Foster (Dunleer)
The Foster family were settled at Dunleer, county Louth, from the early 18th century. The Reverend Thomas Foster, rector of Dunleer, was succeeded by his son John Thomas Foster who married in 1776 Lady Elizabeth Hervey, daughter of the Earl of Bristol. Part of the Foster estate was at Cormey in the parish of Enniskeen, county Cavan. Following John T. Foster’s death in 1795 the Cormey property was inherited by his son Augustus, a minor. A cousin, Henry Foster, was his trustee and in 1808 he began to rebuild Cormey Castle, then a ruin. The rebuilding of Cormey Castle bankrupted his ward Augustus and in 1813 Augustus sold the Castle and about 400 acres to his neighbour Colonel Joseph Pratt. The Colonel then made Cormy Castle his main residence and renamed it Cabra Castle. Augustus Foster became a foreign diplomat and in 1831 was created a baronet.
Associated Families
No houses were found for this estate
Archival sources
- Grant of Arms to Henry Foster of Cormie Castle (now Cabragh Castle), Co. Cavan being about to be created a Baronet (which creation did not eventuate), March 13, 1806. GO MS 105: 38.; National Library of Ireland
- Survey of the demesne of Cormy Castle, the seat of Henry Foster, c 1810. Ms 2768.; National Library of Ireland
- Pedigree of Foster of Dunleer and Collon, Co Louth and Cormie Castle, Co Cavan, 1704-1806. GO MS 105: 38.; National Library of Ireland
- Foster Papers, 1529-1983. D3618; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
- Deeds, leases, bonds, judgements, etc, concerning Tullydonnell, Co. Louth, Barley Hill and Greenoge, Co. Meath, and Cormey, Co. Cavan, all the property of Henry Foster of Cromey and decreed to Sir Augustus Foster by the Court of Chancery in 1812 because of Henry Foster's defalcation as executor of the will of Sir Augustus's father, John Thomas Foster; together with bonds, judgements, etc, securing this and other debts of Henry Foster. 1740-1860. D3618/H/8; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland