Estate: Persse (Roxborough & Moyode)

Associated Families

• Persse (Roxborough & Moyode)

Description

The Persse family first received grants of land in counties Galway and Roscommon in the 1670s. Some of this land had been de Burgo land and later a descendent of the Persses acquired the estate at Moyode. Lands at Moyode and Castleboy had been granted to Sir William Scawen in 1703. The Persses settled initially at Spring Garden. Afterewards they purchased Roxborough where some of the family were living by the early 18th century. Robert Persse of Roxborough established estates at Castleboy and Moyode for his sons Parsons and Burton respectively. R. Persse of Castleboy is recorded as the proprietor of townlands in the parish of Isertkelly in the 1830s. D. Persse of Roxborough is recorded as proprietor of townlands in the parishes of Isertkelly and Kilchreest in the 1830s. Burton Persse is recorded as the proprietor of lands in the parish of Kilconieron at the same time. Dudley Persse held extensive lands in the parishes of Kilchreest, barony of Dunkellin, and Killinan, barony of Loughrea, in the 1850s. Burton Persse, Sen. Tallyho Lodge, Burton Persse, Jun. Persse Lodge, Robert Persse, Roxborough, Robert Parsons Persse, Castleboy and Henry Persse, Persse Park, were all resident proprietors in 1824. The estate at Spring Garden in the parish of Tynagh, barony of Leitrim, was offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates court in July 1850. In 1855, however, Burton Persse was still recorded as the lessor of over 700 acres in the parish of Tynagh, barony of Longford. In the 1870s the Persses owned over 18,00 acres in county Galway and over 1,300 acres in county Roscommon. In May 1876 almost 2000 acres in the baronies of Kiltartan and Leitrim, county Galway, the property of the Blair and Persse families, were offered for sale in the Landed Estates court. Burton H. Persse offered his property at Kiltullagh, barony of Athenry, for sale in the Land Judges' Court in July 1888. The estate was purchased by Henry Persse of Glenarde, Galway. In 1906 William Arthur Persse owned a mansion house and almost 500 acres of untenanted demesne land at Laherdaun. At the same time Capt. A Persse owned about 1000 acres of untenanted lands and Roxborough House, valued at £70.

Houses

House Name / Description	Townland	Civil Parish	PLU	DED	Barony	County	Map Ref
Roxborough (H621) In 1786 Wilson refers to Roxborough as the seat of Mr. Persse. At the time of Griffith's Valuation it was the seat of Dudley Persse and valued at £70. The house at Roxborough is most famous as the birthplace of Isabella Augusta Persse, later Lady Gregory of Coole. Roxborough is now a ruin, having been burnt in 1922. The impressive front entrance gates (M541136) are still extant. A steward's house house, close to Roxborough, is located at M534128. This is still extant and occupied.	Roxborough	Killinan	Loughrea	Kilchreest 130	Loughrea	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.16640 -8.69237 OSI Ref: M537131 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #104, 114.
Moyode (H622) The seat of the Persse estate for many years. At the time of Griffith's Valuation it was the seat of Burton Persse. In 1894 Slater refers to it as the seat of De Brugh Persse. In 1906 it was owned by Lord Ardilaun and was valued at almost £73.Only some ruins of Moyode Castle remain although elements of the stable yard still exist.	Moyode Demesne	Kilconierin	Loughrea	Moyode 117	Athenry	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.25710 -8.70282 OSI Ref: M531232 Discovery map #46. OS Sheet #96.
Bookeen Glebe (H645) Burton Persse was leasing this house to Rev. Robert Graham at the time of Griffith's Valuation. In the nineteenth century, the house was used as the residence of the incumbent at Bookeen Church. It was later purchased by the Aitken family who had served as Land Agents for the Clancarty estate at Coorheen, outside Loughrea. The house has been renovated and is extant and occupied.	Glebe	Kilconierin	Loughrea	Kilconierin 122	Dunkellin	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.24561 -8.66968 OSI Ref: M553219 Discovery map #46. OS Sheet #96.
Gammahoe Cottage (H660) A smaller property on the Persse estate, possibly a steward's house, with 257 acres in 1855. There is no trace of a house at this location now although there is some evidence of farm buildings and garden walls.	Lickerrig	Lickerrig	Loughrea	Moyode 117	Dunkellin	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.23396 -8.66350 OSI Ref: M557206 Discovery map #46. OS Sheet #96, 97.
Limepark (H662) In 1855 the house at Limepark north, parish of Kilthomas, barony of Dunkellin, was in the possession of George Persse. Earlier in the 19th century the house was occupied by Thomas Wilton. This property was recorded as the seat of the Wallace family by Lewis in 1837. During the 1916 Rising it afforded shelter to the rebels from Galway. It is now a ruin.	LImepark North	Kilthomas	Loughrea	Castleboy 129	Kiltartan	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.13188 -8.75308 OSI Ref: M496093 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #114.
Woodville House (H667) Woodville House is described as "a gentleman's seat, having fine premises and a good deal of woodland attached" in the 1830s. Robert Darcy, who acted as a land agent, was leasing this house from the Clanricarde estate in 1855. In 1906 it was valued at £26. It is still extant and occupied. The walled garden has also been restored and is open to visitors at certain time. See woodvillewalledgarden.com.	Ballygarraun	Isertkelly	Loughrea	Killogilleen 132	Loughrea	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.18541 -8.66874 OSI Ref: M553152 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #104.
Castleboy (H673) In 1855 Dudley Persse owned a house valued at £40 in Castleboy. Lewis also recorded it as a seat of the Persse family in 1837. One round tower and small portions of the stable yard now remain.	Castleboy	Killinan	Loughrea	Castleboy 129	Loughrea	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.14653 -8.70849 OSI Ref: M526109 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #114.
Newcastle (H692) In 1786 Wilson refers to Newcastle as the seat of Thomas Browne. In the nineteenth century a Persse residence close to their distillery at Nun's Island and their milling operations. Newcastle House was the home of Henry Stratford Persse in the early 19th century. It was later acquired by University College, Galway but was demolished in the early 1970s to make way for new buildings.	Newcastle	Rahoon	Galway	Galway West Urban 47	Galway	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.28139 -9.06309 OSI Ref: M291 262 Discovery map #45. OS Sheet #82.
Tallyho Lodge (H793) Tallyho Lodge was the home of Burton Persse, Sen, in the 19th century. The house is no longer extant but traces of the walled garden remain.	Deerpark	Kilconierin	Loughrea	Kiltullagh 116	Athenry	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.27509 -8.70012 OSI Ref: M533252 Discovery map #46. OS Sheet #96.
