Landed Estates
University of Galway

Kelly (Aghrane Castle/Castle Kelly)

The Kellys were settled at Castlekelly, Ballygar, barony of Killian, county Galway, from the late 17th century. Colonel Charles O'Kelly supported the Jacobite cause and a clause in the Treaty of Limerick allowed for the restoration of his estate at Aghrane, where he wrote an account of the Williamite Wars. John Kelly of Clonlyon inherited Aghrane from his cousin Denis Kelly of Dublin in 1734.The family became Protestants in the 1740s. Their estate straddled the county border so that parts of the Kelly estate were in the parishes of Athleague and Killeroran, barony of Killian, county Galway and in the parishes of Athleague and Tisrara, barony of Athlone, county Roscommon. In 1828 Denis Kelly of Castle Kelly was a member of the Grand Panel of county Roscommon. In May 1863 Denis Henry Kelly advertised for sale his 13,154 acre estate of Castle Kelly in the barony of Killian, county Galway and his 1,709 acre estate in the barony of Athlone, county Roscommon. In the 1870s Denis H. Kelly of Araghty, Athleague, owned 576 acres in county Roscommon.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Aghrane Castle/Castle Kelly Aghrane or Castlekelly Athleague Mountbellew Killeroran 149 Killian Galway OSI Ref: M782 548
OS Sheet: 33
Discovery map: 40 		Photo of Aghrane Castle/Castle Kelly
Ballybaun Ballybaun Killian Mountbellew Castleffrench 146 Killian Galway OSI Ref: M755 494
OS Sheet: 47
Discovery map: 47 		Photo of Ballybaun
Thornfield Thornfield Athleague Mountbellew Killeroran 149 Killian Galway OSI Ref: M809 530
OS Sheet: 33
Discovery map: 40 		Photo of Thornfield
Cloonlyon Cloonlyon Killeroran Mountbellew Killeroran Kilian Galway OSI Ref: M757530
OS Sheet: 33
Discovery map: 40

Archival sources

  • Richardson Papers, leases and deeds re transactions between the Richardsons and Kellys, early 19th cent. 1197/12 & /15 http://www.nationalarchives.ie/PDF/Richardson.pdf ; National Archives of Ireland
  • Landed Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Kelly, 8 May 1863, Vol 68, MRGS 39/034, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Deeds re Kelly family lands in Cos Galway & Roscommon, including Letters Patent of lands in barony of Killian to John Kelly, (17 Mar 1678), 1678-1804. D.26,723-26,728; National Library of Ireland
  • Maps and surveys of estate of John Kelly, barony of Killian, 1727-1757. MS 14,310; National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Denis O'Farrell (born O'Kelly) of Clonlyon and Aghrane or Castle Kelly, Co Galway and of Cambo and Sckryne, Co Roscommon, c 1325-1755. GO MS 162: 98-100; National Library of Ireland
  • Letters from John O'Donovan and others to D.H.Kelly re Hy Maine and the O'Kelly family, 1837-1862. Microfilm P3872; National Library of Ireland
  • Family correspondence of Earl of Strafford, Vol II includes letters of Denis Kelly of Aughrim and of his wife Mary (niece of Lord Strafford) 1723-1736 and a rent roll of Denis Kelly in Cos Roscommon and Galway, 1722. British Museum, London, Add Ms 22,229. Microfilm P528 ; National Library of Ireland
  • Map of Lisheenteige and Tullyroe, Co Galway, certified copy of rental for sale, late 18th century. 16.H.5(23); National Library of Ireland
  • Copy wills of John Kelly of Clonlyon, Co Galway, 1714. T.9289 John Kelly of Keenagh, Co Roscommon, 1732. T.9289 William Kelly of Brickfield, Co Roscommon, 1762; John Kelly of Ballibane, 1787. Small Accession Index, No. 1/22; National Archives of Ireland
  • Estate Sales Particulars - particulars and plans of Aghrane Castle and lands of Aghrane, Clooncannona and Kilmore in barony of Killian, not dated. SCO1544; English Heritage National Monuments Record
  • Moseley family of Buildwas, Shropshire Collection, include copy documents re the Kelly/Moseley marriage settlement, the records document the title to some of the Kelly estate, 1751-1828. 2089/4/4 ; Shropshire Archives
  • Kelly of Castle Kelly, legal and estate papers, 1606-1880. GOO/4; Galway County Council Archives
  • Map of Cloonkeen, parish & barony of Killian, showing division of townland as agreed betwen Denis Kelly, Edmond Netterville & Geoffrey Davis, 11 Sept 1769. 21.F.76(30); National Library of Ireland
  • Photostat copy of some notes by R.A. Butler of Skerries on the families of Kelly in Cos Galway & Roscommon, c 1921. MS 8157; National Library of Ireland
  • Weld of Lulworth Castle, marriage settlement of Dennis Kelly of Aghrane and the Hon. Mary Bellew, concerning 2,123 acres in Roscommon and 1,242 acres in Galway, 1721. D/WLC/T331 ; Dorset History Centre
  • Aughrane Castle photos. 022/005; Irish Architectural Archive

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources