Landed Estates
University of Galway

Leader (Mount Leader & Dromagh Castle)

The senior branch of the Leader family descended from Henry Leader who bought estates in county Cork at the end of the 17th century. In 1741 his third son, Henry, married Christabella, eldest daughter of William Philpot of Dromagh, county Cork. Post 1760 their second son, William, bought Mount Leader from his cousin, John Leader. William's son, Nicholas Philpot Leader, married Margaret, daughter and co heiress of Andrew Nash of Nashville or Rosnalee, county Cork. This marriage brought another property into the possession of the Leader family. By the time of Griffith's Valuation Nicholas Philpott Leader II, Member of Parliament for county Cork 1865-1868, held the Dromagh Castle estate in the parishes of Drumtarriff and Kilbrin, barony of Duhallow. Lewis writes that Nicholas Leader had extensive and valuable "colliers" at Dromagh and Dysert. In the 1870s Nicholas P. Leader's Dromagh Castle estate amounted to 5,632 acres. He died a bachelor in 1880. The widow of his brother William of Rosnalee owned 5,586 acres in the 1870s and her son, William Nicholas Leader, succeeded to Dromagh Castle. He died without heirs in 1931 and Dromagh and Rosnalee were acquired by the Land Commission from his grand nephew. Nicholas P. Leader's younger brother, Henry, inherited Mount Leader from their father. At the time of Griffith's Valuation Henry Leader is recorded as one of principal lessors in the parishes of Cullen, barony of Duhallow, Ballyvourney, Clondrohid, Drishane, barony of West Muskerry and Henry Leader also held land in the parishes of Mourneabbey, barony of Barretts, Castletownroche, barony of Fermoy, Youghal, barony of Imokilly. In the 1870s Henry E. Leader of Mount Leader owned 1,597 acres, Henry Leader of Clonmoyle (son of Nicholas P. Leader) owned 2,418 acres, John Leader of Queenstown owned 1,130 acres and William Leader of Western Road, Cork owned 951 acres in county Cork. In June 1877 the estate of the trustees of the marriage settlement of Henry Leader and Sarah Woodcock (in 1835) and of a family settlement of 1866, amounting to 2,651 acres in the baronies of Duhallow and Muskerry, was advertised for sale. This estate was held from Baron Lisle and from the Reverend Edward Hatch Hoare. The Irish Times gave details of the purchasers, who included some of the existing tenants. Henry Leader's interest in the lands of Clonmoyle East, barony of East Muskerry, Castlewidenham and Ballygarrett, barony of Fermoy, was advertised for sale in November 1882 and his interest in the lands of Fermoyle, barony of Duhallow in July 1883.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Dromagh Castle Dromagh Dromtarriff Kanturk Rosnalee 157 Duhallow Cork OSI Ref: W335 980
OS Sheet: 30
Discovery map: 79 		Photo of Dromagh Castle
Dysert Dysert Dromtarriff Kanturk Rosnalee 157 Duhallow Cork OSI Ref: W360 973
OS Sheet: 31
Discovery map: 79
Nashville/Rosnalee Gurteen Dromtarriff Kanturk Rosnalee 157 Duhallow Cork OSI Ref: W365 992
OS Sheet: 31
Discovery map: 79
Castle Widenham [Blackwater Castle] Castlewidenham Castletownroche Fermoy Castletownroche 130 Fermoy Cork OSI Ref: R686 021
OS Sheet: 26
Discovery map: 73 		Photo of Castle Widenham [Blackwater Castle]
Mount Leader Mountleader Drishane Millstreet Coomlogane 285 West Muskerry Cork OSI Ref: W270 892
OS Sheet: 39
Discovery map: 79 		Photo of Mount Leader
Tullig Tullig Drishane Millstreet Drishane 287 West Muskerry Cork OSI Ref: W286 898
OS Sheet: 39
Discovery map: 79 		Photo of Tullig
Clonmoyle Clonmoyle East Aghabulloge Macroom Clonmoyle 214 East Muskerry Cork OSI Ref: W472 757
OS Sheet: 61
Discovery map: 80
Ballygarrett Ballygarrett Mallow Mallow MallowRural 250 Fermoy Cork OSI Ref: W588 984
OS Sheet: 33
Discovery map: 80
Ballyvergan House Ballyvergan West Youghal Youghal Youghal Rural Imokilly Cork OSI Ref: X066768
OS Sheet: 67
Discovery map: 81
Classas Nadrid Magourney Macroom Magourney 217 East Muskerry Cork OSI Ref: W455 723
OS Sheet: 72
Discovery map: 80 		Photo of Classas

Archival sources

  • British Records Association Deposit (1950) included leases of lands in barony of Duhallow from members of the Dickson & Boyle (Earl of Shannon) families to members of the Freeman, Carthy, Foote, MacGhee, Keeffe, Boyle, Purdon, Allen, Purcell, Pike, Creagh, Wrixon, Longfield, Holmes, Fitzgerald, Purdon, Trant,, Delaney, Herrick, Reilly, Leader & Barry families, 1715-1857. Small Accs. Index 102; National Archives of Ireland
  • Leader Papers, estate papers re Leader family of Mount Leader, Co. Cork, the Philpot (later Leader) family of Dromagh & the Nash (later Leader) family of Nashville, alias Rosnalee, barony of Duhallow, Co. Cork, 1711-1975. D3653 ; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Leader & Barstow, 5 June 1877, Vol 128 (3), MRGS 39/058, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Land Judges’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Leader, 3 Nov 1882, Vol 144 (13), MRGS 39/063, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Land Judges’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Leader, 24 July 1883, Vol 145 (39), MRGS 39/064, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Leader of Drumagh, Banteer, household and estate accounts etc 1818-65. P1; University College, Dublin, Archives
  • Genealogical office report on Leader of Dromagh Castle and Mount Leader in Co. Cork and Hockley Lodge, Co. Armagh, c.1700 -- 1902. GO MS 811 (16) ; National Library of Ireland
  • Irish Tourist Authority files, Parishes of Aghabulloge, Dromtariffe and Millstreet; Cork County Library

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources