McDonnell (Dunmore)
Martin McDonnell was a merchant from Roscommon who prospered significantly in the mid 19th century. He held eight townlands in the parish of Boyounagh, barony of Tiaquin, one townland in the parish of Tuam, barony of Clare and one townland in the parish of Dunmore, barony of Ballymoe, county Galway at time of Griffith's Valuation. P. Lane writes that McDonnell bought almost 6,000 acres of Lord Fitzgerald's estate in the vicinity of Dunmore in the early 1850s. By the 1870s he owned over 9,000 acres in county Galway, 2,940 acres in county Roscommon and three acres in county Mayo. The lands in Roscommon included property in the parish of Kiltullagh, barony of Castlereagh. Sister T.Delaney writes that in 1893 he bought Headford Castle and much of the town. Over 3,000 acres of the estate of his son, James McDonnell, in county Galway was vested in the Congested Districts' Board on 24 Mar 1911 and a further 1,000 acres in February 1912. The Congested Districts' Board was negotiating the purchase of some of McDonnell's county Roscommon estate in 1916. Martin McDonnell also had a son named Farrell. Sister Delaney writes that Farrell went to Clongowes and married the daughter of Frank McDonagh of Wilmount, Portumna. She also records James McDonnell residing at Waterslade, Tuam and at Castle Ellen, Athenry.
Houses
| Name | Townland | Civil Parish | PLU | DED | Barony | County | Map Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballymartinbeg | Ballymartinbeg | Roscommon | Roscommon | Roscommon Rural 90 | Ballintober South | Roscommon |
OSI Ref: M879 617
OS Sheet: 39 Discovery map: 40 |
|
| Skehaghard | Skehaghard | Kilbegnet | Glennamaddy | Creggs 74 | Ballymoe | Galway |
OSI Ref: M735 609
OS Sheet: 19 Discovery map: 40 |
|
| Headford Castle | Balrickard | Cargin | Tuam | Headford 203 | Clare | Galway |
OSI Ref: M270 468
OS Sheet: 42 Discovery map: 45 |
|
Archival sources
- McDonnell of Dunmore, correspondence, 1899-1904. GOO/3; Galway County Council Archives
- Ordnance Survey maps showing lands in non congested districts: John C. McDonnell's estate, Woodbrook, 186 acres in barony of Killian, Co Galway, 1906. 15.A.23(17); National Library of Ireland
Contemporary printed sources
- 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] : 292
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: 297 & 317
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''24th Annual Report of the Congested Districts' Board for Ireland'', [Cd 8356], HC 1916, vi, 564-586. Appendix VIII: 43 & 59
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion...'', HC 1906, c, 177: 385
- 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.
- BATEMAN, John. ''The great landowners of Great Britain and Ireland''. London: Harrison, 1883. : p.287.
Modern printed sources
- LANE, Pádraig. The Encumbered Estates Court and Galway Land Ownership, 1849-58. In MORAN, Gerard (ed). ''History & Society''. Dublin: Geography Publications, 1996 : 395-419
- ''Jnl. of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society'': LANE, Pádraig G. The General Impact of the Encumbered Estates Act of 1849 on Counties Galway and Mayo. XXXIII (1972), 44-74
- LYONS, Mary C. ''Illustrated Incumbered Estates, Ireland, 1850-1905.'' Whitegate, county Clare: Ballinakella Press, 1993. : 155-156
- ''The Irish Genealogist'': MELVIN, Patrick. The composition of the Galway gentry. VII No. 1(1986), 95
- ''Jnl. of the Old Tuam Society'': DELANEY, Sister Teresa. Martin McDonnell: Merchant Prince of the West. JOTS 4 (2007), 21-23
- ''The Dublin Gazette'': Includes details of purchases by tenants, Irish Land Commission. 27 Jan 1905