Landed Estates
University of Galway

Macnamara (Doolin)

This branch of the Macnamara family was established in the barony of Burren, north county Clare, at the beginning of the 18th century by Bartholomew Macnamara, born 1685. Bartholomew’s eldest son ,William Macnamara, settled at Doolin, parish of Killilagh, in the neighbouring barony of Corcomroe, following his marriage to Catherine, daughter and heiress of Francis Sarsfield of Doolin. John Sarsfield was granted over 1,400 acres including Doolin in 1679/80. Later generations of the Mcnamaras married members of the Stamer and Finucane families so that by the time of Griffith’s Valuation Captain Francis Macnamara of Doolin had a large estate in the baronies of Burren and Corcomroe, mainly concentrated in the parishes of Carran (Burren) and Killilagh, Kilmacrehy and Kilmanaheen (Corcomroe), including the town of Ennistymon. In the 1870s the estate of his two sons, Henry Valentine and William James Macnamara, amounted to 15,246 acres and their great uncle, Admiral Sir Burton Macnamara of Tromra House, owned 732 acres in the county. This county Clare family owned a house on about 20 acres near the town of Galway from the early 19th century. In the 1870s the representatives of Major MacNamara of county Clare owned 19 acres in county Galway. Ennistymon House became Macnamara property as a result of the marriage in 1798 of William Nugent Macnamara and Susannah Finucane. Susannah was a daughter of Anne O’Brien of the Ennistymon family. This Macnamara family has now died out in the male line but the 20th century female members included an author and Caitlin, the wife of Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas. The house at Doolin was burnt in the 1920s. The Stacpoole Kenny collection in the National Library of Ireland contains records relating to John Macnamara of Moher, a younger brother of William Nugent Macnamara and to his wife, Louisa Macnamara of Rock Lodge. John Barrymore Macnamara may have been his son. Some lands owned by John McNamara close to Fanore were sold in the Encumbered Estates Court in 1856. They were purchased in trust by Mr. Clay.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Sandfield Lodge Knocknaraha Killaspuglonane Ennistimon Liscannor 62 Corcomroe Clare OSI Ref: R083 902
OS Sheet: 15
Discovery map: 51 		Photo of Sandfield Lodge
Doolin Doolin Killilagh Ennistimon Killilagh 60 Corcomroe Clare OSI Ref: R072 972
OS Sheet: 8
Discovery map: 51
St Catherines Gortaclob Killilagh Ennistimon Lurraga 63 Corcomroe Clare OSI Ref: R098 985
OS Sheet: 8
Discovery map: 51
Aran View Glasha Beg Killilagh Ennistimon Killilagh 60 Corcomroe Clare OSI Ref: R084 983
OS Sheet: 8
Discovery map: 51
Moher Lodge Kineilty Kilmacrehy Ennistimon Ballysteen 57 Corcomroe Clare OSI Ref: R037 892
OS Sheet: 14
Discovery map: 57
Moher House Shingaunagh South Kilmacrehy Ennistimon Ballysteen 57 Corcomroe Clare OSI Ref: R032 887
OS Sheet: 14
Discovery map: 57
Ennistimon House Castlequarter Kilmanaheen Ennistimon Ennistimon 48 Corcomroe Clare OSI Ref: R127 885
OS Sheet: 15
Discovery map: 57 		Photo of Ennistimon House
Tromra Tromra East Kilmurry Kilrush Kilmurry 85 Ibrickan Clare OSI Ref: R021 742
OS Sheet: 38
Discovery map: 57
Bushypark Bushypark Drumcliff Ennis Kilnamona 37 Islands Clare OSI Ref: R298 784
OS Sheet: 33
Discovery map: 57
Moymore Moymore North Killaspuglonane Ennistimon Killaspuglonane 59 Corcomroe Clare OSI Ref: R096 915
OS Sheet: 15
Discovery map: 51
Wellpark Wellpark St Nicholas Galway Galway East Urban 42 Galway Galway OSI Ref: M313 263
OS Sheet: 82
Discovery map: 45

