Tenants of Quansbury Estate, Kilquain, Galway in 1777-78

Small Sources 4:  This is a rental document among the estate papers of Francis Thomas FitzMaurice, 3rd Earl of Kerry, which are held in the Archives Nationales, Paris (Fonds T. Cote 451 (6)). A microfilm copy is in the National Library of Ireland No. P 7239. It shows 35 tenants of the Quansbury Estate which is in the Civil Parish of Kilquain, Co Galway in 1777/8. Some properties are in neighbouring parishes. Information on the Quansbury estate is here.

In this document, and many others,  the property name is spelt Quansbury but on Ordnance Survey maps it is spelled Quainsborough. Some comments are included in parentheses below for explanation.   The property was owned by Denis Daly from 1722, and later passed by inheritance to the Earl of Louth through the marriage of Denis Daly’s grand-daughter Margaret to the 1st Earl of Louth.  Why the document is among the papers of the Earl of Kerry is unclear. The practices of  rental property owners are described in our blogs on rentals here.

The rents vary from £237 to £3.10.0.  It also includes ‘observations’ on tenants or lettings. Those with higher rents are likely to be middlemen (who sublet the property to others) or large farmers.  Some tenants rent several properties.

Flyleaf Press,  the publishing arm of Ancestor Network,  publish a ‘Guide to Tracing your Galway Ancestors‘  by local historian Peadar O’Dowd which describes the sources available for research in the county and how to use them.

The images of the document above and below were created by Ancestor Network in the National Library of Ireland and are reproduced here through their courtesy. If you need help in following up on anything related to this source, or any other Irish research, you can outline your requirements here and we will let you know what we might be able to do for you. Ancestor Network will also offer 1 free hour of research by a professional researcher to conduct further research on these individuals, or on other tenants of this estate. We can also obtain images of the original documents. Click here and quote ‘Galway SS4′  in the subject line.

Mrs. Cowan: – Abbey (Possibly Alquain?)
William Talbot: – “
William Burke: – Cloonlea etc.
Arthur Geoghegan: – Killedillish, Quansbury (part) and Peterhill
Mr McGommery: – (Observation on Geoghegan holding above states ‘lately occupied by Mr McGommery’)
Pat Kirwan: – Eskerboy
Red. Dolphin: – Lisikill & Kilbegg
Pat Madden: – TinureP Prendergast: – Derrinboy
William Keating: – (Observation on Prendergast holding above states ‘Let from May 1778 to Wm. Keating’)
Thomas Knavin: – Cloonaghmore
Rev Mr Dolan: – Lisheenahively
Dominick Burke: – Corballymore
Denis O’Brien: – (Observation on above holding states ‘Let to him by Denis O’Brien’)
Michael Burke: – Foxhall and Carnewshanbally
Luke Usher: – Gort
Pat Shanny: – Corballybeg
Nicholas Lynch: – Mullea
Edmund Burke: – Inch Irk (?)
Andrew Hearn: – Lurragamore
Mr Drought: – Six acres in Tumsallagh
Andrew Armstrong: – Demesne of Quansbury
Harvey Hynes: – Part of Lisnafad
Martin Lynch: – Part of Creggananty
Thomas Burke, Tyton: – Part of Creggananty
Villagers: – Part of Creggananty
Darby Knavin: – Lurragabeg
Villagers: – Village of Mullea
William Martin: – Part Village of Mullea late John Trenches
Pat Burke: – Drimnagh
John Daly: – Part of Lisnafad
Edmond Kelly: – Loughaneroe & Killeen
Michael Mannion: – Ardberreen
Peter Kelly: – Coolagurrane
Old Villagers: – Remainder of Killacumna
To the late Nep(?) Lynch: – Raheen and Cloonamaskra
Garnett Kennedy: – Mungvane