Landed Estates
University of Galway

O'Brien (Cahermoyle)

William Smith O'Brien was born at Dromoland, county Clare in 1803. He was the second son of Sir Edward O'Brien 4th baronet and his wife Charlotte Smith. In 1832 he married Lucy Gabbett of High Park, county Limerick. Through his mother he inherited Cahermoyle House and estate, near Newcastle West, county Limerick, previously the home of his maternal grandfather William Smith. In the early 1850s Lady O'Brien's estate was in the parishes of Clonagh, Kilscannell, Nantinan and Rathkeale, barony of Connelloe Lower and Ardagh and Rathronan, barony of Shanid, Ardagh and Killeedy, barony of Glenquin, Cloncagh, barony of Connello Upper, Effin, barony of Coshma. In the 1870s Edward W. O'Brien's estate amounted to 4,990 acres. Members of the O'Brien family still lived at Cahermoyle in the early 20th century.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Cahermoyle/Cahirmoyle Cahermoyle Rathronan Rathkeale Kilscannell 129 Shanid Limerick OSI Ref: R288 402
OS Sheet: 28
Discovery map: 64 		Photo of Cahermoyle/Cahirmoyle
Kilscannell Kilscannell Kilscannell Rathkeale Kilscannell 129 Connello Lower Limerick OSI Ref: R315 392
OS Sheet: 28
Discovery map: 64
Mount Plummer Mountplummer Monagay Newcastle Mountplummer 108 Glenquin Limerick OSI Ref: R316 215
OS Sheet: 53
Discovery map: 72

Archival sources

  • Papers of the Family of O'Brien of Cahirmoyle, Co Limerick, estate & family papers, 18th-19th centuries. Collection List 64; National Library of Ireland
  • Dunboyne Papers, newspapers cuttings re William Smith O'Brien, 1855-1878. MS 3375; National Library of Ireland
  • Inchiquin Papers, include records re William Smith O'Brien, 1831-1872. Collection List 143, MSS 45,446-45,451; National Library of Ireland
  • William Smith O’brien Papers: miscellaneous correspondence, 1859 & n.d. MS 8663 ; National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of O’Brien, Earls & Barons Inchiquin of Dromoland, Co Clare, Cahermoyle, Co Limerick, Blatherwick, Northampton, c 1206-1855. GO MS 178: 98-122 ; National Library of Ireland
  • Abstract of wills of O’Brien of Newcastle, Co Limerick, 1812-1824. GO MS 139:229; National Library of Ireland
  • Scrapbook of letters & newspaper cuttings re Irish affairs in the 1860s of E.W. O’Brien of Cahirmoyle. Ms.T.5; Trinity College Dublin
  • Edward William & Dermod O’Brien Papers re family, estate & public affairs, late 19th-early 20th centuries. Ms. 4282-4305; Trinity College Dublin
  • Map of Rathnaseare [Rathnaseer, parish Nantinan, Connello Lower] with names of tenants, [this townland was part of Dowager Lady O'Brien's estate at time of Griffith's Valuation], early 19th century. 16 H 32(17) ; National Library of Ireland
  • Irish Tourist Association Survey file for parish of Ardagh, barony of Shanid, 1944. Limerick West 2; Limerick Studies Department, Dooradoyle

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources