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Reynell
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Originally from Devonshire, this family settled in Ireland in the 17th century. According to Burke’s Landed Gentry Edmund Reynell of Dublin, died 1698, bought estates in counties Westmeath, Longford, Leitrim, Roscommon and Galway. The Reynells of Castle Reynell descended from his eldest son Arthur who purchased Ballynagall in 1720 and renamed it Castle Reynell. His descendants lived at Castle Reynell until it was sold in 1803 to James Gibbons. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation (publ. 1854) the estate of this branch of the Reynell family in county Westmeath was held by Barbara (Reynell), Countess of Donoughmore (died 1856), who had married the 3rd Earl in 1827. Her estate was in the parishes Lackan, Multifarnham and Portnashangan. The Reynells of Reynella and Killynon descend from Edmund’s second son Richard. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation (publ. 1854) this branch of the family was represented by Richard Winter Reynell who was a lessor in the parish of Rathconnell, county Westmeath, where he held land from Sir Richard Levinge, Capt J Nugent and Samuel Winter. In the 1870s Richard W Reynell of Killynon owned 287 acres in the county and other acreages in counties Fermanagh, Meath and Wexford, making a total of 1,119 acres altogether while his brother Samuel Arthur Reynell of Archerstown owned 1,566 acres in county Westmeath .Samuel Reynell was among the principal lessors in the parish of Lickbla, barony of Fore at the time of Griffiths Valuation.
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Gibbons (Ballynagall)
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O’Brien writes that James Gibbons was descended from a Church of Ireland rector of St Mark’s Parish, Dublin. James Gibbons was a Notary Public in Dublin who made a fortune, purchased Castle Reynell or Ballynagall, county Westmeath, from the Reynells in 1803 and other estates in the county. He married his cousin Mary Amelia Wilson and died in 1835 when he was succeeded by his only son, another James (1791-1846). He married Alicia, daughter of William Smyth of Drumcree and left his estates to his nephew James Middleton Berry of Middleton Park.
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Balfour (Westmeath)
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This family descend from the Balfours of Castle Balfour, county Fermanagh. Following the marriage of Lucy Balfour with Blayney Townley of Piedmont, county Louth in 1692, their son Harry Townley inherited the Fermanagh estates and assumed the name of Balfour. The Fermanagh estate was later sold to the Earl of Erne. Harry’s brother Blayney Townley Balfour (1703-1788) married his cousin Mary, daughter and heiress of Hamilton Townley of Townley Hall, county Louth. Their grandson Blayney Balfour (1759-1856) of Townley Hall succeeded in 1788. In 1797 he married Lady Florence Cole, daughter of the 1st Earl of Enniskillen. Their eldest son Blayney Townley Blayney (1799-1882) married Elizabeth Catherine, daughter and heiress of Richard Molesworth Reynell of Reynella, county Westmeath. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation (publ. 1854) this family held land in the county Westmeath parishes of Leny and Rathconnell. In the mid-1870s Blayney Townley Balfour owned 1,623 acres in county Westmeath, 3,137 acres in county Louth, 1,453 acres in county Meath and smaller acreages in counties Armagh and Tyrone.
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