Estate: Creagh (Bally Andrew)

Associated Families

• Creagh (Bally Andrew)
• Creagh (Killowen)

Description

This family were established in county Cork from the 16th century and share a common ancestry with the Brasier Creaghs. In the mid 1740s Michael Creagh of Laurentinum, county Cork, sixth son of John Creagh of Killowen, married as his second wife, Mary Gethin, sister and heiress of Captain Richard Gethin. Their son Arthur married Isabella Bagwell in 1770 and their second son, Reverend John Bagwell Creagh, married Gertrude Miller of Toonagh, county Clare. At the time of Griffith's Valuation their son, Arthur Gethin Creagh, held land in the parish of Quin, county Limerick and in the parishes of Doneraile, barony of Fermoy and Ightermurragh, barony of Imokilly, county Cork. He and his brother John held land in the county Cork parishes of Clonfert, barony of Duhallow and Liscarroll, barony of Orrery and Kilmore. In August 1801 Michael Creagh, Reverend John Bagwell Creagh and Arthur G. Creagh leased Gooseberry Hill, barony of Duhallow to Timothy Shine. The Shine lease was advertised for sale in July 1861. In the 1870s Arthur Gethin Creagh of Carrahan, Quin, county Clare, owned 330 acres in county Clare, 538 acres in county Cork and 150 acres in county Limerick. Michael Creagh of Laurentinum was an older brother of Reverend John B. Creagh and had an only daughter, Isabella, who married John Singleton of Quinville Abbey, county Clare. In May 1850 the estate near Doneraile and in the city of Cork of Charles Wright the devisee in trust of Michael Creagh, deceased, was advertised for sale. In July 1853 an estate of 2,339 acres in the baronies of Duhallow and Fermoy again of Charles Wright, devisee in trust of Michael Creagh deceased, was advertised for sale. This estate included the houses Bettyville, Spring Grove and Hermitage. The representatives of Michael Creagh, Doneraile, owned 734 acres in county Cork in the 1870s.

Houses

House Name / Description	Townland	Civil Parish	PLU	DED	Barony	County	Map Ref
Bettyville (H2773) Charles Bastable lived here in the early years of the 19th century. The house was occupied by John Therry in 1837 and in the mid 19th century, when valued at £11 and held from Anne Westropp. Bettyville was part of the Creagh estate for sale in July 1853 when it was held by the representatives of Thomas Bennett. Very little remains of this house.	Bettyville	Castlemagner	Kanturk	Greenane 164	Duhallow	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.17126 -8.86539 OSI Ref: R408 025 Discovery map #73. OS Sheet #23.
Spring Grove (H2797) This house was the home of Arthur Bastable in 1814. This house was part of the Creagh estate for sale in July 1853, Christopher Carleton, "a lunatic", was the leasee. Unoccupied at the time of Griffith's Valuation when valued at £9.10 shillings. The representatives of Thomas Harris were the immediate lessors. A house is still extant at the site.	Spring Grove	Kilroe	Kanturk	Greenane 164	Duhallow	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.18190 -8.88461 OSI Ref: R395 037 Discovery map #72. OS Sheet #23.
The Hermitage (H3239) Hajba states that this single storey house was built by the Reverend John Bagwell Creagh before 1814. Located on the Creagh estate it was occupied by J. Norcott in 1837 and by Samuel Morton Tuckey in the early 1850s, when the buildings were valued at £15.10 shillings. Later inhabitants included William Stawell. Home of the Broderick family in the 20th century.	Ballyandrew	Doneraile	Mallow	Doneraile 242	Fermoy	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.20631 -8.57055 OSI Ref: R610 062 Discovery map #73. OS Sheet #25.
Laurentinum (H3240) A mid 18th century house, seat of a junior branch of the Creagh family until the mid 19th century. Wilson refers to Laurentinum as the seat of Mr. Creagh in 1786. At the time of Griffith's Valuation occupied by Stephen Fagan who held it from the representatives of Michael Creagh. The buildings were valued at £32. Later sold to the MacCarthy Morroghs. Home of the Magner family in the 20th century.	Kilbrack	Doneraile	Mallow	Wallstown 246	Fermoy	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.21808 -8.55314 OSI Ref: R622 075 Discovery map #73. OS Sheet #17.
Kilbrack (H3241) Hajba writes that this house was built by William Stawell who married Catherine Creagh of Creagh Castle. William was succeeded by his nephew the Reverend Francis Stawell in 1830. Kilbrack remained in Stawell possession until the end of the 19th century. It is still a family home.	Kilbrack	Doneraile	Mallow	Wallstown 246	Fermoy	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.21533 -8.56335 OSI Ref: R615 072 Discovery map #73. OS Sheet #17.
Kilbrack Cottage (H3242) Occupied by Michael Creagh in 1814 and by Reverend E.P. Sheehan in 1837. Father Sheehan's representatives were the occupiers at the time of Griffith's Valuation. They held the property valued at £25 from the representatives of Michael Creagh. Kilbrack Cottage is still extant. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage indicates that it was built c.1760.	Kilbrack	Doneraile	Mallow	Wallstown 246	Fermoy	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.22259 -8.54881 OSI Ref: R625 080 Discovery map #73. OS Sheet #17.
Ballyellis (H3282) A home of a branch of the Norcott family in the 18th century. William Wrixon is given as the proprietor of Ballyellis, Mallow, in 1814. In 1837 Lewis refers to Bally Ellis as "formerly the residence of Lord Ennismore and now of A. G. Creagh". By the time of Griffith's Valuation Kilner Brazier held the property in fee. The buildings were valued at £60. Sold to Mr McCormick circa late 1870s and then to Nigel Baring of Baring's Bank in the 1890s. Baring was Master of the Duhallow Foxhounds for a time and changed the name of the house to Avondhu. Later bought by the De La Salle Order of Brothers. Sold by them in 1974 and demolished.	Ballyellis	Mallow	Mallow	Mallow Rural 250	Fermoy	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.13053 -8.62654 OSI Ref: W571 978 Discovery map #80. OS Sheet #33.
Mount Ruby (H5028) In 1942 the Irish Tourist Association Survey noted a house known as Mount Ruby which had been built by Arthur Gethin Creagh, c.1903-04. Its title echoes the name of another house in the same townland which has been known since the eighteenth century as Killetra House but which was originally called Mount Ruby. The twentieth century house, built in the Arts-and-Crafts style, is also still extant and occupied.	Killetra	Mallow	Mallow	Mallow Rural 250	Fermoy	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.13565 -8.67482 OSI Ref: W538984 Discovery map #80. OS Sheet #32.