Ashfield House (H794) Ashfield House was a Persse property. Woodrangers' and workmens' cottages as well as 298 acres constituted this part of the estate. At the time of Griffith's Valuation it was valued at £3. By 1906 it was the property of Capt. A. Persse and was valued at almost £5.	Ballycuddy	Kilchreest	Loughrea	Kilchreest 130	Dunkellin	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.17379 -8.65659 OSI Ref: M561139 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #105.
Kilchreest Glebe (H795) Rev. William O'Grady was leasing this property from the Persse estate & John & Eliza Gloster. It was originally church lands. In 2006 this property was still extant and was offered for sale together with a property known as Killinan House nearby.	Kilchreest	Kilchreest	Loughrea	Kilchreest 130	Dunkellin	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.18011 -8.65220 OSI Ref: M564146 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #105.
Spring Garden (H830) Spring Garden was a Nugent house in the parish of Tynagh, valued at £10 at the time of Griffith's Valuation. It had earlier belonged to the Persses but had been sold by them in the early 1850s. In 1906 this was the property of Hon. Richard A. Nugent. It is described as "in ruins" on the 25-inch Ordnance Survey map of the 1890s.	Spring Garden	Tynagh	Portumna	Tynagh 184	Leitrim	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.14356 -8.37514 OSI Ref: M749104 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #117.
Perssepark (H1012) At the time of Griffith's Valuation, William Persse was leasing a house valued at £10 from Dudley Persse at Perssepark, parish of Kilcloony, barony of Clonmacnowen. Earlier, in 1837, Lewis recorded Perssepark as the residence of S. Masters. Now the site of modern industrial development.	Perssepark	Kilcloony	Ballinasloe	Ballinasloe Rural 4	Clonmacnowen	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.33161 -8.29123 OSI Ref: M806313 Discovery map #47. OS Sheet #74, 87.
Mount Vernon (H1073) The 1882 sale notice for the Burke estate mentions that Mount Vernon cost over £5000 to build a short time before.	Kilcorkey	Rahoon	Galway	Galway South Urban 46	Galway	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.26525 -9.05969 OSI Ref: M293 244 Discovery map #45. OS Sheet #94.
Glenarde (H1100) Town house of the Persse family, built in the mid 19th century, bought by the Bolands of Bolands biscuits in the 1920s and since the early 1960s has functioned as the Ardilaun House Hotel.	Tievegarriff	Rahoon	Galway	Galway West Urban 47	Galway	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.26684 -9.08222 OSI Ref: M278 246 Discovery map #45. OS Sheet #94.
Chevy Chase Cottage. (H1133) William Arthur Persse was the owner of a house valued at almost £10 at Laherdaun in 1906. It had been the property of Dudley Persse at the time of Griffith's Valuation. It was probably used mainly as a hunting lodge due to its remote location. Ruinous fragments remain, surrounded by state forestry.	Laherdaun	Kilbeacanty	Gort	Ballycahalan	Kiltartan	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.03700 -8.69179 OSI Ref: R536987 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #129.
Ashford Old House (H1352) At the time of Griffith's Valuation Joseph Sharpe was leasing a property from Dudley Persse, at Ashford, barony of Moycarn. It was accompanied by 350 acres and was valued at £5. In 1814 Leet records Ashford as the residence of John Maher. The 6" and 25"edition OS maps record this as "Ashford Old House".	Ashford	Creagh	Ballinasloe	Ballinasloe Urban 5	Moycarn	Roscommon	Lat/Lon: 53.34520 -8.24026 OSI Ref: M840328 Discovery map #47. OS Sheet #53.
Boyhill House (H1553) Richard Persse was leasing a house valued at £5 from Burton Persse at Boyhill, barony of Athenry at the time of Griffith's Valuation. In 1906 it was still the property of Burton Persse who also held almost 300 acres of untenanted land in the locality. Some ruins and farm buildings still remain at the site.	Boyhill	Athenry	Loughrea	Athenry 108	Athenry	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.28567 -8.73478 OSI Ref: M510264 Discovery map #46. OS Sheet #96.
Summerhill House (Loughrea) (H4907) In 1786 Wilson writes that Summerhill House, on the outskirts of Loughrea, was the seat of Mr. Persse. By the time of Griffith's Valuation in the 1850s, the property was occupied by Henry Dolpin, leasing from the Clanricarde estate, when it was valued at almost £8. Parts of the building have disappeared by the 1890s and the site is now part of a school.	Baunoge	Loughrea	Loughrea	Loughrea	Loughrea	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.19495 -8.56115 OSI Ref: M625162 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #105.

