Landed Estates
University of Galway

Ireland (Galway & Kiltartan)

The Ireland family settled in the midlands in the 17th century. Through marriage with the Lynch family of Lydican, county Galway and the Stanley family of county Westmeath they came to acquire land in counties Galway, Roscommon and Westmeath in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Irelands were an influential family involved in the administrative and business life of Galway city in the mid-19th century. John Ireland of Eyre Square, Galway, married Eliza Josephina McDonnell in July 1836 and he is buried in the grounds of St. James' Church, Bushy Park. John Ireland's brother Arthur was the first Bursar of Queen's College, Galway. Property at Eyre Square, Galway, owned by Edward Ireland, was sold in the Landed Estates Court in November 1866. The purchaser was Captain Forster. The estate at Roo, in the barony of Kiltartan, was offered for sale in the Landed Estates court in April 1873. At that time it was the property of Isaac Daly and his wife Henrietta and John Ireland and his wife Henrietta. The estate, amounting to over 600 acres, of Sophia Mary Ireland in the barony of Kilconnell were offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates Court in March 1851 and 1852. The sale also included lands in the barony of Kilkenny West, county Westmeath. In March 1851, he Freeman's Journal reported that the Galway lands were purchased by William Fry but the sale of the some of the Westmeath lands were adjourned due to insufficient bidding. A Mrs. Ireland, address at Woodlawn, is recorded as the owner of over 1200 acres in county Galway in the 1870s. At the same time Samuel Gardiner Ireland of Roberstown, Naas, county Kildare, a nephew of John and Arthur Ireland of Galway, owned 121 acres in county Roscommon, 314 acres in county Westmeath and 242 acres in county Kildare.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Roo Roo Demesne Kinvarradurrus Gort Kinvarra 107 Kiltartan Galway OSI Ref: M338101
OS Sheet: 112
Discovery map: 52 		Photo of Roo
Thornville Lodge Kinvarra Kinvarradoorus Gort Kinvarra 107 Kiltartan Galway OSI Ref: M367101
OS Sheet: 112
Discovery map: 52
Mertonhall Mertonhall Modreeny Borrisokane Mertonhall 15 Lower Ormond Tipperary OSI Ref: R931 898
OS Sheet: 10
Discovery map: 59

Archival sources

  • Landed Judges' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Daly/Ireland, 18 April 1873, Vol 109, MRGS 39/050, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Lease of lands of Knocknacappa [Knocknacarragh?], Co Galway by Eliza J. Ireland of Eyre Sq, Galway to Thomas Jackson of Clonmane, Co Galway, 6 Sept 1848. D.11,082 ; National Library of Ireland
  • Solicitors' records from office of S. and R.C. Walker, includes deed re to the Ireland family of Galway and lands at Knockacappa, 1836, 1869. Small Accessions Index, No. 30. Bundles 16 & 28 & deposit 26 Jan 1938 Bundle 15, No.853 ; National Archives of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates Court (O'Brien) rentals. Ireland estate. 21 March 1851, Vol 6, MRGS 39/002 & 12 March 1852 Vol 14, MRGS 39/006 (Microfilm Copy at NUIG).; National Archives of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates' Court rental of Newcastle, etc, Co Galway and Caltra, Co Westmeath, the property of Sophia Mary Ireland and another, 21 Mar 1851. M5595; National Archives of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Ireland of Lancashire & of Irelands Grove & Low Park, Co Roscommon & Robertstown, Co Kildare, c 1066-1875. GO MS 177: 313-319; National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Stanley of Dublin, Bethlemglass, Co Westmeath, Low Park, Co Roscommon & Gardenrath, Co Meath, c 1720-1851. GO MS 176: 374-382; National Library of Ireland
  • Collis & Ward, solicitors' collection, includes a transfer of a mortgage of Springlawn & Castlegar, barony of Killian and lands in Kilkenny West, Co Westmeath, Gibson to Ireland & Smith, 1864. Small Accs. Index 98, D.21,987; National Archives of Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources