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O'Brien (Ballynalackan)
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Terence O'Brien was established at Elm Vale, south east of Kilfenora, county Clare, from at least the middle of the 18th century. Elm Vale originally known as Cross, came into O'Brien possession through his marriage to Eleanor O'Hogan. Their second son James O'Brien succeeded his father and married in 1791 Margaret Long. She married secondly Cornelius O'Brien of Birchfield. James and Margaret's eldest son John O'Brien restored the castle at Ballynalackan and was the father of nine children including Sir Peter O'Brien, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, known as 'Peter the Packer'. The O'Briens held an extensive estate in the barony of Corcomroe and in the 1870s James O'Brien of Ballinalackan owned 5,575 acres in county Clare and 36 acres in county Limerick. About 1,300 acres in counties Clare and Limerick including Elmvale were advertised for sale in the Encumbered Estates' Court in December 1856. In 1904 Turlough/Torlogh O'Brien succeeded his uncle James O'Brien and his estate of over 3,200 acres was vested in the Congested Districts' Board in March 1915.
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