Archival sources

  • Includes papers on MacNamara family, castles in Co Clare etc, 18th century. Ms.24 E. 16; Royal Irish Academy Library
  • An account of the origins & history of the MacNamara family of Co Clare, late 18th century. MS 1500; National Library of Ireland
  • MacNamara Papers, letters from Richard Scott, agent, of Ennis & Dublin, to John MacNamara of Ennistymon & others re MacNamara estates, 1829-1873. MS 8598; National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Macnamara of Rosroe, Kilmurry, Rathfolan, Douras Burren, Kilgurtine, Slioght Donall Ballagh, Monoginagh, Ayle, East Clancollean, Co Clare & Dublin city, c 1150-1842. GO MS 175: 255-271; National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of MacNamara of Moraghin, Doolin & Ennistymon House, 1685-1865. GO MS 179: 207-209; National Library of Ireland
  • Stacpoole Kenny Papers: miscellaneous family correspondence of Macnamara family of Ennistymon area with associated papers, 37 items, 1808-1896. MS 18,884; National Library of Ireland
  • Stacpoole Kenny Papers: letters to John Macnamara of Moher, Co Clare, from various family members and others containing references to family, estate, financial & political matters, c 1810-1854. MSS 18,885-18,891; National Library of Ireland
  • Stacpoole Kenny Papers: letters to Louisa Macnamara of Rock Lodge, Ennistymon, mainly from family members, 48 items, c 1833-1881 & from Matthew Kenny of Dublin re estate & business matters, 1854-1858. MSS 18,894-18,895; National Library of Ireland
  • Stacpoole Kenny Papers: Commission of the Peace for John Macnamara of Moher, June 1845 and his will 7 Jan 1849. D 26,545-D 26,546; National Library of Ireland
  • Stacpoole Kenny Papers: letters to John Barrymore Macnamara of Rock Lodge, Ennistymon from various persons, includes reference to leasing of Moymore c 1854-1892. MS 18,897-18,898 & MS 18,903-18,904; National Library of Ireland
  • Stacpoole Kenny Papers: Commission of the Peace John Barrymore Macnamara of Rock Lodge, 22 June 1867. D 26,572; National Library of Ireland
  • Stacpoole Kenny Papers: miscellaneous documents, including rentals, re lands in Co Clare of which John Macnamara was owner or agent, includes refs to Fanorebeg & Tiermaclane, 25 items, 1820-1861. MS 18,909; National Library of Ireland
  • Stacpoole Kenny Papers: 5 deeds by members of Macnamara family re lands in baronies of Burren, Corcomroe & Islands, 1808-1832. D 26,535-26,539; National Library of Ireland
  • Stacpoole Kenny Papers; Supplemental account of the rents of Kilclogher, Co Clare by John Macnamara receiver in case of William Macnamara v Edmund Green Mahon & others, 25 Mar 1824-1 May 1826. MS 18,910; National Library of Ireland
  • Stacpoole Kenny Papers: copy of will of Admiral Sir Burton Macnamara of Tromoror, 8 Mar 1870 with 2 codicils, 5 Nov 1873 & 12 June 1874. D 26,570; National Library of Ireland
  • Stacpoole Kenny Papers: Case for counsel to advise on behalf of Sir Burton Macnamara re lands at Tromra, with opinion of Peter O’Brien, Mar 1873. MS 18,915; National Library of Ireland
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Inchiquin, O’Brien & Macnamara, 29 Apr 1866, Vol 81 (25), (commonage Kilfenora), MRGS 39/039, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (Dunboyne), Inchiquin, O’Brien & Macnamara, 29 Apr 1866, Vol 24, 25-30; James Hardiman Library, University of Galway
  • Irish Tourist Association file, Parish of Killilagh, 1940s, Clare North 8 (Doolin).; Clare County Library
  • Irish Tourist Association File, Parish of Kilmanaheen & Clooney, 1940s, Clare North 9 (Ennistymon House).; Clare County Library
  • Rental of Estate of Colonel Macnamara of Ennistymon House, March-May 1863. http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/don_tran/regs/freeholders_col_macnamara_estate_et.htm; Clare County Library
  • W.B. Scott, Solicitor's Collection, letters of administration, Francis MacNamara, formerly of Doolen, now of Wellpark, 1826. Small Accessions Index 76, T.3491; National Archives of Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources