Meath Excerpts

Aylmer of Balrath

(Barons Aylmer) 

During the reign of Henry VI, Richard Aylmer of Lyons, a Keeper of the Peace for both Dublin and Kildare, was appointed Sovereign of the Borough of Tassagard, a position that put him in charge of protecting the settler community from attack by the neighbouring O’Toole and O’Byrne septs. Richard’s grandson Bartholomew served as High Sheriff of County Kildare in 1495 and married a daughter of the wealthy Meath magnate, Sir Christopher Chevers*. The family subsequently rose to become one of the most prominent families in Meath and Kildare and, from 1530 onwards, key figures in the Dublin administration. By the close of Henry VIII’s reign, the Aylmer’s landholding extended from Kildare to Meath to Dublin.[1]

*Subject: Aylmer and Chevers

I wish to correct your reference to Chevers, in fact Margaret was the
daughter of Walter Chevers, of Ballyhealy, Co. Wexford and Macetown, Co.
Meath, Commissioner, Co. Meath 1483, by Ellen daughter of Sir William
Well(e)s, Lord Chancellor.
Margaret died on 20th September 1514, and Bartholomew in 1501, whilst Sir
Christopher Chevers died on 20th March 1581.  Please correct.
Sincerely,
Max Chevers

Bligh of Clifton Lodge

(Earls of Darnley)

Ivo Bligh the 8^th Earl of Darnley, who succeeded his brother Edward (the 7^th Earl), is best known as the English cricketer who was responsible for ‘The Ashes’. Apparently the story goes that following an unexpected defeat of the English team by the Australians at the Oval, in 1882, a journalist wit wrote an obituary on ‘the Death of English Cricket’ and that all that was left was “The Ashes” The following year Ivo led a team to Australia to win back the laurels lost at the Oval. While there they stayed with the wealthy Clarke family and during their stay played a fun game against the Clarke Eleven. After the match the fun loving ladies of the Clarke household presented Ivo with an urn holding the ashes of either the ball or the bails used in the match. Ivo’s eleven were very successful in Australia and they returned home as heroes of the hour, bringing with them ‘The Ashes’.  The ‘trophy’ was kept in Cobham Hall until 1929 when it was presented to the M.C.C. by Ivo’s widow.

Bolton of Bective Abbey 

Sir Richard Bolton, Knight (c.1570-1648), was the son of John Bolton of Great Fenton in Staffordshire, and, depending on the source, the family’s origins are believed to have been in either Lancashire or Westmorland.[2] Concluding that the origins of the name are toponymic the family have claimed descent from Ughtred de Bolton whose 12^th century effigy adorns the church at Bolton in Westmorland.[3]  Richard Bolton commenced his career as a lawyer. However his beginnings, practising as a barrister, seem to have been marred by an encounter with the notorious, Westminster based, Court of Star Chamber. The threat of reproach from that sinister body appears to have influenced his remove to Ireland. In Dublin he first emerges as a recorder of the city in about 1606/7 and the following year he had sufficiently ingratiated himself to earn a commendation from the Lord Deputy, Sir Arthur Chichester. He soon appears as a fully devoted establishment figure when the government sponsored his election to parliament as a member for Dublin in 1613 -a strategy reputed to have been designed to oppose a Catholic candidate. A knighthood followed in 1618 the year in which he was made solicitor-general.

Briscoe of Bellinter

Gussie Briscoe is portrayed as something of a Bon Vivant and is remembered by his family as an endearing good-humoured character perhaps a little out of place in the context of the formalities that characterise the late nineteenth century in which he lived. Something of his infectious fun-loving and larger-than-life character can be gauged from his portrait, where he appears an imposing presence in the front hall of Bellinter. Stories of his exploits are legion. Among these is the one that recalls his response to a wager that he ride his horse up the servant’s stairs at Bellinter. An extraordinary feat in any circumstance, the fact that the Bellinter stairs is unique as a cantilevered spiral timber staircase, offering a certain spring to the step, makes his feat in ascending it on horseback more incredible; less remarkable is that once poor creature had reached the top of the stairs it refused to descend and having stubbornly remained there for more than a week eventually had to be winched down to safety. 

Conyngham of Slane

(Marquesses Conyngham)

Few Irish towns have quite such a beautiful lead in as the estate village of Slane, now one of the most “driven-thru” towns on the main Dublin – Navan Road. As you round the corner from the Dublin Road, Slane rises up in front of you on the opposite banks of the River Boyne. It is said that the road from Dublin to Slane was built for the visit of King George IV to Slane in the early 1820s.

Because of the huge ‘rock’ concerts Slane has become a household word in Ireland and further afield as has the name of Lord Henry Mount Charles, the eldest son of the present Conyngham owner of the Castle and estate the 7^th Marquess Conyngham.  

David Bowie in 1987, U2 in 2001, and Madonna in 2004 are just a sample of the superstars that have appeared at the venue. Huge crowds of young and not so young have descended on the otherwise quiet village to listen to and view their idols.

The centre of Slane features four handsome identikit granite houses which stand opposite one another and bear testament to the occasion when King George IV visited the Conynghams.

Corballis of Ratoath Manor

            The Corballis family was remarkable for a number of different reasons: they were substantial Catholic landowners prior to the period of the Williamite Wars; their entire property was forfeited after the defeat of the Jacobites and during the period of the worst of the Penal Laws; within a century they had managed to claw their way back financially and socially, while still retaining the religion of their forefathers.

The ancestor of the Corballis family appears to have been a Thomas Corbally from Dunshaughlin who married Ann Woodtown of Nuttstown in 1571.[4] It would seem that his wife brought a dowry of several farms of land in Jordanstown, Nuttstown and Palmerstown. These farms were given to three sons Simon[5], Robert and Philip.

Everard of Randlestown           

The most well-known, if not the most famous of all the family may well have been Sir Nugent Talbot Everard who was a Senator of the Irish Free State. In 1929 the passing of Sir Nugent Everard was noted by the members of the Senate, a number of whom in proposing a vote of regret at his passing spoke about his excellent qualities. Sir Grattan T. Esmonde, a Wexford Senator, in his seconding of the proposal stated ‘He was one for whom I had the greatest respect—I might almost say affection. He was one of the original members of the Seanad and I am very glad, for the Seanad’s own credit, that they re-elected him a member recently. I need not dilate upon his services to the country. He was a leading agriculturist and was the founder of the Irish tobacco industry. He was a member of a great many committees and associations, including the Agricultural Co-Operative Association, which is endeavoring to do so much for this country. We have lost a very distinguished man and a very noble patriot in Senator Sir Nugent Everard.’

Fowler of Rahinston 

When the Empress ‘Sisi’ of Austria stayed for a month at Summerhill, in Co. Meath, in order to enjoy the ‘best hunting in Europe’ she socialized with the local aristocracy and gentry. One such family was the Fowler family of Rahinston. During her stay, the Empress, who had her own string of hunting horses on holiday with her, took a fancy to a horse belonging to Louisa, a young daughter of Robert Fowler, her neighbour. When told of the Empress’s wish to buy the animal Robert Fowler was heard to say ‘I’m not going to have any damned Empress buying my daughter’s horse!’[6]

            Robert’s son, Bob Fowler, an Etonian in 1910, became something of a celebrity when he showed his bowling prowess by taking eight wickets for nine runs in the annual match against Harrow. The game has gone down in history as ‘Fowler’s Match’. These annual matches were played at Lord’s and attracted huge crowds, sometimes in excess of 20,000.  Newspapers devoted two and three pages to the previews and analyses of the sides. On the day in question, Harrow, who were firm favourites to win, were nearly out of sight until Bob Fowler began to bowl.

Hamilton of Hamwood

A rather romantic family tradition has it that the Hamiltons were party to a plan to rescue Mary Queen of Scots, who was about to be kidnapped by Bothwell, so that he could force her into marriage and thereby help secure the throne of England for Elizabeth I. The Hamiltons along with the Gordons were defeated in a skirmish and fled from Scotland in two ships, one of which ended up in Ireland, carrying the Hamiltons. There may be some truth in the story as James Hepburn the 4^th Earl of Bothwell did in fact kidnap Mary Queen of Scots and became her third husband in 1567. It is also a fact that Bothwell was responsible for the murder of the Earl of Darnley the Queen’s second husband. The Scots nobles rose against Bothwell and he was forced to flee to Denmark where he died insane. It is also a fact that James Hamilton, the Earl of Arran, an enemy of Bothwell did in fact help prevent the abduction of Mary at an earlier time. 

            Be that as it may the first of this family in Ireland was Hugh Hamilton who was made a denizen of Ireland in 1616. He settled at Lisbane near Bangor in Co. Down.

Preston of Gormanston

(Viscounts Gormanston)

It is stated to be a fact and well documented that whenever the head of the Preston family died large numbers of foxes appeared outside Gormanston. This fact was noted by the Hon. Lucretia Farrell, a granddaughter of Jenico Preston the 12^th Viscount Gormanston, who wrote about it in her diary. She stated ‘on the day before my grandfather Jenico, the 12^th Viscount Gormanston died (in 1860) foxes came in pairs into the demesne from all the country round. They sat under his bedroom window which was on the ground floor and howled and barked all night. They were constantly driven away only to return. We found them the next morning crouched in the grass in front of and around the house. In those days there were many hares in the grass in front of the house and the foxes merely wandered through them and the same among the poultry. On the day of the funeral the keeper saw them all leaving and going across the fields towards the woods where the burial took place, but they did not turn up there but all disappeared.’ She also recounted that the foxes came also when her father died but in less numbers.

Taylour of Headfort

(Marquesses of Headfort)

The elopement of the 2^nd Marquess of Headfort, with a rector’s wife and the subsequent case brought by the aggrieved husband, Rev. Charles Massy was a cause celebré in its time. The little fun and games expedition cost the Marquess the sum of £10,000 in damages plus the costs of the case which were punitive also. Rev Charles Massy was the second son of Sir Hugh Dillon Massy from Donass, Co. Clare. He fell in love with a Miss Rosslewin, ‘who had not the fortune to support the claim of beauty’ as Rev. Massy’s counsel, Bartholomew Hoare[7], noted during the trial.[8] His father, in fact, disapproved of the marriage and offered to settle £1100 a year on him if he married a lady of fortune from a neighbouring county, but Rev. Charles was determined and married his love. According to their counsel they lived the life of a happy and united couple for eight years and during that time they had a son, ‘the bond and cement of their present happiness, the pledge and promise of future multiplied felicites’.

Tisdall of Charlesfort

Hugo de Lacy granted the Manor of Martry to a knight named Hugh de Turpleton in the late 12^th century. Turpleton built a castle and a church in Martry townland. In the mid 14^th century the Justiciar for Ireland, Sir John Darcy was granted a number of estates in Ireland including the Manor of Martry. The Darcys managed to stay in continuous possession of Martry until 1668. They had other properties in Meath also, including Plattin where a branch of the family settled. Being Catholic and having taken part in the War of 1641 the Darcys lost much of their lands. Nicholas, a youngster in the time of the War was declared ‘an innocent’ and managed to retain lands in the Martry area. However he proved to be a bad manager and having run into debt was forced to lease out his lands in the Martry area in 1668. The lessee was Michael Tisdall.

Watson of Bective

With the exception of this one all the other chapters deal with families that have had long associations with Co. Meath. This chapter deals with a very famous man who spent most of his life at Bective, Mr. John Watson (1852-1908), one of the most famous nineteenth century equestrian sportsmen in Ireland.[9]

            This writer had the privilege of knowing the last surviving member of the Watson family of Fenagh, Co. Carlow – Corunna North the wife of Captain Gary North who lived at Altamont in Carlow. A fine tall handsome lady, even in her eighties, she worked tirelessly at her beloved Altamont Gardens which, after her death (her husband had predeceased her), she left to the State. These magnificent Gardens are now being well cared for and are open to the public. Whereas the subject of this chapter Mr. John Watson was known to be brusque, vulgar and hasty tempered, Mrs. North was ladylike, calm and measured in her politeness. 

