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O'Brien (Inchiquin Castle)
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Murrough O'Brien, 6th Baron Inchiquin, was created 1st Earl of Inchiquin in 1654. An estate of almost 40,000 acres in county Clare, over 1000 acres in county Limerick and over 15,000 acres in county Cork, was granted to Morrough O'Brien, Earl of Inchiquin, in 1666 and 1667. In 1680 his son William received a further grant of 4,890 acres in county Clare. His great grandson, William O'Brien, 4th Earl married the 1st Countess of Orkney in 1720 and was succeeded by his son-in-law and nephew, Murrough O'Brien, who became Marquess of Thomond in 1800. The 1st Marquess married twice. His first wife was his first cousin, Mary 2nd Countess of Orkney, by whom he left a daughter, also Mary. His second wife was Mary Palmer, a niece of Sir Joshua Reynolds. He was succeeded by his nephew William, 2nd Marquess. The 2nd Marquess had no sons so the title devolved on his brother James, 3rd Marquess in 1846. Following the death of the 3rd Marquess in 1855 without male heirs the Marquessate of Thomond and the Earldom of Inchiquin became extinct and in 1862 the title Baron of Inchiquin passed to Sir Lucius O'Brien, 5th Baronet of Dromoland. In 1857 the trustees of the will of James, 3rd Marquess of Thomond, sold the Earl's estate consisting of over 40,000 acres in the baronies of Burren (mainly in the parish of Carran), Corcomroe (parish of Clooney) and Inchiquin (mainly in the parishes of Kilkeedy, Ruan and Killinaboy), county Clare. The barony of Inchiquin contained by far the largest portion. Houses on the estate in the first division including Rockvale and Rathorpe. Reid writes that Richard Darcy of New Forest, county Galway, purchased the largest acreage, some 2,782 acres in the parish of Kilkeedy, barony of Inchiquin. Other purchasers included the Right Honourable Francis Blackburn of Rathfarnham Castle, county Dublin, Thomas Crowe of Dromore and James O'Gorman of Buncraggy. In 1837 Inchiquin Castle and the mansion attached were described by Lewis as in a "greatly dilapidated condition". He writes that the Castle on the shore of Inchiquin Lake was for a long time the residence of the Marquess of Thomond. At the time of Griffith's Valuation the Marquis also held a large estate in county Cork. He was one of the principal lessors in the parishes of Kilmacdonogh, Aghada, Ballintemple, Cloyne, Corkbeg, Garranekinnefeake, Inch, Rostellan, barony of Imokilly, county Cork. His county Cork estate included the village of Ballymacooda. The county Cork estate, amounting to 8,833 acres, was advertised for sale by the trustees of his will in December 1857.
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