Landed Estates
University of Galway

Blakeney (Abbert)

Robert Blakeney, a member of a family of Elizabethan settlers, was granted lands at Castle Blakeney, parish of Killosolan, barony of Tiaquin, county Galway, by the Cromwellian Commissioners. This grant was confirmed by royal patent dated 27 Nov 1688, when Thomas Lovelace and Ralph Fenwick, the executors of the will of Major Robert Blakeney of Gallagh, were granted over 2,200 acres in the baronies of Tiaquin and Kilconnell, county Galway and in counties Mayo and Kilkenny. Castle Blakeney was burnt in the 1720s and the Blakeneys went to live at Abbert, which they bought from the Frenches and where they continued to reside until the beginning of the 20th century. Mr. Filgate of Ahascragh is recorded in the OS Name Books as their agent for the Ardrahan lands. Fee simple estates of John Henry Blakeney in the parish of Kilbride and at Caherateige, parish of Ardrahan, county Galway, were advertised for sale in 1855. The Freeman's Journal reported that the lands at Caheratigue in Ardrahan parish were bought in trust by Vesey Daly for over £1500. In 1862, lands belonging to John Blakeney were sold in the Landed Estates Court. The purchasers included James Smyth of Masonbrook, Henry Rose of Ballyclough, county Limerick, and R.O. Armstrong. The Blakeneys owned an estate of 7,504 acres situated in the parishes of Ballymacward, Killosolan and Monivea, barony of Tiaquin as well as lands in the parish of Ardrahan in the barony of Dunkellin and in the parishes of Drumatemple, barony of Ballymoe, Kilglass, barony of Ballintober North, and Kilbride, barony of Ballintober South, county Roscommon. In 1885 Terence Lynam was advertising for sale 172 acres at Corgowan in the parish of Kilbride, formerly part of the Blakeney estate. Over 1,500 acres of the Blakeney estate was vested in the Congested Districts' Board on 23 Nov 1911. John Blakeney, together with Richard O'Connor, was leasing 197 acres and a house valued at £3 10s in the parish of Kilconickney, to Charles Donnellan in 1855. Blakeney is also recorded as the proprietor of townlands in this parish in the 1830s. In 1824 he is listed as a resident proprietor in county Galway.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Abbert Abbert Demesne Monieva Tuam Abbey East 187 Tiaquin Galway OSI Ref: M545426
OS Sheet: 58
Discovery map: 46 		Photo of Abbert
Greenhills Greenhills Ballymacward Ballinasloe Killaan 9 Kilconnell Galway OSI Ref: M667332
OS Sheet: 73, 86
Discovery map: 46 		Photo of Greenhills
Dundermot Dundermot Drumatemple Castlerea Ballintober 60 Ballymoe Roscommon OSI Ref: M701 719
OS Sheet: 34
Discovery map: 39 		Photo of Dundermot
Ashfield (Tiaquin) Ashfield Ballymacward Mountbellew Castleblakeney Tiaquin Galway OSI Ref: M671414
OS Sheet: 60
Discovery map:

Archival sources

  • Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Blakeney, 6 Feb 1855, Vol 33, MRGS 39/015 (microfilm copy in NUIG) ; National Archives of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), part of Clostoken estate in Dunkellin barony, 11 Nov 1862, Vol 66, MRGS 39/033 (microfilm copy in NUI, Galway); National Archives of Ireland
  • Lease from John Henry Blakeney to William Blakeney Persse of premises in Athenry, known as the Castle, 30 Apr 1831. D 11,074; National Library of Ireland
  • Letters and other papers re the family of Blakeney of Castleblakney, late 18th-early 19th centuries, [c 300 items in bad condition]. MS 10,426; National Library of Ireland
  • Muschamp Papers, papers re litigation between Denny Muschamp and Nicholas Ffrench of Abbert, Co Galway, with 2 lists of lands near Abbert, 1692-1699. MS 10,992; National Library of Ireland
  • Recollections of Sarah Selina Blakeney (c1820-1900), 1 volume typescript, 1888, 1901. MS 19,782; National Library of Ireland
  • Dundermot photos. 013/055; Irish Architectural Archive
  • Raheen. Photographs. 030/048; Irish Architectural Archive

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources