Estate: Roche (Trabolgan)

Associated Families

• Kelly/Roche Kelly
• Roche (Trabolgan) (Baron Fermoy)
• Roche (Rochemount)

Description

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.

Houses

House Name / Description	Townland	Civil Parish	PLU	DED	Barony	County	Map Ref
Rockbarton (H2572) Also known as Mount Prospect, Fitzgerald describes Mount Prospect as the "magnificent seat and demesne of the present Chief Baron". Lewis describes Rockbarton as the "elegant mansion of Lord Guillamore". It was occupied by John Low at the time of Griffith's Valuation who held it from the Viscount. It was valued at £75. By 1906 the value of the house was reduced to £60 and it was then occupied by Lord Fermoy. The Irish Tourist Association surveyor records the sale of this house to Mr Barry in 1922. It remained in his possession until it was demolished in 1941 and the fittings sold to a Limerick builder. He writes that it was one of the "showplaces of Ireland" with a grand staircase of marble and that it had been renovated at a cost of £70,000 circa 1912 by the Honourable Nigel Baring who was married to a daughter of Lord Fermoy.The house is now a ruin.	Rockbarton	Tullabracky	Croom	Grange 19	Coshma	Limerick	Lat/Lon: 52.50565 -8.56116 OSI Ref: R619 395 Discovery map #65. OS Sheet #31.
Kilshannig (H2929) This house was built for Abraham Devonsher, a Cork banker and Member of Parliament, in the 1760s. It remained the home of the Devonsher family until sold to Edward Roche, father of the 1st Earl of Fermoy, pre 1837. Lewis records it as the winter residence of the Roche family. At the time of Griffith's Valuation it was occupied by James Kelly of Cahircon, son-in-law of Edward Roche, and valued at £58+. In 1943 the Irish Tourist Association Survey mentioned that it was the home of the McVeigh family. The Sardinian architect, Davis Ducart, designed this house and according to the Irish Georgian Society it is considered one of the very finest Palladian houses in Ireland. The Society is currently supporting the restoration of parts of this house. see http://www.igs.ie/Programmes/Conservation-Grants/Kilshannig.aspx	Kilshannig Upper	Rathcormack	Fermoy	Gortore 148	Barrymore	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.05996 -8.27997 OSI Ref: W808 898 Discovery map #81. OS Sheet #44.
Kildinan (H3407) The home of Edward Roche father of the 1st Baron Fermoy in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1837 Lewis refers to the "highly improved property" of Edmund Roche. By the time of Griffith's Valuation Kindinan valued at £32 was leased to William Dargan who also held a flax mill and 561 acres from the Roches. This house is still occupied.	Kildinan	Rathcormack	Fermoy	Kildinan 149	Barrymore	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.06692 -8.36168 OSI Ref: W752 906 Discovery map #80. OS Sheet #44.
Shanbally (H3408) Hajba records this house as a Welsh/Walsh home. John Welsh was the proprietor in 1837. E.B. Roche is given as the occupier in the early 1850s when the house was valued at £11. He held the property in fee. The house is still a residence.	Shanbally	Rathcormack	Fermoy	Kildinan 149	Barrymore	Cork	Lat/Lon: 52.05617 -8.35139 OSI Ref: W759 894 Discovery map #80. OS Sheet #44.
Trabolgan (H3412) Home of the Roche family for over three centuries. Held by Edmund Burke Roche in the mid 19th century and valued at £100. In 1912 acquired by the Clarke family, owners of the tobacco company in Bristol, manufacturers of Players cigarettes. Owned by the Clarkes until the 1940s when purchased by the Land Commission. The Irish Tourist Association survey noted that it was for sale in 1942. The house was demolished in 1982 and the demesne is now an activity holiday centre, see http://www.trabolgan.com/Home.aspx	Trabolgan	Trabolgan	Middleton	Corkbeg 257	Imokilly	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.80751 -8.22185 OSI Ref: W847 617 Discovery map #81. OS Sheet #100.
Mosestown (H3619) In 1786 Wilson notes a house on the left of Whitegate as the seat of Charles Allen. This may refer to the house labelled "Mosestown House" on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map. At the time of Griffith's Valuation it was occupied by Edmund Roche, son of Francis Roche of Rochemount. The house was valued at £21 and held from Edmond B. Roche. Edmund was a distinguished soldier rising to the rank of Major General and married Anna Matilda, daughter of the Reverend Austen, of Hadwell Lodge. In 1894 Slater recorded a house known as Ballymonis as the seat of General Edmund Roche. Mosestown is labelled Ballymonis on the 25-inch Ordnance Survey map of the 1890s. It is no longer extant.	Mosestown	Aghada	Middleton	Corkbeg 257	Imokilly	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.82549 -8.22194 OSI Ref: W847 637 Discovery map #81. OS Sheet #88.

