Athenry News & Views Spring 2026

Athenry News & Views

Clooncah House

By: Kieran Jordan

Kiltullagh-Killimordaly Heritage Society Clooncah House was located in the townland of Clooncah, in the civil parish of Killimordaly and in the church parish of Kiltullagh-Killimordaly, about 12 km east and slightly north of Athenry. Although Clooncah House no longer exists, information about it is available. Its history tells a lively story about the families who lived there and the conflict over land ownership that shaped the locality. Clooncah House and Daly’s Clooncah House was probably built in the early 1700s by Peter Daly, a distant cousin of the other well-known Daly families at Dunsandle and Raford, in the surrounding area. In 1777, the map of Taylor and Skinner shows Clooncah as the residence of Daly Esq., while in 1786, Wilson states it as the residence of Peter Daly Esq. In its original form, the House was described as either four or five storeys (the description of five storeys could be four storeys over a basement). In the 1880s, it was described as three storeys over a basement with roof windows. It is possible that during roof repairs, one of the storeys was removed and roof windows inserted. The 1901 Census of Ireland states that it had 16 windows in the front, more than 13 rooms and 14 outhouses. In 1905, it was described as ‘probably the grandest house in the area’.

to his distant cousin Lord Dunsandle. In 1854, shortly before Philip’s death later that year, he sold the remainder of the Estate in the Encumbered Estates Court. The ownership of W. T. Galway William Thomas Galway, a solicitor in the Encumbered Estates Court, purchased Clooncah House and Estate. He died in 1861, leaving the Estate to his wife, Harriett. In his will, William also directed that on her death, Harriett should leave the Estate to his grand-nephew Robert Holmes and other relatives. In 1861, Clooncah House was put up for sale, although Harriett lived there until her death in 1883. As instructed, the Estate was left to Robert Holmes and others, and it was for sale again in 1887. Part of the property was sold at that time, but the House and some land surrounding it remained un-sold. Robert Holmes died in 1900 leaving the remaining part of Estate to John G. Holmes Limited (Reginald Holmes) and others. In 1901, part of the house was lived in by Patrick Laffy, the caretaker, his wife and a servant. From the 1880s onwards, there were several Land Acts aimed at transferring land ownership from Landlords to the tenants who worked the land. These were not very successful as there was no incentive for Landlords to sell, and tenants in arrears were prohibited from purchasing land. The Wyndham Act of 1903 gave Landlords an incentive to sell, facilitated the purchase of land by tenants in arrears and gave the Courts the power to force Landlords to sell. The Clooncah tenants v Baron Ashtown In Clooncah, the tenants wanted to purchase the remaining land of the Clooncah Estate. However, the Landlords (Reginald Holmes, Mr. Villiers and others) didn’t want to sell to them. Under the Wyndham Act, the Estates Commissioners granted a petition from the tenants allowing them to purchase the land. However, the Landlords appealed the decision to a higher court. As the higher Court determined that there was a boycott of the Landlord, the decision was reversed, allowing the Landlords to sell the land to whomever they liked. The seriousness of the boycott, and who was responsible for the associated issues, is debateable. As was reported in the newspapers, there was definitely a traditional boycott of the Landlord, i.e. refusal to rent land, refusal to interact with the Landlord, and other peaceful actions. However, the higher Court’s decision, on which the verdict was based, refers to intimidation and threats, which are not part of a traditional boycott. Responsibility for these non-peaceful actions could have originated from any one of several sources. One of the people intimidated and threatened was Baron Ashtown (Frederick Oliver Trench) of the neighbouring Woodlawn Estate, who was a potential buyer of the Clooncah Estate. Baron Ashtown was a very vociferous Unionist who had treated his own tenants badly, and threats or intimidation could have come from any source associated with him.

Taylor and Skinner map from 1777

Peter Daly, who probably built the house, was a son of Thomas Daly of nearby Benmore. In 1774, Peter married Helena Roche and they had at least four children: Peter, Philip, Margaret and Helena. Margaret married Walter Joyce and they became the parents of Pierce Joyce of Mervue who at one time owned the D’Arcy House and Estate in Kiltullagh. Peter Daly died in 1792, leaving Clooncah Estate to his eldest son Peter. In 1830, Peter got an additional grant of land, extending the Estate. He died suddenly in 1840 and was buried at Kilconnell Abbey. Philip Daly, a brother of Peter, inherited the Estate. However, by that time, the family were experiencing financial difficulties. Philip sold the townlands of Cloghereavaun and Kilarrive (in the neighbouring Kiltullagh civil parish)

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