Author Topic: Ballyroan - A Four Square Fortress like house  (Read 5815 times)

Offline ChristineAnne

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Ballyroan - A Four Square Fortress like house
« on: Sunday 07 August 05 19:24 BST (UK) »
Can anyone advise if this property is still standing?
Built by Captain James Hodgkins (or Hodgins)  we understand it was used
as a Farmhouse- The date above the doorway is badly weathered but the figure 16.... used to be readable about 15 years ago. We would dearly love to find the property
in Ballyroan.

Offline Jack2227

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Re: Ballyroan - A Four Square Fortress like house
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 09 August 05 23:21 BST (UK) »
Hi, ChristineAnne,

I am from Portlaoise, near Ballyroan, but  I am married to a Ballyroan woman, Anne Kearns from Cullenagh.

We have three books from Ballyroan, Historical Notes on Laois, and Place names of Ballyroan,songs & Poetry from Ballyroan, and Ballyroan, My native home, but the name you mentioned is not recorded in any of these books.
I also have a surname index of Laois for both the 16th & 17th century, but alas, again no name.

We have a place called Bland's Fort House, linked to the Bland family since 1715.
But the house goes bato to the 10th century, before the O Moores came to rule in Laois.
It was whitewashed, like all house in that age, and to all intents and purposes, it may be the place you are talking about.
Let me know if you get any more information
Best wishes.
Jack :)

Offline ChristineAnne

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Re: Ballyroan - A Four Square Fortress like house
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 10 August 05 00:29 BST (UK) »
Dear Jack

Thank you for your reply. We have since learned that a relative of my husband
visited Ballyroan about 15 years or more ago, he has since died but on his visit he saw that the date on  the stone archway was actually in a farmyard and part of a relic of
a former house with pigs and cattle running around it. This may be a clue or jog
someones memory, it has also been mentioned that it may have been called
'Mountrath' !   

Offline Christopher

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Re: Ballyroan - A Four Square Fortress like house
« Reply #3 on: Friday 13 October 06 20:43 BST (UK) »
Hiya ChristineAnne,

Mountrath is a townland in the Barony of Maryborough West and the Parish of Clonenagh. The Coote family lived there at the beginning of the seventeenth century. The article about Mountrath mentions a Mr Greenham who owned a mill there. This is mentioned in "The Millers and Mills of Ireland about 1850" compiled by William E. Hogg and shows Mr Greenham's name as Robert.

Best Wishes, Chris