Archival sources

• Cork County Library: Irish Tourist Association Survey files, Parishes of Doneraile & Mallow
• National Archives of Ireland: Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Creagh, 3 May 1850, Vol 1 (24), MRGS 39/001, (microfilm copy in NUIG)
• National Archives of Ireland: Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Shine, 4 July 1861, Vol 62 (48), MRGS 39/031, (microfilm copy in NUIG)
• National Archives of Ireland: Land Judges rental of the estates in Duhallow Barony, Co. Cork of John W. B. Creagh, for sale, Nov. 1, 1905. M. 5475
• National Library of Ireland: Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (Burke), Wright & Creagh, 25 July 1853, Vol 35
• National Library of Ireland: Confirmation of arms to the descendants of Arthur Gethin Creagh of Laurentinum, Co. Cork and to his grandson, Michael Creagh of Dublin, Dec. 22, 1854. GO Ms.108, pp.43-4

Contemporary printed sources

Many of these resources are now available online. For a list with Web links please see the Online Printed Sources Links

• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Fermoy Barony, 52 (Ballyandrew), 65 (Kilbrack)
• HUSSEY DE BURGH, U. H. The Landowners of Ireland. An alphabetical list of the owners of estates of 500 acres or £500 valuation and upwards in Ireland. Dublin: Hodges, Foster and Figgis, 1878. [available online at www.askaboutireland.ie] : 106
• LEET, Ambrose. A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 227 (Kilbrack)
• LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: I, 478 (parish of Doneraile), II, 338-339 (Bally Ellis)
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland. HC 1876, LXXX: 108
• WILSON, William. The Post-Chaise Companion or Travellers Directory Through Ireland. The author: Dublin, 1786 : 233 (Laurentinum)

Modern printed sources

• Mallow Field Club Jnl: HUMPHREYS, J, O'SULLIVAN, M & SMITH, M. Creagh houses of Doneraile, part I. XXXI (2013), pp.157-167.
• BURKE, Sir Bernard. A genealogical and heraldic history of the Landed Gentry of Ireland. London: Harrison & Sons, 1904: 117-118
• HAJBA, Anna-Maria. Historical Genealogical Architectural notes on some Houses of Cork. Volume I: North Cork. Whitegate: Ballinakella Press, 2002: 199, 217-218, 239
• MONTGOMERY-MASSINGBERD, Hugh (ed). Burke's Irish Family Records. London: Burke's Peerage, 1976: 285-289
• WEIR, Hugh W. L. Historical, Genealogical and Architectural notes on some Houses of Clare. Whitegate, county Clare: Ballinakella Press, 1999. : 83