Estate: Browne (Brownville)

Associated Families

• Martin (Ballynahinch)
• Browne (Brownville)

Description

The Brownes of Brownville, near Galway city, were connected to the Brownes of Ardskea, parish of Kilmoylan, barony of Clare, county Galway and their descent is given in a family history in the archives of the James Hardiman Library, NUI, Galway. In 1789 James Valentine Browne married Jane Symmers of Aberdeen, Scotland and they had three sons. In 1819, their eldest son, James, married Catherine Elizabeth O'Flaherty of Renvyle and sister of Anthony O'Flaherty of Knockbane. At the time of Griffith's Valuation James Browne held the townlands of Gortatleva and Brownville in the parish of Rahoon, barony of Galway and three townlands in the parish and barony of Moycullen, county Galway. His estate was advertised for sale in the Encumbered Estates' Court in April 1854. 1300 acres was purchased by Isadore Lynch for £4000. Brownville House, Riverview and part of Gortatleva was advertised in June 1860. James Valentine Browne of Brownville, Professor of Surgery at Queen's College, Galway, 1849-1887, was eventually found out to be an imposter, pretending to be his cousin. [Valentine Browne of Harcourt St, Dublin, owned 801 acres in county Galway in the 1870s].

Houses

House Name / Description	Townland	Civil Parish	PLU	DED	Barony	County	Map Ref
Riverview (H685) At the time of Griffith's Valuation held by James Browne in fee and valued at £14. It is described as "in ruins" on the 25-inch Ordnance Survey map of the 1890s.	Gortatleva	Rahoon	Galway	Galway South Urban 47	Galway	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.30076 -9.10708 OSI Ref: M262284 Discovery map #45. OS Sheet #81.
Brownville (H686) This house was originally known as Eyreville and was leased by the Martins to the Eyres in the latter half of the 18th century. Wilson refers to it as the seat of Mr. Eyre in 1786. In 1808 it was sold to James Valentine Browne and the name of the house was changed to Brownville. In the later 19th century it was the home of Dr McCormack, the Bishop of Galway. Portions of the original house may have been incorporated into out-buildings at the rear of the site.	Brownville	Rahoon	Galway	Galway Rural 45	Galway	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.30794 -9.10876 OSI Ref: M261 292 Discovery map #45. OS Sheet #81.
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.
Albano Cottage (H4850) At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Rev. Peter Daly was leasing this property from James Browne when the buildings were valued at £9. It is still extant and occupied.	Gortatleva	Rahoon	Galway		Galway	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.30166 -9.10710 OSI Ref: M262285 Discovery map #45. OS Sheet #82.

Archival sources

• Galway County Library: Landed Estates Court Rental, Browne, 29 June 1860, barony of Moycullen & Galway town. M24,257
• James Hardiman Library, National University of Ireland, Galway: Pedigree of the Brownes of Ardskea and Brownville. P41
• National Archives of Ireland: Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Brown, 27 Apr 1854, Vol 27, MRGS 39/012, (microfilm copy in NUIG)
• National Archives of Ireland: Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Browne, 29 June 1860, Vol 59, MRGS 39/030, (microfilm copy in NUIG)
• National Library of Ireland: Ordnance Survey maps showing lands in non congested districts: estate of Rev F.J. McCormack, 151 acres in barony of Galway, 1907. 15.A.23(16)

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. : Galway Union, 48 (Gortatleva) & 87 (Brownville)
• 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] : 57
• LEET, Ambrose. A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 80 (Brownville)
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland. HC 1876, LXXX: 293
• WILSON, William. The Post-Chaise Companion or Travellers Directory Through Ireland. The author: Dublin, 1786 : 140 (Newcastle)

Modern printed sources

• Freeman's Journal: Incumbered Estates Court sale reports, 10 November 1854, p.5.
• BEGGAN, G. The Political Lives and Times of the Comyns of Woodstock, unpublished, 2003. (Copy in NUIG): 21
• FOLEY, Tadhg (ed.). From Queen's College to National University: Essays on the Academic History of QCG/UCG/NUI Galway. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 1999: 147