Landed Estates
University of Galway

Gore (Castle Gore)

In 1666 the Gores were granted extensive estates, over 14,700 acres, in the barony of Tirawley, county Mayo and in county Sligo under the Acts of Settlement. In 1686 the Manor of Castle-Gore was created from these estates and other lands bought by the Gores. They also acquired the Manor of Belleek from the O'Haras, Barons Tyrawley, and owned estates in county Donegal. Their county Mayo estates were centred on the parishes of Ardagh, Ballysakeery, Addergoole and Crossmolina. In the 19th century much of their estate was let to middlemen or administered by agents and the Gores were largely absentee, as they had inherited the Saunders' estate in county Wexford. John Perkins of Ballybroony near Ballina, was their main agent in the 1830s.At the time of Griffith’s Valuation, in the 1850s, the Gore estate was one of the principal landholders in the parish of Donegal, barony of Tirhugh, County Donegal. In 1876 the Earl of Arran owned 29,644 acres in county Mayo and 6883 in county Donegal.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Castle Gore Deelcastle Ardagh Ballina Ardagh 14 Tirawley Mayo OSI Ref: G180184
OS Sheet: 30
Discovery map: 24 		Photo of Castle Gore
Deel Castle Brackloonagh Ardagh Ballina Ardagh 14 Tirawley Mayo OSI Ref: G182 187
OS Sheet: 30
Discovery map: 24 		Photo of Deel Castle
Drumlonagher Drumlonagher Donegal Donegal Donegal Tirhugh Donegal OSI Ref: G940787
OS Sheet: 94
Discovery map: 10
Farmhill (Donegal) Drumrat Donegal Donegal Donegal Tirhugh Donegal OSI Ref: G940781
OS Sheet: 94
Discovery map: 10
The Moor Glebe Donegal Donegal Donegal Tirhugh Donegal OSI Ref: G929782
OS Sheet: 93
Discovery map: 10

Archival sources

  • Gore Papers, rentals etc of Gore family, Earls of Arran, in Cos Donegal, Sligo and Mayo c 1850-1900 (unsorted collection). PC 12,600-12,665.; National Library of Ireland
  • [Gore Papers], including a book of surveys, lists of leases for Cos Mayo and Sligo and a list of title deeds, 18th & 19th cents. MS 14,086-14,089; National Library of Ireland
  • Diary of agent of Earl of Arran 1858-1898. BR.Don. 11; National Archives of Ireland
  • Gore, Earls of Arran, family and estate papers, MSS 7576-7635; Trinity College Dublin
  • Copy Marriage Settlement, Earl of Arran and Elizabeth Napier, including schedules of estates in Cos Mayo and Sligo, 26 Feb 1838. Ref. 346.016; Mayo County Library
  • Solicitors' Papers re Moy and other fisheries, Co Mayo and associated families of Gore, Browne, Ormsby, Jones, Atkinson, Little, Clarke, Orme, FitzGerald and Clive, 1611-1957. Acc. 1165; National Archives of Ireland
  • Arran Papers, photocopies of 18th century agents' letters and papers re lawsuit against James Cuff, Lord Tyrawley over lease of Castlegore, 1783-1825, [originals in TCD]. T/3200; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Lease book of Earl of Arran's estates in Cos. Donegal, Mayo and Wexford, c 1837-1880, [original in NLI]. T/3344; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Collis & Ward, solicitors' collection, includes mortgage of lands in quarter of Bellassee, Co Mayo, Gore to Lehunte, 1757. Small Accs. Index 98, D.22,038; National Archives of Ireland
  • Earl of Arran in account with William Johnson for half year's rent of estates in Cos Mayo, Sligo & Wexford, ending May 1817. Also map & survey of Rathmoreneny, barony of Tyrawley, by direction of Sir A. Gore Bt, 1754. Small Accessions Index 1/671 (75) & (92); National Archives of Ireland
  • Encumbered estates court sale rental for Manor Gore, otherwise Glenswilly, Kilmacrenan, including details of 18th century leases. D1201/24A. ; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • 18th century leases [transcripts] issued by Sir Ralph Gore for Donegal estates. Vol.2, pp.550-551. ; Registry of Deeds

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources