Landed Estates
University of Galway

Comyn (Woodstock)

From the mid 17th century the Comyn family were established at Kilcorney in county Clare. In 1796 Laurence Comyn married Jane Lynch of Barna and bought land in the Spiddal area from his in-laws and from the Frenches. Beggan states that he bought more land from the Blakes of Drum in 1814. By the time of Griffith's Valuation, Francis and Peter Sarsfield Comyn, sons of Laurence Comyn of Woodstock, county Galway, held land in the parishes of Killannin and Moycullen, barony of Moycullen and in the parish of Rahoon, barony of Galway. Francis Comyn also had an estate in county Clare in the parishes of Drumcreehy, Kilcorney and Rathborney, barony of Burren. Part of the estate of Peter Sarsfield Comyn at Spiddal was sold in the early 1860s to the Morris family. P.S. Comyn bought the Browne estate at Gortatleva in 1860 and resold it to Michael Hennessy of Galway, except for Brownville, in November 1869. Through a marriage in 1871 with the only daughter and heir of Walter Bourke of Carrowkeel, county Mayo, the Comyns inherited the Carrowkeel estate in the parish of Addergoole, barony of Tirawley. In 1878 Francis Lorenzo Comyn was recorded as owning 3,654 acres in county Mayo, over 7,000 acres in county Galway and 1,961 acres in county Clare. Holywell, the Comyn home, and 161 acres in the barony of Corcomroe, county Clare, was advertised for sale by Thomas Gibson, assignee of Thomas Francis Comyn, in June 1859. This property was held on a lease dated 1803 from Edward O'Brien of Ennistymon to George Comyn of Hollywell. The Freeman's Journal reported that it was purchased in trust by Mr. Redington for £1900. Most of the Comyn estate of Woodstock and the Brownville property, with a portion of the Comyn estate in county Mayo, were sold to the Congested Districts' Board in 1902. 757 acres in county Clare were vested in the Board in November 1912.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Woodstock Pollagh Rahoon Galway Barna 44 Galway Galway OSI Ref: M243 291
OS Sheet: 81
Discovery map: 45
Killeen Killeen Rahoon Galway Barna 44 Galway Galway OSI Ref: M262 288
OS Sheet: 82
Discovery map: 45 		Photo of Killeen
Kilcornan Kilcornan Kilmanaheen Ennistimon Ennistimon 48 Corcomroe Clare OSI Ref: R139 889
OS Sheet: 15
Discovery map: 57
Holywell/Hollywell House Maryville Kilfenora Ennistimon Kilfenora 49 Corcomroe Clare OSI Ref: R192 944
OS Sheet: 9
Discovery map: 51 		Photo of Holywell/Hollywell House
Sans Souci Lisnanard Drumcreehy Ballyvaghan Drumcreehy 5 Burren Clare OSI Ref: M226 083
OS Sheet: 2
Discovery map: 51 		Photo of Sans Souci

Archival sources

  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Comyn, 3 Dec 1861, Vol 63, MRGS 39/032, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Comyn, 8 July 1870, Vol 98, MRGS 39/046, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Comyn, 12 Nov 1869, Vol 95, MRGS 39/046, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Ordnance Survey maps showing lands in non congested districts: Comyn estate, 639 acres in baronies of Moycullen & Galway, 1907. 15.A.23(7); National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Comyn of Corcomroe [& Kilcorkan], Co Clare & of France, 1440-1748. GO MS 162: 34-35; National Library of Ireland
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (Dunboyne), Gibson & Comyn, 30 June 1859, Vol 29, 37-44; James Hardiman Library, University of Galway
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Gibson & Comyn, 30 June 1859, Vol 56 (19), MRGS 39/028, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources