Landed Estates
University of Galway

Drew (Drewsborough & Drewscourt)

A branch of a Devonshire family who settled in county Waterford in the reign of Elizabeth I. By the beginning of the 18th century Francis Drew was residing at Drew's Court, county Limerick. He married Margaret, daughter and co heir of John Ringrose of Moynoe, near Scarriff, county Clare and acquired land in that locality. Drew's Court was inherited by their grandson Francis in the early 19th century. He died childless and the property passed to his sister Margaret who married John Cuffe Kelly. ''The Freeman's Journal'' (18 July 1823) records the death of Francis Drew and that his extensive estates in counties Limerick and Kerry passed to his sister, the wife of John Cuffe Kelly of Stormont. Mrs O'Kelly of Kinsale is recorded as the owner of Drew's Court townland circa 1840. She died in 1845 and the property reverted to the family of her uncle Ringrose Drew of Drewsborough, county Clare. Ringrose Drew had property in Scariff, county Clare and either he or his son Francis built Drewsborough House in the second half of the 18th century. The Drews were in financial difficulties from the beginning of the 19th century and their estate, which included the Scariff Mills, was offered for sale in the aftermath of the Famine in the Encumbered Estates Court. The Scariff Mills had been leased to Thomas Walnutt and his son Charles, who was declared a bankrupt in 1853. Michael Skehan bought Drewsborough and 352 acres. He renamed the house Victoria Park. Gerard Madden gives a detailed account of the Drew family in his book on the history of Tuamgraney and Scariff. At the time of Griffith's Valuation the Drews held land in the parishes of Bruree, Corcomohide, Kilmeedy and Dromcolleher, barony of Connello Upper and Ballingaddy, barony of Coshlea, county Limerick. The Ballingaddy lands were advertised for sale in 1852 and an estate of over 1,500 acres in the barony of Connello Upper in November 1853. In the 1870s Francis Drew of Drewscourt owned 1,021 acres in county Limerick. In 1906 Clennell Frank M. Drew owned about 500 acres of untenanted land at Drewscourt East and buildings valued at £18.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Drewsborough Drewsborough Tomgraney Scarriff Scarriff 136 Tulla Upper Clare OSI Ref: R634 835
OS Sheet: 28
Discovery map: 58 		Photo of Drewsborough
Drewscourt Drewscourt East Corcomohide Croom Ballyagran 8 Connello Upper Limerick OSI Ref: R473 264
OS Sheet: 46
Discovery map: 73 		Photo of Drewscourt
Stormont Coolbane Stradbally Limerick Castleconnell 47 Clanwilliam Limerick OSI Ref: R660 626
OS Sheet: 1
Discovery map: 58

Archival sources

  • Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (Dunboyne), Drew, 29 Nov 1853, Vol 5, 73 & 2 May 1854, Vol 6, 1-44; James Hardiman Library, University of Galway
  • Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Drew, 29 Nov 1853, 2 May 1854 & 7 Nov 1854, Vol 25 (17), Vol 27 (36a) & Vol 31 (14), MRGS 39/011, 39/012 & 39/014, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Drew of Ballinlote, county Kilkenny, of Rockfield, Fermoy, Cargeen, Ballintobber and Youghal, county Cork & Drewscourt, Flowerhill and Flagmount, county Limerick. c.1480-1839. Genealogical Office Ms. 93, 1-17. ; National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Drew of Rockfield and other places in England and Ireland, c.1450-1839. Genealogical Office Ms.174, 82-99. ; National Library of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Drew, (Ballingaddy), 22 Jan 1852, Vol 13 (24), MRGS 39/006, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Drew, (Connello Upper), 29 Nov 1853, Vol 25 (18), MRGS 39/010, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • O’Callaghan Westropp Papers (unsorted collection), includes copy will & codicils of Margaret Cuff Kelly 1845. PC 97 & PC 12,153-12,154 Box List ; National Library of Ireland
  • Collection of miscellaneous documents, includes deed of trust lands in Co Cork, Francis Drew of Drewsborough to William Lysaght of Fort William, 1780 & marriage settlement Pierce W. Drew of Cork & Elizabeth Oliver, 1821. Small Accs Index 85, D.12381 & D.12489; National Archives of Ireland
  • Papers of the Lucas Family, Co Offaly (including papers of the Drews of Drewscourt, Cos Waterford & Limerick, & the Ryans of Ballymackeogh, Co Tipperary), 17th-19th centuries. LE37; James Hardiman Library, University of Galway

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources