Twiss
An ancestor of this family was agent to the Herberts, Earl of Powis and the family held land and lived in the Castle Island locality, county Kerry, in the 18th and early 19th century. They later resided at Birdhill, county Tipperary which they inherited from Mrs Arthur Ormsby nee Atkins. They also had land at Lower Knockduff, barony of Duhallow, county Cork (see Ormsby entry). Various members of the Twiss family between them owned almost 800 acres in county Kerry in the 1870s. Lands at Ballinturragh, barony of Trughanacmy, the property of Francis Twiss, were offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates Court in January 1856. The sale notice indicates this property was on lease from the Herbert estate. In the 1830s, the Ordnance Survey Field Name Books record George Twiss as the holder of townlands in the parish of Ballincuslane, barony of Trughanacmy, which he was leasing from Lady Ventry and John Twiss as a proprietor in Dysart parish, leasing from the Herbert estate. In the 1870s George Twiss of Birdhill owned 812 acres in county Cork and 2,706 acres in county Tipperary. see http://www.birdhilltidytowns.ie/the_twiss_family.html
Associated Families
Houses
| Name | Townland | Civil Parish | PLU | DED | Barony | County | Map Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camp Lodge | Camp | Castleisland | Tralee | Castleisland 152 | Trughanacmy | Kerry |
OSI Ref: Q975095
OS Sheet: 39 Discovery map: 71 |
|
| Parteen Villa | Birdhill | Kilcomenty | Nenagh | Birdhill 92 | Owney and Arra | Tipperary |
OSI Ref: R682 679
OS Sheet: 31 Discovery map: 58 |
|
| Birdhill | Birdhill | Kilcomenty | Nenagh | Birdhill 92 | Owney and Arra | Tipperary |
OSI Ref: R701 678
OS Sheet: 31 Discovery map: 58 |
Archival sources
- Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Twiss, 15 January 1856, Vol 38, MRGS 39/0018, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
- Scrap-book kept by Henry F. Twiss (formerly Henry F. Berry) containing newscuttings, photographs, letters, relating to the Twiss family and contemporary affairs 20th c. Ms. 23. M. 75 ; Royal Irish Academy Library
- Lease by Francis Twiss to Redmond Roche of the Old Military Barracks, Castleisland, Co. Kerry, 26 Apr. 1860. Rowan Papers, D. 26,710 ; National Library of Ireland
- Family trees of the Twiss family, Cos. Kerry and Tipperary, 1601–1967. 999/435; National Archives of Ireland
Contemporary printed sources
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: 136, 145, 171
- ORDNANCE SURVEY NAME BOOKS County Kerry: Vol.I, 146, 151, Ballincuslane Parish. Vol.II, 252 (Dysert Parish)
- LEET, Ambrose. ''A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland''. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 87 (Camp)
- ''GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Barony of Owney and Arra, 55-56 (Birdhill)
- HUSSEY DE BURGH, U. H. ''The Landowners of Ireland. An alphabetical list of the owners of estates of 500 acres or £500 valuation and upwards in Ireland''. Dublin: Hodges, Foster and Figgis, 1878. [available online at www.askaboutireland.ie] : 453
- LEWIS, Samuel. ''A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland''. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: II, 65 (Parteen)
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion...'', HC 1906, c, 177: 276