My ancestors - O'Mara - Contents

O'Brien

Nancy O'Brien (left) and Kate O'Brien (right).
See larger and full size.
From [P40/910]. Used with permission of [UL Archives].

Thomas O'Brien,
of Kilfinane, Co.Limerick.
He was evicted 1852.
He came into Limerick city. Started as a horse dealer.
He rose to become a wealthy horse breeder, and supplier of horses to the army and gentry.
In 1880 he built family home, Boru House, Mulgrave St, Limerick.
It was presumably named because some O'Briens are known male-line descendants of Brian Boru. Though presumably he had no proven connection to them.
He had issue:

Thomas O'Brien,
Tom, born 1853.
He mar Katherine Thornhill [Katty, born 1864].
They lived Boru House.
She died 1903, age 39 yrs.
He is listed at Boru House in 1911 census. He is "Horse Dealer".
He died 17 June 1916, age 63 yrs. See mass card.
Left children (adolescent to young adults) orphaned.
He is listed as "horse dealer" (deceased) at dau's mar 1918.
Boru House was sold by the family in 1918 [Walshe, 2006] to the Lloyds.
Thomas and Katherine had among other issue:

Nancy O'Brien,
born 31 July 1895,
born Ann, "Anne" on grave,
Nance, or Nans.
Think she was educ UCD, graduated c.1915.
Living Boru House at mar in 1918.
She mar 1918 to Stephen O'Mara [born 5 Jan 1884] and had adopted issue.
Kate O'Brien,
the writer (novelist and dramatist),
born 3 Dec 1897, Limerick city.

(Left to Right): Kate O'Brien, Jerry O'Brien (Kate and Nancy's brother), Stephen O'Mara, Nancy O'Brien.

Nancy O'Brien and Kate O'Brien and Peter O'Mara (born 1925).
See larger and full size.
From [P40/914]. Used with permission of [UL Archives].

Boru House

Boru House, Mulgrave St, Limerick.
Built by O'Brien in 1880.
It is opposite the old Lunatic Asylum (now St. Joseph's Hospital).
Sold by the family in 1918 to Thomas Lloyd.
He died 1955.

Boru House fell into a bad state. It suffered vandalism, squatters and fire.
It appears on Google Street View with boarded-up windows in 2009-2014.
But then some restoration work was done.
On 2017 street view it has glass in the windows again.
2019 article details restoration plans.

Boru House
Boru House at NIAH.
Tom Quinlan has photos of restoration efforts:

Boru House.
See larger and full size.
From [P40/910]. Used with permission of [UL Archives].

Location of Boru House (red cross) on modern map.
Grounds behind it.

Boru House.
Photo 2014. See full size and other shot.

Boru House on 2017 street view.
Click to rotate.

Boru House and grounds.
From Tom Quinlan.

Inscription "Boru House" and "AD 1880" on front of Boru House.
Sculpture is "The hand of Sarsfield".
Photo 2009. From Tom Quinlan. Also here.

Front gate arch.
Note "M.O'Brien" on front (the builder was Michael O'Brien) and "1880" on side.
Photo 2009. From Tom Quinlan. Also here.

Plaque to Kate O'Brien on front lower LHS of Boru House.
Photo 2009. From Tom Quinlan.
See wider 2014 shot.