Damer/Dawson Damer

Family title

Baron Milton, Earl of Dorchester, Earl of Portarlington

Estate(s)

Name	Description
Damer/Dawson Damer	The Damer family, who held estates in Dorset and Somerset, supported Cromwell and, after the Restoration, purchased estates in Ireland. Joseph Damer was created Baron Milton in 1762 and Earl of Dorchester in 1792 and held estates in counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. His titles died out with the death of his son, the 2nd Earl of Dorchester, in 1808. When his daughter died in 1828 the Damer estates were inherited by his grand-nephew, John Dawson, 2nd Earl of Portarlington, of Dawson's Grove, Queen's county [county Laois]. At the time of the first Ordnance Survey circa 1840 the Earl of Portarlington held an estate comprised of much of the parish of Oola, barony of Coonagh, county Limerick. At the time of Griffith's Valuation the Earl of Portarlington is recorded as the immediate lessor of five townlands in that parish. The other townlands of which he was proprietor at the time of the first Ordnance Survey were leased or sold to members of the Bradshaw family, members of the Lloyd family of Castle Lloyd or Captain Hammersly. In the mid 19th century the Earl's county Tipperary estate was in the baronies of Clanwilliam (parish of Emly), Kilnamanagh Upper (mainly in the parish of Glenkeen), Ikerrin (mainly in the parish of Roscrea), Lower Ormond (mainly in the parish of Loughkeen) and Eliogarty. The second division of the Portarlington estates was advertised for sale in August 1850. The sale includes lands in the county Tipperary baronies of Middlethird, Clanwilliam and Kilnamanagh Upper. The fourth division of the Portarlington estates situated on the borders of counties Tipperary and Limerick amounting to 15,363 acres plus "The Lordship and Estate of Borrisoleigh" comprised of 7,783 acres, was advertised for sale in January 1855. The sixth division of the Portarlington estates was advertised for sale in June 1856 and included lands in counties Tipperary, Limerick and Longford amounting to a total of 6,513 acres, mainly near the town of Cashel. The seventh division of the Portarlington estates, 7,077 acres in counties Tipperary near Limerick Junction, Tipperary town, Templemore and Parsonstown, was advertised for sale in May 1857. A newspaper cutting with this rental gives details of the purchasers. The eighth division of the Portarlington estates, comprised of the lands of Barnlough and Gurteenshingawe, 1,357 acres in the barony of Clanwilliam, was advertised for sale in June 1858. The ninth division of the Portarlington estates, comprised of the town and town parks of Roscrea was advertised for sale in November 1858. Annotations on the rental show that most of the town parks were sold to R. S. Palmer in March 1859 and July 1860. The 10th division of this estate amounting to !,389 acres in counties Tipperary and Queen's County (Laois) was offered for sale in May 1860.
Bradshaw (Oola)	At the time of Griffith's Valuation members of the Bradshaw family, John, Miss Anne L. and Samuel were the immediate lessors of seven townlands in the parish of Oola, barony of Coonagh, county Limerick. All these townlands were part of the estate of the Earl of Portarlington circa 1840. Earlier, in 1786, Wilson refers to a house called Prospect as the seat of Mr. Bradshaw. In the 1870s the representatives of L. Anne Bradshaw owned 363 acres in county Limerick.
Cooper (Killenure)	This family, originally from Surrey, settled at Butterhill in county Wicklow in the 17th century. Following the appointment of William Cooper as Registrar of the Diocese of Cashel, one branch settled at Killenure Castle, county Tipperary in the mid 18th century. William Cooper and his wife, Jane Wayland, had two sons, Samuel of Killenure, agent to the Maude, Damer and Erasmus Smith Schools estates and Austin, an antiquarian and agent to a number of landlords including the 2nd Earl of Leitrim, Baron Milton and Viscount Hawarden. In the mid 19th century Samuel Cooper held land in the parishes of Kilmaleery and Kilnasoolagh, barony of Bunratty Lower, and Kilseily, barony of Tulla Lower, county Clare. The main part of the Cooper estate was in county Tipperary, in the parishes of St Johnbaptist, barony of Middlethird, Cullen and Solloghodbeg, barony of Clanwilliam, Donohill and Oughterleague, barony of Kilnamanagh Lower. In November 1854 the interest of Patrick J. O'Kearney and others in the lands of Ballywalter was advertised for sale, Samuel Cooper was the tenant. He held on a lease dated 28 December 1852. In the 1870s Samuel Cooper of Killenure, Cashel, county Tipperary, owned 826 acres in county Tipperary and 344 acres in county Clare. His brother was Richard Austin Cooper Chadwick. [Another brother, William L. Cooper of England owned 727 acres in county Tipperary].