Landed Estates
University of Galway

Conyngham/Burton Conyngham

Family title

Marquess of Conyngham

Estate(s)

Name Description
Conyngham Of Scottish descent, Henry Conyngham, member of parliament for county Donegal, supported the Williamite cause. His son, also Henry, was elevated to the peerage as Baron Conyngham of Mount Charles, County Donegal in 1753, Viscount Conyngham in 1756 and Earl and Baron Conyngham in 1781. He was succeeded in the title Baron Conyngham by his nephew, Francis Pierpoint Burton of Buncraggy, county Clare, from whom descend the Marquesses of Conygham of Slane Castle, county Meath and the Burtons of Carrigaholt Castle, county Clare. Henry, 3rd Baron Conyngham, was created Marquess of Conyngham in 1816. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation the Marquess’s county Clare estate was mainly in the barony of Islands, parishes of Clondagad, Clareabbey, Killone, Kilmaley and Drumcliff, the barony of Bunratty Lower, where he held fourteen townlands in the parish of Killely and the barony of Moyarta, parishes of Kilmacduane and Kilfearagh. Other lands were held in the baronies of Bunratty Upper and Inchiquin. In November 1867 the sale of lands and premises at Kilkee, part of the Conyngham estate, were advertised for sale. The Conyngham estate in county Clare was comprised of 27,613 acres in the 1870s. The Marquess also held a further 122,300 acres in county Donegal and 7,060 acres in county Meath. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation, the estate was among the principal landowners in the parishes of Inishkeel, Killybegs Lower and Templecrone in the barony of Boylagh, Inver, Killaghatee, Killymard in the barony of Banagh and Donaghmore in the barony of Raphoe South, all in County Donegal. In 1863 over 2000 acres in the parish of Templecrone, barony of Boylagh, County Donegal, previously owned by Francis Foster, was offered for sale in the Landed Estates Court. The tenure details indicated that the original lease, dating from 1738, was between William Conyngham and David Williams but had later devolved to Robert Johnston. In November 1880 over 10,600 acres of the Marquess's estate in County Clare was advertised for sale in the Land Judges' Court. The family seat was at Slane in County Meath.
Burton (Buncraggy & Carrigaholt) Samuel Burton of Buncraggy, county Clare, married Margaret Harris and died in 1712. From their eldest son Francis descend the Marquesses of Conyngham and the Burtons of Carrigaholt and from their younger son, Benjamin Burton, Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1703 and Member of Parliament 1703-1723, descend the Burtons of Burton Hall, county Carlow. Francis Burton was a member of a partnership who purchased the forfeited estates of Viscount Clare from the Earl of Albemarle in 1698. His partners were Nicholas Westby and James McDonnell. The Burtons also acquired land from the Ingoldsbys and the Earl of Thomond. Francis's son, another Francis Burton, married Mary Conyngham and their son, Francis Pierpont Burton, succeeded his uncle as 2nd Baron Conyngham. The 2nd Baron married Elizabeth Clements and they had twin sons, Henry who became Marquess of Conyngham and Francis, father of Henry Stuart Burton of Carrigaholt Castle, who owned an estate consisting of 14 townlands in the parishes of Kilmacduane, Moyarta and Kilrush, barony of Moyarta, county Clare, in the mid 19th century. Henry S. Burton also had some land in the parish of Killone, barony of Islands. He had three sons and four daughters but none of his sons had any children so the male line died out in 1919. His eldest son, Francis N. V. Burton of Carnelly and Carrigaholt, owned an estate of 9,669 acres in the mid 1870s. His wife was Marie, daughter and heiress of Savory, Duke de Rovigo. The Conyngham Papers in the National Library of Ireland contain records relating to the Burton estates. Abstracts of Deeds Inrolled in Chancery 1834-1839, p. 28, records the details of a deed of 17 August 1835, made between Francis Pierpoint Burton of Cain, Normandy, Francis St Leger Burton of the same and Francis Gore of St Stephen’s Green, Dublin. Lands, amounting to 438 acres, in the baronies of Fore and Kilkenny West, county Westmeath, in county Cavan (424 acres) and property in Dublin were granted to Gore as trustee to raise an annuity of £100, the purpose of which was to bar the entail. In November 1854 the lands of Ardbuckan and Kiltober, over 200 acres of the Westmeath lands and properties in Dublin, were advertised for sale in the Encumbered Estates Court by the two Burtons. The petitioners were George Paul Helsham and his wife Anne otherwise Burton, otherwise Dumbleton.
Casey (Kilmurry) From the mid 18th century the Caseys held land in the parish of Kilmurry, barony of Ibrickan, county Clare, from the Marquess of Conyngham. Griffith's Valuation records Captain Francis Casey holding 8 townlands in the parish and one townland in the parish of Kilfarboy. The Caseys sublet Seafield Lodge and its surrounding acreage to the Brews. When Francis Casey died in 1860 the property reverted to the Marquess of Conyngham who later renewed the Brew lease. Weir writes that the Honourable James Joseph Casey was one of the best known members of the Casey family. He was born at Tromeroe in 1831 and became Australia's first Minister of Agriculture. Ninety acres of the farm and lands of Tromoroe and Quilty, parish of Kilmurry, barony of Ibrickan, the estate of James Casey, were advertised for sale in January 1866 and in February 1871. Members of the Casey family still owned small holdings of land at Quilty West in the 1870s. 92 acres belonging to Francis Casey were vested in the Congested Districts' Board on 31 March 1914.
Keane (Beech Park) The Keanes were established in county Clare from at least the mid 17th century and were residing at Beech Park in the parish of Drumcliff, barony of Islands by the beginning of the 19th century. In 1799 Robert Keane (1774-1839) married Jane Delahunty, whose mother Susan was the only daughter and heiress of James Colpoys of Crusheen, and they had a family of eight sons and five daughters. Robert Keane built Beech Park circa 1800 and established a land agency. The Keanes of Hermitage, near Ennis, descend from his second son Francis. His sixth son Marcus of Beech Park married Louisa daughter of Nicholas Westby of Kilballyowen and took over his father’s land agency. His main clients were the Westby, Conyngham and Henn estates. On these estates he carried out many evictions and so became very unpopular. His younger brother Henry Keane and Basil Lukey Davoren were two of his underagents. In the early 1850s he bought 1,000 acres at Enogh, barony of Moyarta, from the sale of the Hickman of Kilmore estate. In the mid 19th century Marcus Keane held land in the parishes of Kilmaley and Drumcliff, barony of Islands, Inchicronan, barony of Bunratty Upper, Kilchreest, barony of Clonderalaw. Some of his brothers also held land in the parish of Kilmaley and in the parish of Kilballyowen, barony of Moyarta where the Keanes had a summer residence at Doondahlin, Kilbaha. By the 1870s Marcus Keane’s estate had grown to 4,784 acres in county Clare. 168 acres was vested in the Congested Districts' Board in November 1915.