Langford of Summerhill

(Barons Langford)

Dean Swift[10]  wrote of some of his parishioners in the parish of Laracor –

 

Mr. Percival is Ditching, Mrs Percival in her Kitchen,

Mr. Wesley Switching, Mrs. Wesley Stitching,[11]

Sir Arthur Langford, Riching.

 

Langford was a thorn in the Dean’s side owing to his support for a Presbyterian minister at his private chapel. Because he refused to close the Presbyterian Meeting House at Summerhill he felt the lash of Swift’s tongue ‘I have always looked upon you as an honest gentleman of great charity and piety in your way, and I hope you will remember at the same time, that it becomes you to be a legal man, and that you will not promote or encourage, much less give a beginning to a thing directly contrary to the law. You know the dissenters in Ireland are suffered to have their conventicles only by connivance and that only in places where they formerly used to meet’

Plunkett of Dunsany

(Barons of Dunsany) 

Perhaps the most famous of all the Plunkett Barons of Dunsany was Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, the 18th Baron, 1878–1957,  a most prolific and talented author.

He was reputed to have said of Yeats that he was ‘a rebel, a mystic and an ass but really a genius in a queer way’.[12]He befriended and encouraged the poet Francis Ledwidge, a labourer, tragically killed in World War I, whose poetry has proved to be enduring. [13]

 Often dealing with the fantastic and the supernatural, Dunsany’s works are frequently set in wholly imaginary worlds and involve myths and legends of his own making. His prose works include A Dreamer’s Tales (1910), The Book of Wonder (1912), My Talks with Dean Spanley (1936), The Story of Mona Sheehy (1937), and A Glimpse from a Watch Tower (1946). Lord Dunsany’s plays include The Glittering Gate (1909), The Gods of the Mountain (1911), and The Golden Doom (1912). These books were reportedly mostly written with a quill pen. His works were most popular in the early years of the century, but as Ireland and Europe moved relentlessly into post World War II modernism, interest in his works declined, but interest in his writings is burgeoning once again especially in Eastern European countries.

Plunkett of Killeen

(Earls of Fingall)

During a period of unrest among the labourers of Meath in the later part of the 19^th century a meeting of landlords was called and it was proposed that most of the lands should be left to pasture thus reducing the numbers of labourers needed on the estates. The 11^th Earl of Fingall got up and stated ‘God did not give me my possessions so that I might oppress my fellow man’ and would have nothing to do with the proposal. He was a very frugal man who wore almost threadbare and cleverly patched clothes. In those days it was common practice for poorer people to beg clothes from those who might have decent cast-offs. An Englishman living at the Glebe near the castle was visited by one such beggar looking for ‘an auld pair of trousers’. The Englishman nodded towards the castle and said ‘why don’t you go over to his Lordship in the castle?’ The beggar, somewhat offended retorted ‘Sure haven’t I a character to keep up?’[14]

Preston of Ardsallagh, Bellinter & Swainston, (Kilmessan)

Some confusion still surrounds the origins of the Prestons of Bellinter, who are often claimed as being descended from the younger son of the third Viscount Gormanston. The confusion seems to derive from the seventeenth century association of the Preston name with Ardsallagh, an ancient property near Tara, and the title Lord Tara, which at different times and in different forms was possessed by a Preston.

The first of this family was John Preston, stated erroneously to have been a grandson of Jenico Preston, the 3^rd Viscount Gormanston.

Not long after John Pippard gained possession of Ardsallagh in the late thirteenth century it was found to be in the hands of Jordan de Angulo (Nangle), Lord of Kilbixy and 7^th Baron of Navan.[15] Descended from one of Hugh de Lacy’s ten Palatine barons who had been granted the lands of Ardbraccan and Navan in the twelfth century, the Nangles remained resident in the castle at the Height of the Sallows until the seventeenth century.