Archival sources

• Cork County Library: Irish Tourist Association Survey files, Parish of Rathcormac
• Limerick City Museum: William B. Fitt & Co, auctioneers, 46 O'Connell St., Limerick, inventories & valuations of Co Limerick properties, including damaged furniture at Rockbarton, for Mrs Baring, 1924. LM1993.0178
• Limerick City Museum: William B. Fitt & Co, auctioneers, 46 O'Connell St., Limerick, inventories & valuations of Co Limerick properties, including Rockbarton, 1907. LM1993.0179
• Limerick Studies Department, Dooradoyle: Irish Tourist Association Survey file for parish of Bruff, barony of Small County, 1944. Limerick North East 6
• National Archives of Ireland: Sale rental of the Honourable James B.B. Roche, Cos Cork & Waterford, 1880. 999/115
• National Archives of Ireland: Land Judges’ Court Rentals (O'Brien), Burke Roche, 16 November 1880, Vol 140, MRGS 39/062, (microfilm copy in NUIG)
• National Archives of Ireland: William D. Mockler, solicitor's collection, includes records re Roche of Kildinan. T.3924-3998, CO 2559-2568, D.15,326-15,661, M.1444-1449
• National Library of Ireland: Roche Papers, 16th-19th centuries. MS 8630, D 8833-8894
• National Library of Ireland: British Museum Add. Ms. 20,715 Papers re Roche family of Cork, mostly connected with the mercantile firm of Roche & McGrath 1732-1749, but also some 16th & 17th century documents re lands in Co Cork. Microfilm P 520

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. : Barrymore Barony, 132 (Kildinan, 133 (Kilshannig Upper), 141 (Shanbally)
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Imokilly Barony, 93 (Mosestown), 207 (Trabolgan)
• BATEMAN, John. The great landowners of Great Britain and Ireland. London: Harrison, 1883. : p.162
• 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] : 155 (Fermoy), 351 (O'Grady)
• LEET, Ambrose. A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 232 (Kildinan)
• LEET, Ambrose. A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 376 (Trabulgan)
• LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: I, 429 & II, 639 (Trabolgan), II, 494 (Kilshannick, Kildinan & Shanbally - John Welsh)
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion..., HC 1906, c, 177: 235 (Kilshannig Upper), 263 (Rockbarton)
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. 15th Annual Report of the Commissioners of Public Records Ireland, 1825. Vol XVI, Appendix III. Abstracts of the conveyances from the trustees of the Forfeited Estates and Interests in Ireland in 1688'.: 356-357
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland. HC 1876, LXXX: 123 (Fermoy), 152 (O'Grady), 174 (county Waterford)
• SLATER, Isaac. Royal National Directory of Ireland: List of the principal seats. (Manchester: 1894) : xxii, 181 (Ballymonis), xxxii, 332 (Rockbarton), xxxiii, 325 (Trabolgan)
• TOWNSEND, Horatio. Statistical survey of the county of Cork... Dublin: Royal Dublin Society, 1810: 590 (Kildinan)
• WILSON, William. The Post-Chaise Companion or Travellers Directory Through Ireland. The author: Dublin, 1786 : 250 (house at Whitegate [Charles Allen] & Traboulgan)

Modern printed sources

• Analecta Hibernica: MacLYSAGHT, Edward. Report on the Roche Papers in the possession of Mr A.H. Jones, Doneraile, Co Cork [now in the National Library]. XV (1944), 145-152
• BENCE-JONES, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses. Revised ed. London: Constable, 1988. : 276
• HAJBA, Anna-Maria. Historical Genealogical Architectural notes on some Houses of Cork. Volume I: North Cork. Whitegate: Ballinakella Press, 2002: 222, 229, 329
• MOSLEY, Charles (ed). Burke's Peerage and Baronetage. Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999: I, 1048-1049