My ancestors - Blennerhassett - Contents

Grant of land to Blennerhassett, 1590

Thomas Blennerhassett of Flimby, Cumberland, was granted lands in Co.Kerry, Ireland, by Sir Edward Denny, Governor of Kerry and Desmond, as part of the Munster Plantation.
Grant dated 14 Aug 1590.
Blennerhassett came to Ireland and played a major role in Kerry history for the following centuries.

Photocopy of 1590 grant from Sir Edward Denny to Thomas Blennerhassett.
Grant of "Ballecartin" (Ballycarty).
Ms. 14,347 in [NLI]. Photocopy deposited in 1978. Apparently by Brian Fitzelle.
Location of original deed unknown.
See full size. See signatures.

Back of document.
See full size. See closer.
A note on this side of uncertain date says "24th Aug 1590".
This may be a mis-reading for 14 Aug 1590 (see below).

Note about 1590 grant by Edward Francis Jemmett Browne, dated 1910.
Says he then (1910) had a copy of the 1590 grant.
Note on p.7 of a bound Ms. book titled "Blennerhassett Notes, chiefly Cumberland", in Kynnersley-Browne papers, box 28 of deposit 823.
Says the grant is dated "Decimo quarto die Augusti. Regni Domi. Elizabethae Tricessimo secundo".
That is, 14 Aug, 32 Elizabeth.
That is, 14 Aug 1590 (NOT 1591 as written here).

Similar note on p.VII (a different page) of the same.

Extract from claim of 1654 by Thomas' grandson John Blennerhassett about his family's lands in Co.Kerry.
He refers to the original 1590 grant of lands to his grandfather Thomas.
See full size.

• The claim says (with some spelling modernised): "I do hereby claim as my inheritance in fee simple ... all the lands underwritten ... that is to say the Castle, town and lands of Ballycartie, Ballysheedy, Killy, BallyseedyMcnagh, BallyMcThomas & Ballencham ... granted, and rendered unto my grandfather by Sir Edward Denny Kt, deceased, grandfather to the late Sir Edward Denny Kt, likewise deceased, and by deeds bearing date the 29th of August in the 32nd year of Queen Elizabeth's reign".
• That is, he dates the grant to 29 Aug 1590.
• As Bill Jehan points out, 29 August is actually the date rent was due (the feast day of John the Baptist) rather than the date of the grant, which is 14 August 1590.