Joyce (Mervue)
The Joyces of Mervue, Corgary and Rahasane were all descended from a family of Joyces long established in the town of Galway. In the 18th century the Joyce family prospered in their mercantile and banking activities and began to acquire land, including the lease of Mervue from the Governors of the Erasmus Smith Schools in 1789. In 1792 they sold property in county Mayo to the Blakes of Towerhill. In the 19th century the Joyces of Mervue held lands in the baronies of Clare (Annaghdown, Claregalway and Lackagh parishes), Tiaquin (Killoscobe parish), Longford and Dunkellin, county Galway and in the townland of Kinlough, parish of Shrule, barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo. By the 1870s they owned 3,742 acres in county Galway, 146 in the town of Galway and 381 acres in county Mayo. Thomas Joyce bought Rahasane Park in 1846 and in 1855 Pierce Joyce was leasing Ardfry House from the trustees of Lord Wallscourt. Frank Joyce was agent to the Earl of Clanricarde between 1882 and 1887. In 1909 Pierce Joyce had accepted an offer from the Congested Districts Board for over 300 acres of his estate.
Associated Families
Houses
| Name | Townland | Civil Parish | PLU | DED | Barony | County | Map Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mervue/Merview | Ballybaanbeg | St Nicholas | Galway | Galway Rural 41 | Galway | Galway |
OSI Ref: M322 264
OS Sheet: 94 Discovery map: 46 |
|
| Ardfry | Ardfry | Ballynacourty | Galway | Ballynacourty 53 | Dunkellin | Galway |
OSI Ref: M348211
OS Sheet: 94 Discovery map: 46 |
|
| Caltra Lodge | Caltra | Killosolan | Mountbellew | Caltra 144 | Tiaquin | Galway |
OSI Ref: M714 435
OS Sheet: 60 Discovery map: 46 |
|
| Kiltullagh House | Kiltullagh North | Kiltullagh | Loughrea | Kiltullagh | Athenry | Galway |
OSI Ref: M569254
OS Sheet: 97 Discovery map: 46 |
|
Archival sources
- Blake Papers, sale of county Mayo property in 1792. MS 10789; National Library of Ireland
- Documents relating to bankruptcy of Messrs Joyce and Blake, bankers, Galway, 1815. M6872; National Archives of Ireland
- Pamphlet concerning R. Joyce of Galway, goldsmith, early 18th century. M465; National Archives of Ireland
- Commissions Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant to Pierce Joyce, 1864 & 1918. M3103-3104; National Archives of Ireland
- Papers relating to the Joyce family of Merview, Galway. D19,785-19,787, M3102-3104 & T 8098-8099; National Archives of Ireland
- Pedigree of Joyce of Mervue with Mark descendants, 1809-1948. GO MS 182a: 46; National Library of Ireland
- Map showing partition of lands in Islandmore, barony of Clare, Co Galway, between Lord Fitzgerald, Pierce Joyce, Robert Bodkin and others, 1859. M3026; National Archives of Ireland
- Mervue photos. 065/100; Irish Architectural Archive
- Documents re the Joyces of Mervue, 19th century. Small Accs. Index 75; National Archives of Ireland
- Collis & Ward, solicitors' collection, includes deeds re land in the barony of Clare, Co Galway, belonging to the Joyces of Mervue & abstracts of title, 1875-1920. Small Accs. Index 98, D.21,976-21,981 & Parcel 38-39, 2/463/42-43; National Archives of Ireland
Contemporary printed sources
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: 296, 301 & 309
- 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] : 241
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: 296
- ''GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : 25 & Mountbellew Union, 94 (Caltra)
- LEWIS, Samuel. ''A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland''. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: Vol I, 648 (Mervue) & 290 (Caltra)
- 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. : 416
- TAYLOR, George & SKINNER, Andrew. ''Maps of the Roads of Ireland, surveyed in 1777 and corrected down to 1783''. Facsimile of 2nd edition. Shannon: Irish University Press, 1969: 90 & 212
- HARDIMAN, James. ''The history of the town and county of the town of Galway''. Galway: The Connacht Tribune, revised edition 1985: 316
- ORDNANCE SURVEY NAME BOOKS, County Galway, http://places.galwaylibrary.ie/default.html: Claregalway Parish
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''24th Annual Report of the Congested Districts' Board for Ireland'', [Cd 8356], HC 1916, vi, 564-586. Appendix VIII: 45.
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of names of proprietors and area and valuation of properties in counties in Ireland, held in fee or perpetuity or long leases at chief rents,'' 1876. (412) LXXX. 395: 148.
- WILSON, William. ''The Post-Chaise Companion or Travellers Directory Through Ireland''. The author: Dublin, 1786 : 120
Modern printed sources
- PINE, L.G. (ed). ''Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland''. 4th ed. London: Burke's Peerage, 1958.: 400
- BURKE, Sir Bernard. ''A genealogical and heraldic history of the Landed Gentry of Ireland''. London: Harrison & Sons, 1912: 358
- BENCE-JONES, Mark. ''A Guide to Irish Country Houses''. Revised ed. London: Constable, 1988. : 205 (Mervue)
- ''The Irish Genealogist'': MARK, Gordon St George. The Joyces of Merview. Part I, VIII No. 3, 365-392: Part II, IX No.1, 89-113: Part III, IX No.2, 173-187: Part IV, X No.2, 202-214
- SHEERIN, Norbert. ''Renmore and its environs: An Historical Perspective''. Galway: Renmore Residents Association, 2000: 50-58
- CALTRA HISTORY GROUP. ''The History of Ahascragh and Caltra''. Caltra History Group, no date: photo of the ruin of Caltrapark, former home of the Joyces, 83