Dromore (Kenmare) Castle/Town?

[ladybird]

Does anyone know of any websites that might give me a bit of history and/or info on Dromore please and where exactly it is? I've found a lovely pic of the castle but there's not much else.

I have a g/grandmother born there 1859, her father (John Meara)may have been a Land Steward for whoever owned the castle/land.
Many thanks, Sylvia

[Christopher]

Hello Sylvia,

I have had a little look around the net  to see if there is any useful information about Dromore near Kenmare. So far I have not been too successful in my search. I found the lyrics of a song about the Castle and lovely musical accompaniment. It certainly brightened me up on a wet Saturday evening sitting here at the keyboard in my flat.

http://www.contemplator.com/ireland/dromore.html

[Pat Reid]

Sylvia:

Dromore is in the parish of Templenoe about 5 miles from Kenmare.

Lewis Topographical Dictionary:

"The principal seat is Dromore, the residence of the Rev. Denis Mahony, a noble edifice in the Gothic castellated style, lately erected on the shore of the bay, in the scenery of which it forms a striking feature; it commands a splendid and extensive prospect of the bay and of the bold and picturesque group of mountains on its southern shore; the demesne, which extends a considerable distance along the margin of the bay and the eastern bank of the Black-water, has been much improved and extensively planted by the present proprietor: within it are the ruins of Cappanacoss castle, formerly belonging to a branch of the O'Sullivans; and adjoining the ruined castle of Dunkerron is the seat of that name, the residence of Dr. Taylor, formerly lecturer at the Royal Cork Institution, a gentleman well known to the scientific world from his publications on botany, mineralogy,etc. "
http://www.booksulster.com/library/topog/t2.php

There seems to be quite a bit of info available about this Mahony family. Try a few google searches using variations of places and names and I am sure you will find some items of interest.

Hope this helps some.

Pat

[Christopher]

Sylvia,

Richard Mahony lived at Dromore Castle in 1870.
The family lived at the Castle until recent times.
Dromore Castle has recently been restored.
There is self catering accommodation in the stables and outhouses.

Property owners County Kerry circa 1870
http://cmcrp.net/Kerry/Landowner3.html

Kerry postcards circa 1900 ... thanks to John Knightly 
http://www.rootsweb.com/~irlker/photos5.html

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/show_narrative_page.do?page_id=2562
www.rivervillehousekenmare.com/Historical%20Sights.htm

Best Wishes, Christopher

[ladybird]

Thanks very much both of you. I'll check out the websites.

John Marah/Meara is listed as a Land Steward on both his daughters marriage certs.
 
I have the Baptism record for one of the daughters at Dromore, though I believe she was born illegitimately in Glasgow in 1857

The nearest I can get to a possible reference to John is Grithiths Valuation which gives a John Mara at Upper Dunloe.....which judging from various websites is a wild and wooly place and maybe where a Land Steward would "hang out" 

Oh well, keep plodding  Sylvia

PS One of my Nana's little sayings was that we were descended from the McGillicuddy Reeks 

[Kerry Geoff]

Hallo
Catherine o Mahony married Francis mcgillicuddy. Both these families were big landowners in the county. Mcgillicudddy would have owned fishing rights on Dunloe. There was more than one illegitimate child born at Dromore castle a lot of tenants daughters would be sent there in lieu of rent to work in the kitchens.There is a chapel at Dromore castle and Richard John Mahony landlord at that time would be a Bible preacher connected to the plymoth brethren. If you check web for Mahonys of Dromore Castle you can find a lot of information.
PS there could be a lot of truth in what Nana says

[ladybird]

Hi Kerry Geoff, wow a lot of time has gone by since I posted that query. Still relevent unfortunately though I have been lucky with the release of the full and readable Kerry Griffiths Valuation a while ago. It seems my g/grandfather was in Dromore...... and one of his daughters was baptised at Templenoe.
I believe the John Meara below may have been g/granddad's father as my John would possibly have been too young to be renting that amount of land.
Tenant  JOHN MEARA 
Landlord  REVD. D.  MAHONY 
Renting 17 acres, 3 rods, 34 perches. Annual rent £3
County  KERRY 
Barony  DUNKERRON, SOUTH 
Union  KENMARE 
Parish  TEMPLENOE 
Townland  CAPPANACUSH, EAST

I have also recently received death certs for 2 John Meara/Mara's. Both registered in Kenmare, one in  1880 gives age as 90 years (farmer), the other 1915 gives age as 81 (labourer)....father and son??? The witness for both was a Michael Meara/Mara at Cappanacush, who is listed as brother to the later John.
Still plenty of mysteries there but I think I'm getting closer.

I like this statement 
"There was more than one illegitimate child born at Dromore castle a lot of tenants daughters would be sent there in lieu of rent to work in the kitchens."
I think both of his daughters may have been illegitimate, one certainly was, and I can find no information on either of the mothers. I know their names but that's about it