Roche estates

  • Roche (Trabolgan) – The Roches were established at Trabolgan, Whitegate, county Cork, from the mid 17th century. In 1703 Edmund Roche of Trabolgan purchased over 2,500 acres in the barony of Barrymore, forfeited by Walter Coppinger and his son James. In 1672 Edward Roche married Catherine Lavallin of Walterstown, county Cork, and they had four sons. The eldest, Francis, died unmarried in 1755 and all the Roche estate was eventually inherited by his grandnephew, Edward Roche of Kildinan. In 1805 Edward Roche married Margaret Honoria Curtin, a relative of Edmund Burke. Their son, Edmund Burke Roche, was created Baron Fermoy in 1856. The main part of the Roche estate was in the parish of Rathcormack, barony of Barrymore, but some of it was located in the parishes of Kilshannig, barony of Duhallow, Ardnageehy, Gortroe, Ballycurrany, Dunbulloge, Lisgoold and Templebodan, barony of Barrymore, Aghada, Garryvoe and Trabolgan, barony of Imokilly and Whitechurch, barony of Cork. Edmund B. Roche was among the principal lessors in the parish of Ringagonagh, barony of Decies-within-Drum, county Waterford in 1851. In 1877 the 2nd Baron Fermoy married the Honourable Cecilia O’Grady of Rockbarton, daughter of the 3rd Viscount Guillamore. In the mid 1870s she is recorded as the owner of 4,977 acres in county Limerick. At the same time Lord Fermoy of Trabolgan is recorded as owning 15,543 acres in county Cork and 744 acres in county Waterford. In November 1880 the Kildinan estate in the barony of Barrymore, the lands of Glashybeg, barony of Duhallow and Balinvarrig, barony of Cork, were advertised for sale with the lands of Gurtnadidhy and Ballincourty, barony of Decies within Drum, county Waterford. The total acreage amounted to 8,178 acres.
  • O’Grady (Cahir Guillamore) – Descended from a younger son of the O’Gradys of Kilballyowen, county Limerick, Standish O’Grady, son of Darby O’Grady of Mount Prospect, was created Viscount Guillamore in 1831. The O’Gradys acquired Cahir by the marriage of the 1st Viscount’s grandfather, Standish O’Grady, to Honora, daughter and co heir of Jeremiah Hayes of Cahir. The Guillamore estate was in the parishes of Fedamore and Glenogra, barony of Smallcounty, Tullabracky, barony of Coshma and Abbeyfeale, Clonelty, Grange and Mahoonagh, barony of Glenquin, county Limerick and Drumtarriff, barony of Duhallow, county Cork, at the time of Griffith’s Valuation. Lady Guillamore held land in the parish of Askeaton, barony of Connello Lower. In the 1870s the 4th Viscount owned 3,750 acres in county Limerick and 1096 acres in county Cork, while his niece, Honourable Cecilia O’Grady of Rockbarton, only surviving child of the 3rd Viscount, owned 4,977 acres. She married Lord Fermoy in 1877.
  • Roche (Rochemount) – This branch of the Roche family of county Cork was descended from Edmond, second son of Edward Roche of Trabolgan and his wife, Catherine Lavallin. Edmond, by his wife Barbara Hennessy, had two sons, the eldest, Edmond of Kildinan was grandfather of the 1st Baron Fermoy. In 1796 Edmond’s second son, Francis of Rochemount, married Esther Webb and they had two sons, Francis James and John Webb of Rochemount. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation John W. Roche held land in the parishes Monanimy, barony of Fermoy, Templeusque, barony of Barrymore, Cloyne, Titeskin and Corkbeg, barony of Imokilly. In July 1853 the estate of John Webb Roche at Ballindinisk and Pouladown, over 800 acres in the barony of Barrymore, was advertised for sale. In April 1856 his estate in the baronies of Fermoy and Imokilly was advertised for sale. This estate amounted to 3265 acres in total. The original lease of Cloughbolly or Nagle’s Mountain in the barony of Fermoy was from Hugh Millerd to Francis Roche in 1775. The lands in the barony of Imokilly were held on a lease from Edward Roche to Francis Roche dated 1770. The Freeman’s Journal reported that two lots were purchased by Mr. Smith and a third, in trust, by Mr. Kilt. Rochemount itself was again advertised for sale in July 1857.
  • Clarke (Farran) – William Clarke, a tobacco merchant of Cork, bought Farran House, parish of Aglish, barony of East Muskerry and a large estate in 1868. His company, William Clarke and Sons, became one of the largest tobacco producing companies in the British Isles. In the 1870s William Clarke of Farran owned 5,679 acres in county Cork. Thomas Clarke held 1,058 acres of untenanted land at Farran in 1906. Aghamarta Castle and Nadrid House belonged to members of this family in the 20th century. see http://www.farranhouse.com/history.htm
  • Roche (Aghada) – The estate of James Joseph Roche at Aghada, barony of Barrymore, county Cork, came into the possession of John Roche, who left it to his nephew William Roche. Part of the lands of Aghada were advertised for sale in July 1853, the estate of James and William Roche, continued in the names of Mary and Eleanor Roche. This estate later came into the possession of the Thackwell family who were related to the Roche family of Trabolgan. In the 1870s Major Joseph Edward Lucas Thackwell of Aghada House, Whitegate, owned 873 acres in county Cork and 280 acres in county Waterford. See also “The Irish Jurist”, Vol I Miscellaneous (1849), page 157, re the will of John Roche.
  • Thackwell – The former Roche estate at Aghada came into the possession of the Thackwell family in the second half of the 19th century. The Thackwells were related to the Roche family of Trabolgan. In the 1870s Major Joseph Edward Lucas Thackwell of Aghada House, Whitegate, owned 873 acres in county Cork and 280 acres in county Waterford. Lady Thackwell is recorded as the owner of over 450 acres in Waterford at the same time.
  • Barry (Dunbulloge) – The fee simple estate of Mary Theresa Barry amounting to 4,993 acres mainly in the parish of Dunbulloge, barony of Barrymore, county Cork, was advertised for sale in July 1870. Most of the tenants of the estate held on leases from Lord Fermoy dated 1857-1862 although the estate appears to have been in the possession of Lord Midleton at the time of Griffith’s Valuation. The wife of St Leger Barry of Ballyclough was named Mary Caroline Theresa (Carr) but according to Burke’s ”Landed Gentry of Ireland” he did not marry her until 1883.
  • Roche (Kinsalebeg) – In the 1870s, George Roche held 140 acres in county Waterford as well as joint ownership of over 470 acres in county Cork. This family were descended from Sir John Roch of Tourin and a branch of the Roch family, Lords Fermoy.

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