Archival sources

• Irish Architectural Archive: Castleboy. 089/097.
• Irish Architectural Archive: Moyode. Photographs. 022/032.
• Irish Architectural Archive: Roxborough. Photographs. 022/087.
• Irish Architectural Archive: Photocopy of Auction Catalogue from Woodville, 28-29 November 1916 for Henry Persse. 152/041.
• Irish Architectural Archive: Photo, no date. 089/096
• Irish Architectural Archive: Newcastle photos. 096/007& 111/080
• James Hardiman Library, National University of Ireland, Galway: Lease of a field known as Shorefield from Richard and Robert Adams, Newcastle Lodge, to Burton Persse of Moyode, 17 Aug 1836. LE5
• National Archives of Ireland: Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Persse & Molloy estates at Springgarden, 12 July 1850, Vol 2, MRGS Reel 1, (Microfilm copy at NUIG).
• National Archives of Ireland: Landed Estates Court Rentals (O'Brien), Blair/Persse, 30 May 1876, Vol 123, MRGS 39/056, (microfilm copy in NUIG)
• National Archives of Ireland: Prospectus of Persse Distillery 1901 and abstracts of title to Persse property in Galway. M.4859
• National Archives of Ireland: Collection of papers re Fitzpatrick, mainly of Drumcondra, Dublin & other families of Cos Cavan & Galway, Rev Joseph Fitzpatrick of Silverstream & Persses of Springarden. Small Accs. Index 95
• National Archives of Ireland: Hoey & Denning, solicitors' collection, includes miscellaneous papers re Persse estates in Co Galway, 1850s-1880s. Small Accs. Index 99, Parcel 33, 2/462/19
• National Archives of Ireland: Deeds relating to the Persse family of Galway. D. 16,061 et seq.
• National Library of Ireland: Lease by Dudley Persse of Roxboro, Co Galway to Thomas Fahey of town of Galway of part of lands of Newcastle, Co Galway, 1853. D11,084
• National Library of Ireland: Copy of confirmation of arms to the descendants of Robert Persse, High Sheriff of Galway 1814 descended from the Very Rev. Dudley Persse, Dean of Kilmacduagh, to whom lands were granted in Co. Galway and Roscommon Aug. 15, 1677 and to the great grandson of the said Robert, being Capt. William Arthur persse, eldest son of Major William Norton Persse, son of Dudley Persse, eldest son of the said Robert, all of Roxborough, Co. Galway, Feb. 11, 1913. Genealogical Office: Ms.111a, p.99
• National Library of Ireland: Lease by John Henry Blakeney to William Blakeney Persse of premises in Athenry Co. Galway known as the Castle April 30, 1831. D. 11,074

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. : Loughrea Union, 39 (Glebe)
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Loughrea Union, 113 (Roxborough)
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Loughrea Union, 114. (Castleboy)
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Loughrea Union, 54 (Lickerrig)
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Loughrea Union, 69 (Limepark).
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Galway Union, 52 (Newcastle)
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Loughrea Union, 15 (Moyode).
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Loughrea Union, 29 (Ashfield).
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Ballinasloe Union, 9 (Ashford) & 33 (Perssepark)
• DUTTON, Hely. Statistical and agricultural survey of the county of Galway. Dublin: Royal Dublin Society, 1824. : 413.
• HARDIMAN, James. The history of the town and county of the town of Galway. Galway: The Connacht Tribune, revised edition 1985: 316 (Newcastle)
• 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] : 365.
• LEET, Ambrose. A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 307 (Newcastle) & 343 (Roxborough)
• LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: Vol II, 147.
• LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: Vol II, 152 (Moyode).
• LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: Vol II, 26 (Castleboy)
• LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: Vol.II, 61.(Perssepark)
• ORDNANCE SURVEY NAME BOOKS, County Galway, http://places.galwaylibrary.ie/default.html: Athenry Parish
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion..., HC 1906, c, 177: 319 & 324.
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. 15th Annual Report of the Commissioners of Public Records Ireland, 1825. Vol XVI, Appendix I, Grants under Acts of Settlement: 236 & 254 (Pierce & Peirce)
• 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, 358 (Scawen)
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of names of proprietors and area and valuation of properties in counties in Ireland, held in fee or perpetuity or long leases at chief rents, 1876. (412) LXXX. 395: 148.
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland. HC 1876, LXXX: 298 & 318
• SLATER, Isaac. Royal National Directory of Ireland: List of the principal seats. (Manchester: 1894) : xxxi, 61 (Moyode), xxxii, 66 (Roxborough)
• TAYLOR, George & SKINNER, Andrew. Maps of the Roads of Ireland, surveyed in 1777 and corrected down to 1783. Facsimile of 2nd edition. Shannon: Irish University Press, 1969: 92 (Roxborough)
• WILSON, William. The Post-Chaise Companion or Travellers Directory Through Ireland. The author: Dublin, 1786 : 139 (Summerhill House), 142 (Roxborough)

