Estate: Fennell

Associated Families

• Fennell

Description

A Quaker family located in the Caher area of south county Tipperary from the mid 17th century. They were prosperous farmers and millers. Family members held land in the parishes of Caher, Tubbrid and Whitechurch, barony of Iffa and Offa West and in the parishes of Rathcool and Mora, barony of Middlethird, in the mid 19th century. In the 1870s Joshua R. Fennell of Garryroan owned 527 acres and the representatives of William Fennell, Newry, owned 931 acres in county Tipperary. Shares held by the trustees for sale under the will of George Fennell (23 Jan 1835) in the lands of Crohane Lower, barony of Slievardagh, held under a fee farm grant of 1852 were advertised for sale in July 1885.

Houses

House Name / Description	Townland	Civil Parish	PLU	DED	Barony	County	Map Ref
Ballybrada (H3856) The residence of Joseph William Fennell in 1814 and 1837. In 1840 the Ordnance Survey Name Books describe "Ballybrado House" as "old and plain, the residence of William Pnnyfeather". Thomas Fennell held the house and offices and 206 acres including a Quakers' graveyard from William Pennefather at the time of Griffith's Valuation. The buildings were valued at £21. The original house as marked on the first Ordnance Survey map is not extant now. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage website features Ballybrada House built 1879, possibly by the Denny family. Charles E. Denny was resident in 1906 when the buildings were valued at £141+.	Ballybrada	Caher	Clogheen	Tubbrid 68	Iffa and Offa West	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 52.33708 -7.90463 OSI Ref: S065 206 Discovery map #74. OS Sheet #81.
Cottage (Caher) (H3857) The residence of George Fennell from 1814 until at least the mid 19th century, when it was valued at £22+ and held from Mrs Rachel Haughton. A building is still located at this site.	Caherabbey Lower	Caher	Clogheen	Caher 65	Iffa and Offa West	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 52.39011 -7.92067 OSI Ref: S054 265 Discovery map #74. OS Sheet #75.
Caherabbey House (H3858) Occupied by John Fennell in 1814 and by Richard Grubb in 1837. Montgomery records that Richard Grubb built a house at Cahirabbey circa 1833. Richard Grubb held the property in fee at the time of Griffith's Valuation when the buildings were valued at £70. He also had a flour mill closeby valued at £200. In 1894 Slater notes it as the seat of Rev. George Grubb. This house continues to be a family home. In 2013 it was offered for sale.	Caherabbey Lower	Caher	Clogheen	Caher 65	Iffa and Offa West	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 52.38293 -7.92656 OSI Ref: S050 257 Discovery map #74. OS Sheet #75.
Caherabbey House Upper (H3859) Joshua Fennell occupied a house known as Caher-abbey-villa in 1814 and in the early 1850s Joshua Fennell (Joseph) was occupying a house in Caherabbey Upper, valued at £29 and held from Ponsonby Barker.	Caherabbey Upper	Caher	Clogheen	Caher 65	Iffa and Offa West	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 52.38203 -7.93684 OSI Ref: S043 256 Discovery map #74. OS Sheet #75.
Rehill (H3876) Rehill was occupied by William Fennell in 1814 and 1837 but by the time of Griffith's Valuation James Mulcahy was resident, holding the property from the Earl of Glengall. The buildings which included a house, offices and corn mill were valued at £62. Sold in 1853 to Robert Murdock and leased by him to Edward Mulcahy. A building is still located as this site.	Rehill	Shanrahan	Clogheen	Kilcoran	Iffa and Offa West	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 52.32363 -8.04107 OSI Ref: R972 191 Discovery map #74. OS Sheet #81.
Carrigataha (H3877) The home of W.J. Fennel in 1837 and in 1840. The Ordnance Survey Name Books describe it as "very pleasantly situated and in good repair". It was occupied by Thomas Fennell in the early 1850s. Thomas held the property from a member of the McCarthy family and the buildings were valued at £15. Buildings are still located at this site.	Carrigataha	Tubbrid	Clogheen	Tubbrid 68	Iffa and Offa West	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 52.32989 -7.90758 OSI Ref: S063 198 Discovery map #74. OS Sheet #81.
Garryroan House (H3878) Robert Fennell occupied this house in 1814 and Joseph R. Fennell at the time of Griffith's Valuation, when the buildings were valued at £14 and held from Lord Waterpark. This was still a Fennell home in the 1870s and continues to be a family residence. In 2012 it was offered for sale.	Garryroan	Whitechurch	Clogheen	Tubbrid 68	Iffa and Offa West	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 52.34790 -7.97799 OSI Ref: S015 218 Discovery map #74. OS Sheet #81.
Maginstown (H4072) A house valued at £13+ in the townland of Maginstown was occupied by James O'Donnell at the time of Griffith's Valuation and held from William Fennell. Buildings are still located at this site.	Maginstown	Mora	Cashel	Graigue 54	Middlethird	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 52.42411 -7.79124 OSI Ref: S142 303 Discovery map #66. OS Sheet #76.
Ardsallagh (H4075) The home of George Gough in the first half of the 19th century. It is described in the Ordnance Survey Name Books in 1840 as "a gentleman's residence with garden's attached and surrounded with ornamental grounds". It was valued at £37.12 shillings in 1850 and held from George Fennel. In the 1870s Colonel George Frend of Ardsullagh owned 100 acres in county Tipperary. Still in use as a country house.	Ardsallagh	Rathcool	Cashel	Ardsallagh 40	Middlethird	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 52.48875 -7.75560 OSI Ref: S166 375 Discovery map #66. OS Sheet #62.

