Landed Estates
University of Galway

Miller (Ballycaseymore)

A Scottish family who were settled in the parish of Drumline, barony of Bunratty Lower, county Clare at the end of the 17th century. Ballymurtagh and some other parts of the Miller estate were held from Robert Clive in 1742 by William Miller. Frost writes that in the reign of Queen Anne the Earl of Thomond made a lease for ever to John Miller of Ballycaseybeg. John Miller of Ballycaseymore, parish of Drumline, was created a baronet in 1778. He married Anna Riggs of Riggsdale, county Cork. They also had a residence at Batheaston, Bath, Somerset, England and Lady Miller was an author and literary hostess. Sir John Riggs Miller was Member of Parliament for Newport, Cornwall, 1784-1790 and proposed a reform of the British system of weights and measures while an MP. Sir John added the name Riggs to his surname following the death of his mother in law Margaret Riggs (nee Pigott) in 1788. By her will he inherited an estate in county Cork. Sir John Riggs Miller (died 1798), Lady Miller (died 1781) and their son Sir John Edward Riggs Miller (died 1825) are all buried at Bath Abbey. Sir John E. Riggs Miller died without legitimate children and left his county Cork estate to his sister Jane Elizabeth Wheatley for life. The representatives of Sir J. Riggs Miller owned 135 acres in county Cork in the 1870s. By his will Sir J. Riggs Miller's other property was left to John Manvers, who became John Riggs Miller. He is the John Riggs Miller referred to in Griffith’s Valuation when he is recorded as holding three townlands in the parish of Clonloghan, barony of Bunratty Lower, county Clare. In the 1870s John R. Miller of London owned 178 acres in county Clare and died in 1888. The Riggs Miller estate was eventually inherited by Thomas John Ryan of Tyone House, Nenagh, county Tipperary. He was the eldest son of Malachi Ryan and Eliza Miller daughter of John Miller of Toonagh, Ennis, county Clare according to a Genealogy Office manuscript. T.J. Ryan took the name Riggs Miller in 1889. The following website gives a detailed history of the Riggs Miller family. http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~riggs/IREJRM1.htm

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Ballymurtagh Ballymurtagh Clonloghan Ennis Clenagh 39 Bunratty Lower Clare OSI Ref: R397 627
OS Sheet: 51
Discovery map: 58
Ballycaseymore Ballycaseymore Drumline Ennis Clenagh 39 Bunratty Lower Clare OSI Ref: R422 625
OS Sheet: 51
Discovery map: 58 		Photo of Ballycaseymore
Knockaun Knockaun Clonloghan Ennis Clenagh 39 Bunratty Lower Clare OSI Ref: R401 632
OS Sheet: 51
Discovery map: 58
Toonagh Toonagh Clooney Tulla Clooney 142 Bunratty Upper Clare OSI Ref: R439 777
OS Sheet: 34
Discovery map: 58

Archival sources

  • Pedigree of Miller of Slate in Scotland, Drumline & Ballycasey, Co Clare, Bts, 1513-1825. GO MS 112: 25; National Library of Ireland
  • Copy of grant of arms to Thomas John Ryan of Tyone House, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, son of Malachi Ryan and Eliza Miller of Twonah, near Ennis, in compliance with will of Sir John Edward Riggs Miller Bt of Ballycasey, the name & arms of Riggs Miller, 15 Apr 1889. GO MS 110: 112-113; National Library of Ireland
  • Exchequer Bills - Henry Miller of Townagh & members of the Morony family, 1754-1756. Small Accessions Index 1/601, Co.2320; National Archives of Ireland
  • Exechequer bills- Henry Miller of Townagh, Co Clare & Eliza otherwise Morony & others v Edmund Morony, 1754-1756. Co.2320; National Archives of Ireland
  • W.B. Scott, solicitor's collection, contains many records re land transactions in Cos Clare, Limerick & Cork, 18th-19th centuries, including lease for 1 year of Townaghmore, parish of Cloony, John Miller of Ballycaseymore to John Walcott of Croagh, 1712. Also conveyance & reconveyance John & Denis Canny to James Denis Lyons of mansion house & lands of Ballycasey, 1832, 1839. Small Accs Index 76, D.10,108 & D.10,876 (a & b) ; National Archives of Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources