Lisgreen, Somerset House and MEARA Family

[rwebb300]

Does anyone know the history of Somerset House and the location "Lisgreen?" We are researching my wife's MEARA ancestors in Co. Tipperary.

[gaffy]

If you search for the locality "Lisgreen" in County Tipperary using the online OSI 6" mapping series of 1837 - 1842, it takes you to here, a place called "Liscurreen":

http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,595223,705104,6,7

If you select "pan" mode and go SW a little bit, you will clearly see Somerset House marked in the townland of Abbeville.

You can see a satellite view of a property with that name in the same place today, if you use google maps.

Edited to add:

Here is the one built in 1875, presumably to replace the one shown in the OSI map:

http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=TN&regno=22400416

Additional images:

http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=images&county=TN&regno=22400416

[gaffy]

For "Meara", also read "O'Meara".

The Freemans Journal of Saturday 17 February 1900 carries a story which involves a Wm H O'Meara of "Somerset House, Lorrha".

Here he is in the 1901 census in the townland of Abbeville, in the DED of Lorrha East:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tipperary/Lorrha_East/Abbeville/1691844/

As you can see, it a relatively large house: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai003886708/

Still there in 1911: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tipperary/Lorrha_East/Abbeyville/837319/

[gaffy]

Also, in the Shorthand Writer's Notes of evidence before Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland, at Inquiries at Athlone, Banagher, Portumna and Killaloe, under Shannon Navigation Act, 1874, a case relating to someone signed as John O'Meara of "Somerset House, Lorha, Roscrea":

http://www.dippam.ac.uk/eppi/documents/16040/page/423000

[gaffy]

Also this, with reference to "Granddaughter of the late John O’Meara, J.P., and his wife Christina Owens, of Somerset House, Lorrha, Co Tipperary":

http://rip.ie/showdn.php?dn=241041/Norah%20ElizabethOWENS/Sandycove/Dublin

 

[gaffy]

Also mentions at the following links...

Bassett's Directory of Tipperary 1889 - John O'Meara of Somerset House, farmer, resident, JP and ex-officio guardian at the Borrisokane Union:

http://www.igp-web.com/tipperary/directory/dir_o.htm

County Families of the United Kingdom Ed 59 - Thomas Joseph O'Meara of Someset House, son of Wiliiam Henry O'Meara and Madeline in the census return previously posted, also other details:

http://www.mocavo.co.uk/The-County-Families-of-the-United-Kingdom-Ed-59/899441/1044

Will index entry for John O'Meara of Somerset House, probate granted to Christina (the same person in the previously posted census return):

http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/reels/cwa/005014910/005014910_00470.pdf

[gaffy]

William O'Meara married Madel(e)ine Kyne in Galway in 1900:

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FYCB-6QQ
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FYCB-56Y

[gaffy]

Some children to William's parents, John O'Meara and Christina Maria Owens:

William Henry Joseph: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F59F-5Q8
John Donal: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FP97-X9L
Isidore: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FP7D-NF8
Daniel Edmond: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGFW-4L4

[dathai]

Madeline (Kyne) O'Meara
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Galway_West_Urban/Shantallow/455341/