My ancestors - O'Meara - Contents

Cashel House

On Cashel Bay, Cashel, Moyrus par (nr Roundstone), Connemara, W Co.Galway.
The house is at the base of Cashel Hill.

References:

de Gaulle in land of magic, Kate O'Brien, The Irish Times, Mon 2nd June 1969.

Cashel House, c.1930.
See full size.

Cashel House was built 1850 (or poss. 1840), on Cashel Bay.

It was bought by my grandmother's father James O'Mara as summer home, Aug 1919,
NOT bought 1921 (see [Lavelle, 1961], also it was raided 1920, also photos dated 1920).
James had noticed it earlier while at Barfield - a photo of it exists in the family 1918 but not living there yet.
James liked it partly because his wife's name was Cashel (no connection).

When the O'Mara's were there, it was raided by British in War of Independence, Apr 1920,
the Conacher twins died there 1922,
my grandfather Dick Humphreys courted my grandmother there (they married 1929),
house had gardens (O'Maras laid out most of the garden), tennis and croquet lawns,
and its own boathouse and private harbour for boating on Cashel Bay (deep sea fishing, cultivation of oysters).
James O'Mara died 1948,
his family sold the house 1952 (or poss. 1951).
There is a leaflet (and p.2) putting the house up for sale, price £15,000 (about £1m in today's money),
but directing queries to James O'Mara at The Grove, Killiney. Perhaps he was organising the sale before he died, but it didn't go through?

Cashel House purchased by the Browne-Claytons 1952, who entertained Harold Macmillan (Prime Minister 1957-63) there.
See BROWNE-CLAYTON in [Burkes Irish, 1976].

Cashel House purchased by Dermot and Kay McEvilly, 1967,
opened as luxury "Cashel House Hotel" 1968.
The French wartime leader Charles de Gaulle and his wife spent holiday there, summer 1969 (just before he died).
The McEvillys still run it as "Cashel House Hotel" today.
They have added a tasteful extension at back.
See [Irish Country Houses].