My ancestors - Blennerhassett - Contents

Churchtown House, near Killarney

Churchtown House, Churchtown townland (so called because of Knockane church in the townland).
Near Beaufort, Knockane par, Dunkerron North barony, Co.Kerry.
Half-way between Killorglin and Killarney.

• References:
  • CHURCHTOWN in [Houses of Kerry]

Churchtown House.
From Mike Sandes. Used with permission.

An old McGillycuddy estate.
Contains the ruin of Castle Corr (built c.1450).
Estate inherited by Blennerhassett. They built a new seat.

Seat of Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, 1st Baronet (born 1740 or 1741).
Churchtown House and Beaufort Golf Club say he built Churchtown House in 1740, but that is too early for him. Maybe confusion with date of his birth.
[Houses of Kerry] says he built it in late 18th century.

Churchtown House maybe built 1788:
From land deeds, Rowland Blennerhassett seems to have moved from Tralee/Blennerville to Killarney/Churchtown in 1788, so that is perhaps when Churchtown House was built.
He is listed as of Churchtown in various deeds from [Deed, May 1788] to [Deed, May 1798].
From later in 1798 on, the 1st Baronet is consistently listed as of Blennerville.
The 1st Baronet's son Sir Robert Blennerhassett, 2nd Baronet is listed as of Churchtown in [Deed, May 1798] and consistently thereafter.

Churchtown House was seat of Sir Robert Blennerhassett, 2nd Baronet.
2nd Baronet died at Churchtown in 1831.

Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, 4th Baronet sold it c.1870 to Capt. James McGillycuddy Magill.
Capt. James McGillycuddy Magill lived there.
He died 1904.

See Churchtown House today. It is now a high-end self-catering house rental. Also here.
The grounds are Beaufort Golf Club.
See landedestates.nuigalway.ie.

The first mention of Blennerhassett at Churchtown.
Rowland Blennerhassett (later 1st Baronet) is described as of Churchtown in [Deed, May 1788].

Robert Blennerhassett (later 2nd Baronet) is described as of Churchtown in [Deed, May 1798].

Robert Blennerhassett (later 2nd Baronet) is described as of Churchtown in [Deed, 1807].

"R.A. Blennerhasset" listed at Churchtown in [Leet's Directory, 1814].
This could be Robert Blennerhassett, future 2nd Baronet or it could be his 1st cousin Robert Arthur Blennerhassett.

Churchtown House.
From 1829 to 1842 map.
See modern map.
See street view of NE entrance.
See street view of Knockane church to the NW.

Video of the golf course showing the ruin of Castle Corr.

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• The McGillycuddy blacksmiths at Ballydribeen, Killarney, has an anvil which came from the Churchtown House estate. This article says the anvil is from 1800. But this item says it is from 1883, from the Magill estate.