s the house in this townland is labelled Woodfield. It is still extant and occupied. The first edition Ordnance Survey map notes an old brewery in this townland.	Gortnakilla	Donanaghta	Portumna	Meelick 176	Longford	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.19798 -8.14217 OSI Ref: M905164 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #108.
Summerhill House (Loughrea) (H4907) In 1786 Wilson writes that Summerhill House, on the outskirts of Loughrea, was the seat of Mr. Persse. By the time of Griffith's Valuation in the 1850s, the property was occupied by Henry Dolpin, leasing from the Clanricarde estate, when it was valued at almost £8. Parts of the building have disappeared by the 1890s and the site is now part of a school.	Baunoge	Loughrea	Loughrea	Loughrea	Loughrea	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.19495 -8.56115 OSI Ref: M625162 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #105.
Cottage (Loughrea) (H4909) In 1786 Wilson refers to Cottage as the seat of Mr. Varo [?]. At the time of Griffith's Valuation, the property was leased by Bryan Rynn from the Clanricarde estate and valued at £4. The original house is no longer extant.	Gorteenabohogy	Loughrea	Loughrea	Loughrea	Loughrea	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.20558 -8.59272 OSI Ref: M604174 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #105.

Archival sources

• British Library: Maps of forfeited estates of Lord Bophin, afterwards Earl of Clanricarde/ 1701 [microfilm]
• Hampshire Record Office: Warnford Park estate papers, 17th-20th century.
• Irish Architectural Archive: Portumna Castle. Photographs & Press Cuttings. 003/093.
• James Hardiman Library, National University of Ireland, Galway: Copy of probate will of John Thomas, Earl of Clanricarde, Nov 1808. LE29
• National Archives of Ireland: Papers re the property of the Wills & Sandford families mainly in & near Castlereagh, 17th-19th centuries. Includes references to Lord Bophin & Burkes of Portumna. M.6237
• National Library of Ireland: Letters to Sir Henry Lynch from Richard, Earl of Clanricarde, 1617-32, 1651, 1673. Also two bonds dated 1605 and various notes and memoranda on Clanricarde's affairs. . MS 3111.
• National Library of Ireland: Copy of survey of town and parks of Loughrea, property of Earl of Clanricarde, 1791, 1796. 21 F 16.
• National Library of Ireland: A "photostat" copy of the demesne, town, and town parks of Portumna, Co. Galway, part of the estate of the Marquis of Clanricarde, by M. Cuddehy, 1793. 21 F 76 (37)
• West Yorkshire Archive Service: Leeds: 17th-20th century estate papers.

Contemporary printed sources

• DUTTON, Hely. Statistical and agricultural survey of the county of Galway. Dublin: Royal Dublin Society, 1824. : 412
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND, 1850-1858. : Loughrea Union, 91 (Ballygurraun), 120 (Baunoge), 126 (Gorteennabohogy), 154 (Rafarn)
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND, 1850-1858. : Portumna Union, 2 (Fearmore), 3 (Woburn), 8(Gortnakilla), 21 (Clooncona), 22 (Moat), 23(Earlstown), 45 (Portumna Castle), 47 (Thornfield), 64 (Burke's Court), 68 (Oghilly)
• 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: 83.
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion..., HC 1906, c, 177: 336 (Portumna)
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. 15th Annual Report of the Commissioners of Public Records Ireland, 1825. Vol XVI, Appendix I, Grants under Acts of Settlement: 263-264
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. 24th Annual Report of the Congested Districts' Board for Ireland, [Cd 8356], HC 1916, vi, 564-586. Appendix VIII: 47.
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of names of proprietors and area and valuation of properties in counties in Ireland, held in fee or perpetuity or long leases at chief rents, 1876. (412) LXXX. 395: 148.
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland. HC 1876, LXXX: 294.
• PRIOR, Thomas. A list of the Absentees of Ireland, and the yearly value of thier estates and incomes spent abroad. 1730: 2
• SLATER, Isaac. Commercial Directory of Ireland, 1846. (London:Slater, 1846): p.134 (Portumna)
• SLATER, Isaac. Royal National Directory of Ireland: List of the principal seats. (Manchester: 1894) : xxxi, 81 (Portumna)
• WILSON, William. The Post-Chaise Companion or Travellers Directory Through Ireland. The author: Dublin, 1786 : 419 (Capasell, [Devenish [?], Portumna Castle)

Modern printed sources

• Analecta Hibernica: De Blaquiere Letter. XV (1944), 380-381
• Irish Arts Review: FENLON, Jane. Portumna restored. XX, 3 (2003), 110-117.
• Jnl. of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society: COMER, Siubhán. The Gate Lodges of East Galway: An Overview. LIII (2001), 127-136
• Jnl. of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society: KNOX, Hubert T. Portumna and the Burkes. VI (1909-1910), pp.107-109
• The Irish Genealogist: MELVIN, Patrick. The Composition of the Galway gentry. (1986), 86.
• Weekly Irish Times: 18 June 1938 Portumna Castle
• BENCE-JONES, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses. Revised ed. London: Constable, 1988. : 233-234 (Portumna Castle)
• BURKE, Sir Bernard & BURKE, Ashworth P. A genealogical and heraldic history of the Peerage and Baronetage, The Privy Council, Knightage and Companionage. London: Harrison & Sons, 1907: 348-350.
• CONWELL, J. J. Lickmolassy by the Shannon. Galway: Gortanumera Historical Society, 1998. : 13-21, 231-246
• CONWELL, John J. A Galway landlord during the Great Famine: Ulick John de Burgh, first marquis of Clanricarde. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2003. : All
• FENLON, Jane. Clanricard's castle: Portumna House'. (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2012. : All
• FORDE, J., CASSIDY, C., MANZOR,. P & RYAN, D (eds). The district of Loughrea, Vol.I: Local history, 1791-1918. Loughrea: Loughrea History Project, 2003. : MELVIN, Patrick. Estates and gentry around Loughrea. 40-41
• GLIN, Knight of, GRIFFIN, D. J. & ROBINSON, N.K (eds). Vanishing Country Houses of Ireland. Dublin: Irish Architectural Archive/Irish Georgian Society, 1989. : 78 (Portumna Castle)
• MARSDEN, Simon & McLAREN, Duncan. . In ruins: the once great houses of Ireland. Boston: Little Brown & Co, 1997. : 56-57.
• MELVIN, Patrick. Estates and landed society in Galway. (Dublin: Éamonn de Búrca, 2012). : 29-35
• MONTGOMERY-MASSINGBERD, Hugh (ed). Burke's Irish Family Records. London: Burke's Peerage, 1976: 338-343.
• SPELLISSY, Séan. The History of Galway. Limerick: Celtic Bookshop, 1999. : 380-384.