Blake (Kiltullagh, Frenchfort & Vermount)
The lands of Kiltullagh/Kiltolla, parish of Oranmore, barony of Dunkellin, county Galway, were granted to Hugh Molloy by patent under the Acts of Settlement, to hold for Patrick Blake and his heirs until a sum of £700 was paid. The Blakes of Waterdale and Vermount were descended from James Blake, a younger son of another Patrick Blake of Kiltullagh. In 1780 Michael Blake of Kiltullagh married Anne, only child of Martin French of Frenchfort and thereafter Frenchfort was Blake property. At the time of Griffith's Valuation Theobald Michael Blake held townlands in the parishes of Ballymacward and Killoscobe, barony of Tiaquin and a townland in each of the parishes of Oranmore and St Nicholas, barony of Galway. In the early 1870s he owned over 5,000 acres in county Galway. The Blakes of Frenchfort held the townland of Coollisduff, in parishes of Kilmolara and Kilmainemore, barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo, as noted in the Ordnance Survey Name books and Griffiths Griffiths Valuation . It was advertised for sale in 1856. Theobald Blake died in 1902 without immediate heirs and his Kiltullagh estate passed to his grand-niece Dora Creagh and Vermount to his cousin, Nicholas Blake. Miss Creagh submitted an application for assessment of the townland of Ballintemple, parish of Oranmore shortly after this and the sale to the tenants was approved by the Land Commission.
Associated Families
Houses
| Name | Townland | Civil Parish | PLU | DED | Barony | County | Map Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermount | Moneen | Killoscobe | Mountbellew | Mounthazel 156 | Tiaquin | Galway |
OSI Ref: M636412
OS Sheet: 59 Discovery map: 46 |
|
| Frenchfort | Frenchfort | Oranmore | Galway | Oranmore 56 | Dunkellin | Galway |
OSI Ref: M396257
OS Sheet: 95 Discovery map: 46 |
|
| Killeen House & Killeen Castle (Oranmore) | Killeen | Oranmore | Galway | Ballintemple 52 | Galway | Galway |
OSI Ref: M347296
OS Sheet: Discovery map: 46 |
Archival sources
- Copy probate of will of Theobald Blake of Vermount, Castleblakeney, county Galway, will dated 27 Nov 1893. Private Sources; National Archives of Ireland
- Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Blake, 7 Oct 1856, Vol 41, MRGS 39/020, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
Contemporary printed sources
- ''GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Galway Union, 192 (Frenchfort)
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: 293 & 301
- DUTTON, Hely. ''Statistical and agricultural survey of the county of Galway''. Dublin: Royal Dublin Society, 1824. : 413
- 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: 76
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion...'', HC 1906, c, 177: 331
- 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] : 38
- ''GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Mountbellew Union, 80
- LEWIS, Samuel. ''A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland''. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: II, 131
- LEET, Ambrose. ''A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland''. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 190.
- 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 (Frenchfort)
- BATEMAN, John. ''The great landowners of Great Britain and Ireland''. London: Harrison, 1883. : p.43
Modern printed sources
- BLAKE, Martin J. ''Blake Family Records'' 1300-1600 1st Series, 1600-1700 2nd Series. London: Elliot Stock, 1902: I, 166-169 & II, 166-172 & Appendix E, 283
- BURKE, Sir Bernard. ''A genealogical and heraldic history of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland''. London: Harrison & Sons, 1886: I, 154
- MCHALE, Bernard. ''Menlough Looking Back, a parish and sporting history''. [1989?]: 75
- McGRATH, Mary. ''Landholding in the parish of Castlegar, county Galway: study of five townlands.'' Unpublished Dip, Local Studies dissertation, NUI, Maynooth, 1999. : 8-9.
- MELVIN, Patrick. ''Estates and landed society in Galway''. (Dublin: Éamonn de Búrca, 2012). : p.188
- WALFORD, Edward. 'The County families of the United Kingdom''. London: Chatto and Windus, 1885): p.94