This is a list of 71 workers on the Butler estate in Castlecrine in the Civil Parish of Kilfinaghta, County Clare from 1842-49. It is compiled from pages of a series of weekly accounts of workers’ pay and duties (see example in Figure 1). Some workers appear every week while others are listed only occasionally. The original documents are among the Butler Estate papers in the National Library of Ireland. The Butler of Castlecrine Papers include rentals, account books & workmen’s accounts (1775-1925) and the collection is in the National Library of Ireland (manuscripts no. 5403-5439). The manuscript referenced here is NLI Ms 5424, so there may well be more information on the individuals listed in other manuscripts within the collection. The detailed accounts list the workers employed during each week, the duties of each worker on each day and the payment due. As the daily duties changed frequently, the tasks stated below are only examples of the wide range of tasks set. The diverse range of tasks is also shown by Figure 1. A ‘haggard‘ (noted in the list below) is a term used in Ireland for the area of a farmyard where hay, straw and other crops are stored. Note also that some workers are defined by trades (Carpenter, Mason or Herd), while others are noted as having a horse. It was not uncommon for a man and a horse to be hired as a unit. See our blog on workers in Laois for more examples. Others are specified as ‘boy’ or ‘girl’. In a few cases no task is specified.
The Butlers bought Castlecrine in the early 1700s and it remained in the family until 1951 when it was sold. In the mid-19th century the main part of the estate was in the parishes of Inchicronan and Quin, barony of Bunratty Upper, but they also held land in the baronies of Bunratty Lower, Tulla Upper and Lower and Inchiquin. In the 1870s they owned 11,389 acres in county Clare.
It would appear that there were close relations between the Butler family and at least some of their workers. Note that the duty of Thomas Ryan, a mason, is listed as ‘with Miss Debby‘. Miss Deborah is one of the daughters of the household. Several of the workers listed are also beneficiaries in the will of Anna Butler, proved in 1865 (Will of Anna Butler; National Archives of Ireland; Limerick Will Books 1858-1875: Item 1; Folio 463-467). This will is also available on www.Findmypast.ie. The will states that £50 
had been left by her husband (in 1852) for distribution among 15 named persons (see illustration below), but that she was unable to pay this amount at the time of her husband’s death. Her executors are asked to fulfil the payments.
Almost all of the names are very common in Clare, e.g. McNamara, Molony, Fitzgerald etc. Exceptions include Bleak, which is rare but almost are Irish occurrences are in Clare; Hickman is also uncommon but of the 448 references to Hickman in Griffith’s valuation 358 are in Clare. Note also the first name Norry, which is an abbreviation of Honor, often Nora or Noreen. Because some names are very common, the register differentiates between them by referring to relative’s names. Thus it lists ‘Norry Hickey, Miles’ and ‘Norry Hickey, Pat’, indicating that these girls were daughters or wives of Miles Hickey and Pat Hickey. Both of these men were mentioned in the will of Anna Butler and were therefore close to the family. If you are interested in information on specific families, our e-book title ‘Sources for Irish Family History 2021 lists 6,500 books and articles on over 2,500 Irish families. The sources listed contain a wealth of information in the form of articles and books. The full details are described in our blog.
Ancestor Network will offer 1 free hour of research by a professional researcher to conduct further research on these individuals or others in these estate papers. Click here and quote ‘Clare SSxx’ in the subject line.
Name Example of duties Trade etc Mentioned in 1852 will ? (see below)
Andy O’Halloran In quarry
Bridget Gleeson In the house
Bridget McNamara Boiling turnips
Danl. Bleak Making plough Carpenter
Daniel Halloran In Limerick Herd
Denis Carroll In the garden boy
Dens. McNamara In garden Yes
Jas. Gleeson Thrashing oats
James Molony Ploughing + horse (i.e. a man hired with a horse)
John Maloney Senr. In haggard
John Cullinan Carting water
John Fitzgerald Tom Shovelling oats
John Hickman +horse
John Hickman In Limerick +horse
John Mackey Carpenter
John McNamara with sheep boy
John Moloney Jun. levelling sandpit
John Mullins Collecting leaves
John Neenan In the stable
John Ryan +horse
John Ryan Building wall mason Yes
Larry Coleman making barrows carpenter
Martin Barry collecting leaves boy
Martin Byrne Clipping hedges
Martin Morgan In sandpit
Mary Gleeson Sweeping girl
Mary McNamara in laundry girl
Mary Molony in laundry girl
Mary Mullins Sweeping girl
Mary Neenan
Mat McNamara Clipping hedges Yes
Michael McNamara reaping oats
Mrs McNamara Michael Stooking oats
Michl. Byrne levelling sandpit
Michl. Keating levelling sandpit Yes?
Michl. Reddin Carting sand
Miles Hickey felling timber Yes
Nancy Moroney in Kitchen girl
Nancy McNamara in Garden girl
Nancy Halloran
Ned Ryan levelling ditches
Norry Morony in the house girl
Norry Hickey, Miles
Norry Hickey, Patt
Pat Carroll in stable
Pat Conley Curley? levelling sandpit
Pat Gleeson in garden
Pat McMahon ploughing
Pat Ryan Thomas Shovelling oats
Patt Hickey herding Yes
Patt Hickman messaging boy
Patt Mack
Patt McMahon Carting turf
Patrick McNamara Sweeping walks
Connor McNamara Sweeping walks
Patt Moloney in the haggard
Teady McNerney Carting sand +horse
Thady Carroll Digging potatoes
Thomas Cullenan Carting turnips Yes
Thomas McInerney Ploughing +horse
Thomas McNamara Herding cattle
Thomas Morony Planting trees Yes
Thos. Cullin +horse
Thos. Fitzgerald in house Yes
Thos. Maloney levelling sandpit Yes
Thos. Ryan with Miss Debby mason Yes
Thos. Ryane +horse
Tim ? McNamara
Tim Keough in garden
Tim McNamara
Widow Ryan Thomas
Other articles in our series on Irish Family Sources:
- Petty Sessions– the records of local courts
- Grand Jury Presentments – records of local councils on payments for public works and staff
- Rentals – management of tenants by estates and the records created
- Middle names – the use (or non-use) of second or middle names in Irish records
- How comprehensive are Irish Civil Records?
- Catholic Church Records
- Travellers’ accounts of Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries
- Census returns in Gaelic or Irish language
- 50+ blogs with names extracted from manuscript sources. A handy map index to these is available here.
