Landed Estates
University of Galway

Meade

A family of Gaelic extraction located originally in county Cork, who by the mid 18th century held large estates in the Golden Vale barony of Clanwilliam, county Tipperary following the purchase of some of the Ormonde estate. In 1765 Sir John Meade, 3rd Baronet of Ballintober (near Kinsale), married the heiress Theodosia, daughter of Robert Hawkins Magill of Gill Hall, Gilford, county Down. Thereafter the Meades were largely based in county Down. In 1766 Sir John was created Viscount Clanwilliam and in 1776 Earl of Clanwilliam. Due to mounting debts the Earl of Clanwilliam's estates in Cos Tipperary and Cork were all sold by the early 19th century. In 1787 Ballintober was sold to a cousin the Reverend John Meade, who was succeeded by his nephew.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Ballintober House Ballintober Ballymartle Kinsale Ballymartle 195 Kinalea Cork OSI Ref: W629553
OS Sheet: 112
Discovery map: 87 		Photo of Ballintober House
Ballygriffen Ballygriffen Ballygriffen Tipperary Ballygriffen 161 Clanwilliam Tipperary OSI Ref: S007 405
OS Sheet: 60
Discovery map: 66 		Photo of Ballygriffen
Lisheen Lisheen Ballygriffen Tipperary Ballygriffen 161 Clanwilliam Tipperary OSI Ref: S018 410
OS Sheet: 60
Discovery map: 66

Archival sources

  • Trant Papers, include documents relating to the Meade family, 1606-1911. Collection List A14, MSS 31,554-31,645 & D 27,807-27,890; National Library of Ireland
  • Miscellaneous letters, accounts, legal items, some rentals and other papers mainly relating to the families of Meade (Earls of Clanwilliam), co. Cork,& Murray, co. Donegal, 1653-1908. Unsorted collection. PC 679 (Box list of folders); National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Meade of Ballintobber, Earls of Clanwilliam, 1617 -- 1830. GO Ms.174, pp.159-60 ; National Library of Ireland
  • Copy of an act for the sale of the estates of the Earl of Clanwilliam and the Hon. Richard Meade in Co. Down, Cork and Tipperary, [1793?]. D/3124 ; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Estate & family papers of the Meade family, including correspondence and diaries of the 3rd Earl of Clanwilliam, private Secretary to Lord Castlereagh, 1817-1819, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, 1822-1823, and Ambassador to Berlin, 1823-1827; Correspondence & diaries of Sir Robert Meade, Permanent Under-Secretary for the Colonies 1892-1897. D/3044; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Family, political and diplomatic papers of the Meade family, Earls of Clanwilliam, including correspondence, diaries, journals, and genealogical notes, 1778-1797. D/3044 add.; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Le Brocquy Papers, include collection of newscuttings, with some biographical and genealogical content, including a pedigree of the Meade and Spenser families, of Co. Cork, 1878-1907. Ms. 23,433 ; National Library of Ireland
  • Meade estate papers, Rathfriland, Co.Down, 1689-1903. MIC259; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Hyett Family of Painswick Papers, include cases of Sir Richard Meade of Cork, bart., & Daniel Webb of Limerick, respondent in dispute about leasing of lands in Killcoleman, Co. Cork, to be heard in House of Lords, 1743. D6/L9 ; Gloucestershire Archives
  • S. Gordon & Son, solicitor's collection, includes papers relating to property in Co. Tipperary of the Ryan family, including rental of estate of Richard Earl of Clanwilliam in barony of Clanwilliam to be sold in June 1805 (M.2197), 1748-1880. Associated names Going and Breen. Small Accs. Index 103, D. 17,910-44: M. 2189-2229: T. 7180-92 ; National Archives of Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources