Blake (Merlin Park)
The Blakes of Moyne, parish of Shrule, county Mayo, were descended from the Blakes of Ardfry, county Galway. Under the Acts of Settlement they were granted the lands of Ballyglass, including Coolcon Castle, now situated in the parish of Kilcommon, barony of Kilmaine and lands in the barony of Dunmore, county Galway, amounting to more than 3,000 acres. At first they held Moyne on lease from the Earls of Clanricarde and in 1711 purchased the fee simple. In 1691 they bought the lands of Ballintober, barony of Carra, from the Blakes of Ardfry. The Ballintober lands were sold to the Moores of Moorehall in 1793. The rest of the Blake estate in counties Galway and Mayo was advertised for sale in the Encumbered Estates' Court in 1852. At the time of Griffith's Valuation Moyne was in the possession of Paul Ward and Joseph Burke and Edward S.Power had bought part of the Blake estate in the parish of Kilcommon. Charles Ormsby Blake de Burgh in a letter to George Ormsby of the Ballinamore family refers to the destruction of his family papers in a fire while in storage in London (17 May 1900).
Associated Families
Houses
| Name | Townland | Civil Parish | PLU | DED | Barony | County | Map Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merlin Park | Merlinpark | Oranmore | Galway | Galway Rural 41 | Galway | Galway |
OSI Ref: M339 256
OS Sheet: 94 Discovery map: 46 |
|
| Moyne Lodge | Moyne | Shrule | Ballinrobe | Shrule 34 | Kilmaine | Mayo |
OSI Ref: M256 493
OS Sheet: 123 Discovery map: 45 |
|
| Coolcon Castle | Coolcon | Kilcommon | Claremorris | Garrymore 79 | Kilmaine | Mayo |
OSI Ref: M328 644
OS Sheet: 119 Discovery map: 39 |
Archival sources
- Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Blake, 19 Nov 1852, Vol 19, MRGS 39/008, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
- Landed Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Blake, 30 May 1873, Vol 110, MRGS 39/051, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
- Volume of printed maps of Mayo estate of Charles Blake surveyed by order of Commissioners for sale of Encumbered Estates, 1851. 16.F.1; National Library of Ireland
- Copy of grant of arms to Charles Ormsby Blake on his assuming the name and arms of Blake de Burgh, 1 Nov 1896. GO MS 110, 210-211; National Library of Ireland
- Consolidated final notice to tenants and adjoining owners, 1872. Acc. 999/626/3; National Archives of Ireland
- Ballinamore Papers 1650-1935, contact A.J.Ormsby, Kilrie House, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland; Private Possession
- Lease of a plot of land in Loughrea, Co Galway, John Tew of Dublin and Hyacinth Daly of Dalystown, Co Galway to Charles Blake of Moyne, Co Mayo, 15 Aug 1763. D 11,058; National Library of Ireland
- Miscellaneous receipts of Walter Nugent, includes map of Merlin Park, estate of George Blake, by Peter Doyle, 1852. MS 24,560; National Library of Ireland
- Merlin Park photos & press cuttings. 022/072; Irish Architectural Archive
Contemporary printed sources
- M'PARLAN, James. ''Statistical survey of the county of Mayo''. Dublin: Royal Dublin Society, 1802: 105
- LEWIS, Samuel. ''A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland''. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: I, 646 & II, 451
- LEET, Ambrose. ''A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland''. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 285
- DUTTON, Hely. ''Statistical and agricultural survey of the county of Galway''. Dublin: Royal Dublin Society, 1824. : 413
- HARDIMAN, James. ''The history of the town and county of the town of Galway''. Galway: The Connacht Tribune, revised edition 1985: 316
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''15th Annual Report of the Commissioners of Public Records Ireland,'' 1825. Vol XVI, Appendix I, Grants under Acts of Settlement: 239
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: 307
Modern printed sources
- BLAKE, Martin J. ''Blake Family Records'' 1300-1600 1st Series, 1600-1700 2nd Series. London: Elliot Stock, 1902: I, 180-183 & II, 191-195 & Appendix E, 282
- ''Jnl. of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society'': BLAKE, Martin J. Notes on the Place Names mentioned in Browne’s map of Mayo 1584. VI (1909-1910), 95-106
- MONTGOMERY-MASSINGBERD, Hugh (ed). ''Burke's Irish Family Records''. London: Burke's Peerage, 1976: 116-123
- BENCE-JONES, Mark. ''A Guide to Irish Country Houses''. Revised ed. London: Constable, 1988. : 205
- SHEERIN, Norbert. ''Renmore and its environs: An Historical Perspective''. Galway: Renmore Residents Association, 2000: 63-70
- MOLLOY, Christy. ''Milltown Sketches''. [The author], 1995: 159-160
- GLIN, Knight of, GRIFFIN, D. J. & ROBINSON, N.K (eds).'' Vanishing Country Houses of Ireland''. Dublin: Irish Architectural Archive/Irish Georgian Society, 1989. : 74
- WALFORD, Edward. 'The County families of the United Kingdom''. London: Chatto and Windus, 1885): p.93, 94