Landed Estates
University of Galway

O'Conor Donelan

The Sylaun estate in the parish of Belclare, barony of Clare, county Galway, belonged to a branch of the O'Conors of Sligo in the mid 18th century. Following the marriage in 1778 of Thomas Donelan of Peterswell, a member of a junior branch of the Donelans of Ballydonelan, near Loughrea, and Mabel O'Conor, sister and heiress of Thomas O'Conor, Bishop of Achonry, lands belonging to both families came into the possession of their descendants. The O'Conor Donelans were a Catholic landowning family and some later members were involved in the medical profession. Thomas O'Conor Donnellan owned several townlands in the parish of Kilthomas, barony of Loughrea, in 1855 and also held land in the parish and barony of Dunmore. In the 1870s the estate was almost 2,000 acres in size and was mainly located in the parishes of Belclare and Killower.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Sylaun Sylaun Belclare Tuam Belclare 216 Clare Galway OSI Ref: M381 533
OS Sheet: 29
Discovery map: 39
Ballydonnellan Castle Ballydonnellan East Killalaghtan Ballinasloe Killoran 13 Kilconnell Galway OSI Ref: M723223
OS Sheet: 98
Discovery map: 47 		Photo of Ballydonnellan Castle
Woodquay Lodge Woodquay Belclare Tuam Belclare Clare Galway OSI Ref: M399527
OS Sheet: 29
Discovery map: 39 		Photo of Woodquay Lodge

Archival sources

  • O'Conor Donelan Papers. LE 10; James Hardiman Library, University of Galway
  • Estate records of Denis J. Kirwan and Sons, land agents, Tuam, mid 19th - mid 20th centuries, including account book of rents received, O'Connor Henchy estate. Acc. No. 5124; National Library of Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources