Landed Estates
University of Galway

D'Arcy (Kiltullagh & Clifden Castle)

The D'Arcy family of Kiltullagh, parish and barony of Athenry, county Galway, was founded by Patrick D'Arcy, a younger son of James Riveagh D'Arcy in the early 17th century. The D'Arcy's Connemara estate was granted to them under the Acts of Settlement. It had been confiscated from the O'Flaherty clan and by the 19th century amounted to over 12,000 acres mainly in the parish of Omey, barony of Ballynahinch. The head of the family at the turn of the 19th century was John D'Arcy (1785-1839) who founded the town of Clifden. Shortly before his death he mortgaged his estates to 2 English brothers Thomas and Charles Eyre of Bath and London. Following the Famine his son Hyacinth D'Arcy was in severe financial difficulty and his estates were one of the first to be sold in the Encumbered Estates' Court. The sales included 697 acres at Kiltullagh and part of the D'Arcy of New Forest estate in the barony of Tiaquin, county Galway, the two D'Arcy families had intermarried. Much of Hyacinth D'Arcy's Connemara property was purchased by the Eyre brothers and Thomas Eyre subsequently bought out his brother's interest. A consortium, which included James Sadlier, appears to have bought the townland of Kylemore which they advertised for sale in the Landed Estates' Court in May 1859 and was purchased by Benjamin Lee Guinness. At the time of Griffith's Valuation Thomas Eyre was the occupier of the part of the New Forest estate that had belonged to the D'Arcys of Clifden.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Clifden Castle Clifden Demesne Omey Clifden Clifden 22 Ballynahinch Galway OSI Ref: L635 509
OS Sheet: 35
Discovery map: 37 		Photo of Clifden Castle
Kiltullagh House Kiltullagh North Kiltullagh Loughrea Kiltullagh Athenry Galway OSI Ref: M569254
OS Sheet: 97
Discovery map: 46 		Photo of Kiltullagh House

Archival sources

  • Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), D'Arcy, 20 Apr 1850, Vol 1, MRGS 39/001, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), D'Arcy, 2 Aug 1850, Vol 2, MRGS 39/001, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), D'Arcy, 13 July 1852, Vol 17, MRGS 39/008, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Unsorted collection, late 16th - late 18th century [in bad condition]. PC 622; National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of D'Arcy, including D'Arcy of Tuam and Killtolla, c 110-1810. GO MS 112: 247-269; National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of D'Arcy of Co Meath and France, of Kiltolla, Co Galway and of Gorteen, Co Mayo, c1100-1810. GO MS 162: 66-69; National Library of Ireland
  • Certificate of descent of D'Arcy of Galway, 1603-1800. GO MS 95: 27; National Library of Ireland
  • Miscellaneous [Blake] deeds, including leases of Rosleague, Sheeans and other lands in barony of Ballynahinch, Co Galway, from the D'Arcys of Gorteen to various persons, 18th & 19th centuries. D 16,899-16,932; National Library of Ireland
  • BURKE, D'Arcy. The genealogy of the Darcies in county Clare and Kiltolla, county Galway. Dublin: [s.i], 1796. ; Galway County Library
  • CONDORCET, Marie. ''Éloge de l'Comte d'Arcy and genealogy of D'Arcys of Kiltulla and Clifden Castle.'' Londres: [s.i], 1846. ; National Library of Ireland
  • Clifden Castle, mounted photo. 022/031; Irish Architectural Archive

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources