Tuesday 21 December 2021

Carrigoran House

THE FITZGERALD BARONETS, OF NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS, WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY CLARE, WITH 14,915 ACRES


This is a very ancient branch of the noble and illustrious race of the GERALDINES, seated at an early period at the castle of Pallas, County Limerick.

Family tradition relates that the descendant of that family and the direct ancestor of the Carrigoran Fitzgeralds was instrumental in saving the life of CHARLES I at the battle of Naseby.

Naseby House, Northamptonshire, was built by the FitzGeralds, lords of the manor of Naseby.

Of the Clare family there were two branches, the representative of one, that of Moigh Castle and Sixmilebridge, namely

COLONEL AUGUSTINE FITZGERALD, who died in 1776, having devised the reversion of his property to his kinsman, of Carrigoran.

The estate of Carrigoran was acquired by

EDWARD FITZGERALD, of Rynana, County Clare, in 1667, from Colonel Daniel O'Brien, afterwards the Viscount Clare.

His son and heir,

JOHN FITZGERALD, of Carrigoran, County Clare, married Ellinor, daughter of Pierce Butler, 2nd Viscount Ikerrin; from whom descended,

COLONEL EDWARD FITZGERALD (c1738-1814), of Carrigoran, MP for County Clare, 1776-90,  Castlebar, 1790-97, who wedded firstly, in 1762, Rachel, daughter of Standish Grady, of Elton, County Limerick.

Sir Edward was left a large estate by his kinsman, Colonel Augustine FitzGerald, of Sixmilebridge and Silvergrove.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR AUGUSTINE FITZGERALD (c1765-1834), MP for Clare, 1808-18, Ennis, 1832, who was created a baronet in 1821, designated of Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare.

Sir Augustine espoused Elizabeth, second daughter of Thomas Barton, of Grove, County Tipperary, but died without issue, when the baronetcy devolved upon his brother,

SIR WILLIAM FITZGERALD, 2nd Baronet (c1780-1847), who espoused, in 1805, Emelia Cumming, youngest daughter of William Veale, of Trevaylor, Cornwall, and had issue,
EDWARD, his successor;
AUGUSTINE, East India Company, 4th Baronet;
William Thomas Burton;
GEORGE CUMMING, 5th Baronet;
Emilia Mary; Georgina Mary.
Sir William was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR EDWARD FITZGERALD, 3rd Baronet (1806-65), who wedded, in 1856, Julia O'Grady, of Dublin; the marriage, however, was without issue, and he was succeeded by his brother,

SIR AUGUSTINE FITZGERALD, 4th Baronet (1809-93), who espoused firstly, in 1832, at Agra, India, Eliza Margaret Gore, and had issue, an only child, Augustine (1834-65).

Sir Augustine married secondly, in 1881, Clara Emma Whitaker.

He was succeeded by his younger brother,

SIR GEORGE CUMMING FITZGERALD, 5th Baronet (1823-1908), of Cornwall, who wedded firstly, in 1883, Emily Georgiana Cleaveland; and secondly, in 1888, Ellen Creagh FitzGerald.

Both marriages were without issue.

The title became extinct on the death of Sir George Cumming FitzGerald, 5th Baronet, in 1908.

Photo credit: Clare County Library - Bluett Collection

Carrigoran House was the seat of the FitzGerald family in the 18th and 19th centuries.

An earlier house was reputedly destroyed by fire in the late 18th century.

Carrigoran was advertised for sale in 1856.

By the 1880s, the FitzGeralds had acquired the Trevaylor estate in Cornwall.

When Clara, Lady FitzGerald, widow of the 4th Baronet, died in 1922, Carrigoran was sold to the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.

It was still in use in the 1940s, though was demolished in the 1980s.

Other Seats - Trevaylor, Penzance, Cornwall; Killybegs House, Naas, County Kildare.

London residence ~ 15 King Street, St James's.

First published in May, 2012.

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