Archival sources

• National Archives of Ireland: S.Gordon & Son, solicitors' collection, include documents relating to property of the Fennell family in Co. Tipperary, with references to the families of Jackson, Ryall, Palliser and Gough, 1764 - 1843. Small Accs. Index 103, D.17,138-17,177; T. 7097-7098
• National Archives of Ireland: Land Judges’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Fennell, 17 July 1885, Vol 149 (32), MRGS 39/066, (microfilm copy in NUIG)
• National Archives of Ireland: Lucas Estate, Co Tipperary, leases & other deeds re lands in barony of Iffa & Offa (mainly Whitchurch), Co Tipperary & barony of Moyarta, Co Clare, involving members of the Lucas family of Limerick & Mount Lucas, King's Co (Offaly) & Tuthill, Villiers, Fennell family members etc, 17th-19th centuries . 999/762
• National Archives of Ireland: Fennell Papers, 99/62, D.17,162, D.17,167, D.17,173, T.7098
• National Library of Ireland: "Photostat" copy of a register giving particulars of births, deaths and marriages of members of the Fennele family, Killcommonbeg, Co. Tipperary, 1626 - 1803. Ms. 10,947
• Private Possession: Fennell Papers, contact James Fennell, Burtown House, Athy, Co Kildare.

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. : Barony of Iffa and Offa West, 18 (Ballybrada), 20 (Caherabbley Lower), 21 (Caherabbey Upper), 140 (Garryroan)
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Barony of Middlethird, 116 (Maginstown), 127 (Ardsallagh)
• 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] : 154
• LEET, Ambrose. A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 33 (Ballybrada), 85 (Cahirabbey House & Cahir-abbey-villa), 134 (Cottage), 333 (Reahill), 194 (Garry-roan)
• LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: I, 238-239 (Ballybrando), II, 552 (Rehill), 649 (Carrigataha)
• ORDNANCE SURVEY NAME BOOKS, County Tipperary: Vol.II, Parish of Caher, pp.114, 134, 136. Vol.VIII, Parish of Shanrahan, p.98. Vol.IX, Parish of Tubrid, p.255.
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. 15th Annual Report of the Commissioners of Public Records Ireland, 1825. Vol XVI, Appendix I, Grants under Acts of Settlement: 217
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland. HC 1876, LXXX: 162

Modern printed sources

• Tipperary Historical Journal: AHERN, Michael. The Fennells of Cahir. (2004), 91-99
• GOODBODY, Olive. Guide to Irish Quaker Records 1654-1860. Dublin: Irish Manuscripts Commission, 1967: see index
• NATIONAL LIBRARY OF IRELAND. Reports on Private Collections: Report on the Fennell Papers (from 1626), the property of Lt. Col. W. J. Fennell, Burtown House; Athy, relating to the Fennell family, and to lands in Co. Tipperary. Report 404