Power of Kilfane

This particular Power family is an offshoot of the great family of Le Paor from Waterford[1]. They settled in Tipperary and the first of that family to rise to prominence was John Power of Clonmel, who was the father of Ambrose Power of Barrettstown[2], Co. Tipperary and Richard and John of Tullamine, also in Tipperary. Richard, who never married, became a very important Government official – a Baron of the Exchequer. He died in 1794 and his considerable fortune passed to his nephews. John of Tullamine Castle, as a younger son, joined the Army and served with Clive in India, where he took part in the Battle of Plessy, the most decisive of the campaign. He was A.D.C. to General Clive. His wife was Jane Newman from Co. Cork and they had two sons John and Richard. These were the two men who settled in Co. Kilkenny.

[1] The first Le Paor in Ireland was Robert who was governor of Ireland with Hugh de Lacy in 1171. They acquired a barony in Waterford where they established themselves at Curraghmore.

[2] Ambrose Power was a magistrate. In 1776 he was murdered by Whiteboys. His brother Richard, a Baron of the Exchequer had heard some Whiteboy trials in Clonmel. Ambrose had arrested a William Mackey, a Whiteboy from Fethard. Following the murder over sixty leading figures in Tipperary pledged to suppress the Whiteboys. Two Whiteboys were convicted for that murder and were executed on a temporary Gallows opposite Clonmel gaol.

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