Landed Estates
University of Galway

Bermingham/Birmingham (Rosshill)


Estate(s)

Name Description
Bermingham/Birmingham (Rosshill) Colonel John Browne owned a substantial estate in the barony of Ross, county Galway, at the end of the 17th century, which the trustees for the sale of his estates sold to James Naper and Thomas Smith in June 1700. The estate was immediately leased back to Peter Browne, son and heir of the Colonel. During the 18th century Peter Browne's lease (renewable for ever) of the estate became vested in the descendants of his sister Elizabeth who had married John Bermingham, a cousin of Baron Athenry. In the 19th century the estate became the joint property of the Earls of Leitrim and Charlemont through their marriages with the daughters and heiresses of William Bermingham of Ross, who died in 1799.
Clements & Caulfield The Rosshill estate in the parishes of Ross, Cong and Ballinchalla, barony of Ross, county Galway, was inherited by the Earls of Leitrim and Charlemont through their marriages with the two heiresses of William Bermingham who died in 1799. The Fair family of Clonbur were for many years agents for the Rosshill estate. Apparently the estate was put up for sale in June 1860 to buy out the Charlemont interest and part of it was sold, mainly to the Guinness family. The remainder stayed in the possession of the Clements' family until the early 20th century. It appears to have been augmented by some purchases from the Landed Estates' Court including the Gildea estate in the parish of Ross in 1865 and in the 1870s the estate amounted to over 18,000 acres. The 3rd Earl of Leitrim left his estate in the barony of Ross to his cousin Colonel Henry Theophilus Clements of Ashfield Lodge, county Cavan and not to his nephew and successor the 4th Earl of Leitrim. By March 1916 Henry J.B. Clements had accepted an offer from the Congested Districts' Board for the purchase of his estate in counties Mayo and Galway. http://www.nli.ie/pdfs/mss%20lists/leitrim.pdf
Naper/Napper In 1700 James Naper of Drewstown, county Meath, in partnership with Thomas Smith, bought the Ross estate in county Galway from Colonel John Browne of Westport, county Mayo. Naper's interest became vested in James Lennox Dutton and subsequently in his son Lord Sherborne to whom the Berminghams and later the Earls of Leitrim paid headrent. Details of the tenure of the Earls of Charlemont and Leitrim with regard to the Naper and Smith moieties is given in the sale rental of 28 June 1860. By the early 1860s the Naper interest was vested in Lord Dunsany and his trustees advertised it for sale in the Landed Estates' Court in 1863.
Smith (Ross) In 1700 Thomas Smith, in partnership with James Naper, bought the Ross estate in county Galway from Colonel John Browne of Westport, county Mayo. Smith's interest became vested in George Boleyn Whitney to whom the Berminghams and later the Earls of Leitrim paid headrent. Details of the tenure of the Earls of Charlemont and Leitrim with regard to the Naper and Smith moieties is given in the sale rental of 28 June 1860.