Modern printed sources

• Irish Times: Land Judges' Court sale reports, 28 July 1888, p.3.
• Jnl. of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society: MITCHELL, James. Colonel William Persse. XXX (1962-1963), 49-89
• Jnl. of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society: PETHICA, James L. and ROY, James Charles. Henry Stratford Persse and the Galway Famine of 1822. XLVII (1995), 1-35
• Jnl. of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society: ROY, James Charles. Miscellanea, Triumphal gateway at Moyode Castle, Co Galway. XLIX (1997), 194-201
• Jnl. of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society: COMER, Siubhán. The Gate Lodges of East Galway: An Overview. LIII (2001), 127-136
• Jnl. of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society: JANES, Tom. The Persse holdings in east Galway - excavations at Moyode and Deerpark. LXI (2009), pp.57-73.
• Jnl. of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society: ROY, James. Four Irish miniatures of the Persse family, Moyode Castle, county Galway. LXI (2009), 115-155.
• Jnl. of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society: ROY, James. Four Irish miniatures of the Persse family, Moyode Castle, county Galway. LXII (2010), 115-137
• Jnl. of the Galway Family History Society : Galway Roots: Big Houses of Co Galway, photograph of Moyode. I (1993), 41
• BENCE-JONES, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses. Revised ed. London: Constable, 1988. : 135 (Glenarde), 220 (Moyode) & 248 (Roxborough)
• BURKE, Sir Bernard. A genealogical and heraldic history of the Landed Gentry of Ireland. London: Harrison & Sons, 1912: 559-560.
• FORDE, J., CASSIDY, C., MANZOR,. P & RYAN, D (eds). The district of Loughrea, Vol.I: Local history, 1791-1918. Loughrea: Loughrea History Project, 2003. : MELVIN, P. Estates and gentry around Loughrea, 53-54.
• GLIN, Knight of, GRIFFIN, D. J. & ROBINSON, N.K (eds). Vanishing Country Houses of Ireland. Dublin: Irish Architectural Archive/Irish Georgian Society, 1989. : 76, 78, 79.
• HOWARD, Joseph Jackson and CRISP, Frederick Arthur (eds). Visitation of Ireland. Baltimore: reprint by Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., 1973: Vol V, 73-79
• KEARNEY, Gerry. The Persse family of county Galway: genealogy and history, 1554-1964. Oranmore, Galway: [the author], 2016. : All
• MELVIN, Patrick. Estates and landed society in Galway. (Dublin: Éamonn de Búrca, 2012). : 38-39
• MELVIN, Patrick. Estates and landed society in Galway. (Dublin: Éamonn de Búrca, 2012). : pp.184-186
• McGINLEY, Paul. Salthill, A history, part I Galway: Carrowmore Publishing, 2018.: pp.65-70 (Glenarde), 287-292.
• PETHICA, James L. and ROY, James C. (eds). Henry Stratford Persse's Letters from Galway to America, 1821-1832. Cork: Cork University Press, 1998: All
• SPELLISSY, Séan. The History of Galway. Limerick: Celtic Bookshop, 1999. : 287 & 412.
• STANLEY, Cathal. Castles and demesnes: gleanings from Kilconieran and Clostoken. Athenry: [the author], 2000. : ROY, James Charles. Triumphal gateway, Moyode. 49-55.
• TOWNSEND, Brian. The lost distilleries of Ireland. Glasgow: Neil Wilson Publishing, 1999. : 98-101