Brassey, McCormack and Wagstaffe (Raphoe North)
Hussey de Burgh records Messers Brassey and [Walstaff] as the proprietors of almost 3000 acres in County Donegal in the 1870s. Campbell et al. identify the second partner in the estate as William Wagstaffe. They were instrumental in the reclamation of land in the area where the river Swilly joins Lough Swilly in the mid -19th century, commencing between the late 1840s up to 1859. This massive engineering project added two new townlands to the parishes of Burt and Newtowncunningham, Blanketnook and Inch Levels. At the time of Griffiths Valuation in the 1850s, William McCormack was among the principal lessors in the parishes of Allsaints and Burt, barony of Raphoe North, County Donegal. Local sources suggest Brassey and Wagstaffe later bought out McCormack's share.
Houses
| Name | Townland | Civil Parish | PLU | DED | Barony | County | Map Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blanket Nook | Blanket Nook | Allsaints | Londonderry | Castleforward | Raphoe North | Donegal |
OSI Ref: C314192
OS Sheet: 46 Discovery map: 6 |
|
| Mason Lodge (Raphoe) | Monfad | Allsaints | Londonderry | Newtown Cunningham | Raphoe North | Donegal |
OSI Ref: C303155
OS Sheet: 46 Discovery map: 6 |
Archival sources
- Rent book for Sir Thomas Brassey's estate in County Donegal, 1883-84. D.2243.; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
Contemporary printed sources
- ''GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Poor Law Union of Londonderry, p.44 (Blanket Nook), p.56 (Monfad, William McCormack)
- 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] : p.52.
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: p.223.
Modern printed sources
- Campbell, Dónal, Dowds, Damien ad Mullan, Damien (eds). '' Against the grain. Burt, County Donegal: Burt GAA Club, 2000. : -
- ''Donegal Annual'': Campbell, Liam. The Burt reclamation scheme. 74 (2022), pp.64-71.