Landed Estates
University of Galway

Fitzgerald (Knight of Kerry)

According to the late Desmond Fitzgerald, last Knight of Glin, county Limerick, three of the cadet branches of the Fitzgerald of Desmond lordship were known as the White Knight, the Knight of Glin and the Knight of Kerry. These titles are anomalies and are more akin to Gaelic Chieftainships, demonstrating the Gaelicisation of this Norman sept. John Fitzgerald of Ennismore was granted estates under the Acts of Settlement in 1667. The Knight of Kerry, as the name suggests, held lands in county Kerry, in the barony of Iveragh in the south of the county and in the area around Listowel, in the north. The latter included several townlands in the parish of Finuge, barony of Clanmaurice. Over 5000 acres owned by Peter Fitzgerald, the Knight of Kerry, were offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates Court, in June 1853. The sale included the mansion house at Glanleam. In the 1870s, Peter Fitzgerald, 19th Knight of Kerry, owned over 5300 acres in county Kerry as well as over 2000 acres in county Carlow. Reverend Richard Fitzgerald, of Ballydonohoe, owned over 1300 acres in county Kerry in the 1870s. In the mid 19th century the Knight of Kerry owned an estate in county Limerick, located in the parishes of Lismakeery, barony of Connello Lower, Dunmoylan, Kilbradran and Robertstown, barony of Shanid. This estate of 1,305 acres was included in the sale of June 1853 and was sold by the 1870s. An offer was made by the Congested Districts Board on over 3200 acres of the Knight of Kerry's estates in county Kerry after 1909. In the mid-nineteenth century the Knight of Kerry was the immediate lessor of townlands in the parishes of Kilkenny West, Castletownkindalen, Killucan and Pass of Kilbride, county Westmeath. His lands were comprised of two estates known as the Kilkenny West and Broadwood estates amounting to 2,022 acres when sold in the Encumbered Estates Court in May 1857. In the 1870s the Knight of Kerry owned no land in the county Westmeath.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Valentia Slate Quarry Dohilla Valencia Cahersiveen Valencia Iveragh Kerry OSI Ref: V390774
OS Sheet: 78
Discovery map: 83
Glanleam Glanleam Valencia Cahersiveen Valencia Iveragh Kerry OSI Ref: V405771
OS Sheet: 79
Discovery map: 83 		Photo of Glanleam
Ballinruddery House Ballinruddery Fingue Listowel Listowel Rural 121 Clanmaurice Kerry OSI Ref: R017335
OS Sheet: 11
Discovery map: 64
Aughrim Aughrim Murher Listowel Leitrim 125 Iraghticonnor Kerry OSI Ref: R074412
OS Sheet: 6
Discovery map: 64
The Grove Grove Dingle Dingle Dingle Corkaguiny Kerry OSI Ref: Q438014
OS Sheet: 43
Discovery map: 70
Mondellihy Mondellihy Adare Croom Adare South 2 Coshma Limerick OSI Ref: R473 482
OS Sheet: 21
Discovery map: 65 		Photo of Mondellihy

Archival sources

  • Knight of Kerry Valentia Rental (December 1911 – December 1914), Valentia Estate Maps and tenant details (1881), Manuscript Diary (May 1830-January 1831), Incomplete Copy Letter Book (December 1876-August 1880). ; Kerry Library, Local History & Archives Section
  • Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Fitzgerald, 10 June 1853, Vol 29, MRGS 39/010, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • The FitzGerald Papers copied by PRONI comprise 1,793 documents – principally correspondence – deriving from Robert and Maurice FitzGerald, respectively 17th and 18th Knights of Kerry, and covering roughly the 100-year period between 1750 and 1850. They are bound in 18 late-19th century volumes, of which the first 17 are in family possession, and the last is in the National Library of Ireland. PRONI holds microfilm copies of vols 1-17 at MIC639 and photocopies of vol. 18 at T3075.; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Papers relating to the estates of the Knights of Kerry, 18th and 19th century. Small Accessions Index 1/757, Co.3469-70 D.681-93. D.15681-15693, M.1452-3. T7289. ; National Archives of Ireland
  • Letters to Peter Fitzgerald, Knight of Kerry, from family, tenants and others, 1845-62. Ms.5948 & 5949.; National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Fitzgerald, Knight of Kerry, c.1720-1873. Genealogical Office Ms. 180, 198-201. ; National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Fitzgerald, Knight of Kerry, and of Fitzgerald of Gallarus, with Conway descent, c.1677-1780. Genealogical Office Ms 94, 60. ; National Library of Ireland
  • Letters to Peter Fitzgerald, Knight of Kerry, dealing with Church of Ireland & Valencia Island affairs, includes photographs, 1870-1875. Ms.5950. ; National Library of Ireland
  • Rowan Papers: lease by Maurice Fitzgerald, Knight of Kerry, of property at Dingle to John Martin, 1774. D.26,667. ; National Library of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates' Court rental of estate of Peter Fitzgerald, Knight of Kerry, at Ballinruddery (1065 acres) & Valentia (4231 acres), Co Kerry & 1305 acres in Co Limerick at Kilbradan, Lisbane, Creeves & Conigar, 10 June 1853. P23/63; Limerick City Archives
  • William B. Fitt & Co, auctioneers, 46 O'Connell St., Limerick, inventories & valuations of Co Limerick properties, including Mondellihy, 1935. LM1994.0007; Limerick City Museum
  • Wardenstown Papers, include records re the Fitzgeralds, Knights of Kerry. D.3549 ; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Irish Tourist Association Survey Files, 1942-43: Parish of Valencia Island (Glanleam); Kerry Library, Local History & Archives Section
  • Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Fitzgerald, Knight of Kerry, 29 May 1857, Vol 45 (40), MRGS 39/022, (microfilm copy in UG); National Archives of Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources