Blake (Doonmacreena & Oranmore)
Estate(s)
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Blake (Doonmacreena & Oranmore) | This branch of the Blake family, descended from the Blakes of Ballyglunin, county Galway, was settled at Doonmacreena on the border between counties Mayo and Galway from the early 17th century. They were regranted their estate, almost 3,356 acres in the barony of Clanmorris, under the Acts of Settlement. Through a marriage in 1693 they acquired an estate at Oranmore, outside Galway city, from the Athy family. Their county Mayo estate amounted to over 2500 acres in the parishes of Crossboyne and Kilvine in the barony of Clanmorris and their county Galway estate to over 200 acres in the parish of Oranmore, barony of Dunkellin. According to ''Burke's Irish Family Records'' one 18th century member of this family had a colourful career. In 1824 Walter Blake of Oran Castle is described as a resident proprietor in county Galway. The Blakes sold their Doonmacreena estate in 1851 and their Oranmore estate was advertised for sale in 1853 and bought by James Dillon Meldon. However, Walter Blake was the lessor of property in Oranmore at the time of Griffith's Valuation in 1855. The mother of John Blake Dillon, one of the co founders of "The Nation" newspaper was a Blake of Doonmacreena. |
| Thorngate | The Thorngates were originally from Gosport in England. Griffith's Valuation shows that James Thorngate and his brothers bought some of the estate of the Blakes of Doonmacreena in the parishes of Crossboyne and Kilvine, barony of Clanmorris, county Mayo and some of the Abbeyknockmoy estate, county Galway of the Blake Forsters. P. Lane writes that the Thorngates also bought portions of the estates of Geoffrey Davies in the barony of Killian and Edmond Concannon in the baronies of Dunmore and Dunkellin. By far their biggest purchase was in 1851 when James Thorngate purchased the Castle Ffrench estate and lived there until the 1860s. The estate was sold, after Thorngate's death, to James Crooke, for whom Daniel Churcher acted as agent. William E. Churcher and George Churcher of Southampton were the trustees of the estate of William Thorngate and much of the Thorngate estate appears to have been in Churcher possession by the 1870s. At the time of Griffith's Valuation James Thorngate is recorded as a land holder in the parish of Rahara, barony of Athlone, county Roscommon. |
| Butler (Doon & Thornpark) | The Butlers of Doonemulvihill, county Clare and Thornpark, county Galway are descended from James Butler of Doonemulvihill and his wife, an O'Hogan of Cragmoher, county Clare. From Peter Butler, the third son of this couple, descend the Butlers of Bunnahow. In 1798 Henry Butler of Millbrooke, county Clare, son of James and Theresa Butler of Doone and Millbrooke, county Clare, married Ann daughter of Xaverius Blake of Oran Castle, county Galway and Doonmacreena, county Mayo. Their eldest son, James Blake Butler, lived at Glenwilliam. Their second son, Xaverius Blake Butler of Thornpark, is recorded as the owner of over 300 acres in county Galway in the 1870s. He also held over 150 acres in county Limerick and at the time of Griffith's Valuation, a house at North Richmond St, Dublin. In 1906 James Blake Butler owned over 200 acres of untenanted land at Carrowmoneash. |