Landed Estates
University of Galway

Bourke (Thornfield)

The Bourkes were settled at Dromsally, county Limerick at the beginning of the 18th century. From the first marriage of John Bourke of Shallee, county Tipperary descend the Bourkes of Thornfield and from his second marriage to Mary Donellan descend the Bourkes or De Burghos of Castle Connell baronets. At the time of Griffith's Valuation Sir Richard Bourke of Thornfield, a Lieutenant General who had served as Governor of New South Wales in the 1830s, held an estate in the parishes of Clonkeen and Killeenagarriff, barony of Clanwilliam and Doon, barony of Coonagh, county Limerick and Kilcomenty, barony of Owney and Arra, county Tipperary. The two townlands in the parish of Clonkeen were held from John Lucas. In the 1870s Richard Bourke of Thornfield owned 948 acres in county Limerick and 418 acres in county Tipperary. In 1844 Richard Bourke, son of Sir Richard, married Anne O'Grady of Kilballyowen. Their great grandson Gerard Bourke was still resident at Thornfield in 2004. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A010120b.htm

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Mountminnett Mountminnett Ballybrood Limerick Kilmurry 52 Clanwilliam Limerick OSI Ref: R701 449
OS Sheet: 23
Discovery map: 65
Raheen Raheen Killeenagarriff Limerick Ballyvarra 46 Clanwilliam Limerick OSI Ref: R658 580
OS Sheet: 6
Discovery map: 65
Thornfield Thornfield Killeenagarriff Limerick Ballyvarra 46 Clanwilliam Limerick OSI Ref: R666 579
OS Sheet: 6
Discovery map: 65 		Photo of Thornfield

Archival sources

  • Bourke Papers: mainly correspondence with some other documents re the Bourke of Dromsally estate of Sir Richard Bourke, 1748-1854. MSS 8473-8478; National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Bourke of Ballyvorneen, Dromkeen & Newcastle & of island of St Croix, West Indies, circa 1310-1779. GO MS 159:207-209; National Library of Ireland
  • Irish Tourist Association Survey file for parish of Castleconnell, barony of Clanwilliam, 1942. Limerick North East 10 ; Limerick Studies Department, Dooradoyle
  • Bourke Papers. Contact Dan Lawless, Moher, Co Tipperary; Private Possession
  • Commission of the Peace to Major General Richard Bourke for Co Limerick, 21 Feb 1822. M.5230; National Archives of Ireland
  • Letters to Sir Richard Bourke of Thornfield, County Limerick, mainly from his agent Daniel Barrington on estate matters, 1827-1836. MS 21,771 ; National Library of Ireland
  • Registers of leases etc. of the estate of the Bourke family in Cos. Limerick and Tipperary, mid 18th to early 19th c. MS 19,787-19,788 ; National Library of Ireland
  • Bourke Papers, including rentals, accounts & correspondence re estate of Major General Richard Bourke in Cos Limerick & Tipperary, agents Daniel Barrington & Malachy Hogan, 1820s-1850s. MSS 19,760-19,761; 19,787-19,798; 21,768-21,772; 21,841; National Library of Ireland
  • Jameson, solicitors collection, includes legal documents re Castleconnell estate of John S. Dwyer, contain references to Rich, Rose, Dickson, Sir R. Burgh, O'Grady, Frewen & John Napper in 1750s, with maps, 1840s-1870s. Small Accs Index 53, Co 1200-1291 & D.6525-6545; National Archives of Ireland
  • O'Connor & Dudley, solicitors collection, contains many documents relating to the de Burgho family of Co Limerick & associated families of Bourke of Drumsally, Frewen, Osborne, Dwyer, Powell, Gabbett etc, mainly concerning the compiling of abstract of title to de Burgho estate in 1879, 17th-19th centuries. Small Accs Index 66; National Archives of Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources