Landed Estates
University of Galway

Burke (Ower)

The Burkes of Ower were descended from a younger son of the Burkes of Clanricarde in the 15th century. By the 16th century they owned a large estate in the Castlehacket and Cahermorris localities in the barony of Clare, county Galway, most of which was confiscated in the 17th century. The Burkes managed to retain Ower in the parish of Killursa and continued to reside there until the early 20th century. They also held some land just across the county border at Moyne in the parish of Shrule, barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo. In the 1870s William Joseph Burke owned 666 acres in county Galway and 752 acres in county Mayo. The male line died out with his death in 1895 but he was succeeded by his daughter, Margaret Mary, who married Luke Alexander Teeling. William Joseph Burke had married Barbara Ellen Turner, daughter of Thomas Blake Turner MD, of St John's Abbey, Tuam, county Galway. Property at Moyne in the barony of Kilmaine, belonging to this family was sold in the Landed Estates Court in November 1868, It was bought by Oliver J. Burke. In December 1876 the sale of the estate (288 acres) of members of the Turner family, William Joseph Burke and Robert Henry in the barony of Bunratty Upper, county Clare, was advertised. Burke family members included the mathematician Francis Burke, the scientist John Benjamin Butler Burke and the author Oliver Burke.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Ower Ower Killursa Tuam Killursa 207 Clare Galway OSI Ref: M233 478
OS Sheet: 41
Discovery map: 45 		Photo of Ower

Archival sources

  • Teeling Papers, rentals and accounts of estate of W.J. Burke and his wife in baronies of Clare, Co Galway and Kilmaine, Co Mayo, 1895-1900, including Landed Estates' Court rental of Moyne, 1868. MS 20,745-20,746; National Library of Ireland
  • Teeling and Burke Papers. Acc. No. 3189; National Library of Ireland
  • Teeling Papers, include family and estate papers relating to the Burkes of Ower, 17th-20th centuries. MS 19,345, MS 20,741-20,755 D 26,858-26,883; National Library of Ireland
  • Map of Owermore, Owerbeg & Cahermacanally, Co Galway the estate of William Burke, surveyed by J. Hamilton, Jan 1785. 21.F.76(33); National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Burke families in Co Galway, including Burke of Castlehackett, Ower, Derrymaclaghny etc, 814-1911. GO MS 169: 175-229; National Library of Ireland
  • Copy of a series of deeds of lands of John Burke of Castlehackett, later Burke of Ower and of Andrew Browne of Liskelline and of Ower, 1657. GO MS 180: 244-247; National Library of Ireland
  • Copy of confirmation of arms to the descendants of Charles Hamilton Teeling, 14 Feb 1912. GO MS 111a: 80; National Library of Ireland
  • Lynch of Galway and Doorus, copy marriage settlement and conveyance with Burkes of Ower, 1785 & 1804. GSO1/9; Galway County Council Archives
  • Estate records of Denis J. Kirwan and Sons, land agents, Tuam, mid 19th - mid 20th centuries, including account book of rents received, 1909-1921. Acc. No. 5124; National Library of Ireland
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (Dunboyne), Turner, Henry & Burke, 15 Dec 1876, Vol 20, 153-; James Hardiman Library, University of Galway
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Turner, Henry & Burke, 15 Dec 1876, Vol 126 (32), MRGS 39/057, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • O'Conor Donelan Archive: Correspondence with members of the Burke family of Ower. LE10. ; James Hardiman Library, University of Galway

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources