Pilkingtons and Keanes of Gower Hall during the Great Famine

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pwaldron
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Pilkingtons and Keanes of Gower Hall during the Great Famine

Post by pwaldron » Wed Feb 27, 2013 4:04 pm

Gower Hall is in the townland of Gower North in Kilmacduane civil parish, north east of Kilrush. I have been told that during the famine it was used as a fever hospital and am looking for more details of this.

According to Hugh Weir's Houses of Clare (p.141), Gower Hall was owned by Richard Pilkington by 1805, but was the address of Francis Nathaniel Keane J.P. by 1846. Francis Keane was the occupier in Griffith's Valuation (20 Aug 1855), by when Richard Pilkington was living in a much smaller house in Gower South (the Rateable Annual Valuations of the two houses were 12 pounds and 2 pounds respectively). Both were tenants of Henry S. Burton.

It appears that Francis Keane may have moved from Gower Hall to Hermitage (Cloghlea townland, Drumcliffe civil parish) around 1857. There is an inscription in Kilrush Churchyard to his son, "Christopher Marret Keane of Gower Hall A. B and G.M Queens University Ireland died 17th day of March 1857 aged 26 years". GO MS 108: 171-172 is a copy of confirmation of arms to descendants of Charles Keane of Corbally, & to his grandson Francis Nicholas [sic] Keane of Hermitage, 25 Apr 1857.

Fr. Michael Quinlivan rented Gower Hall as a parochial house, probably in 1858, the year in which he became Parish Priest of Cooraclare parish.

The Kilrush Church of Ireland burial register lists Richard Pilkington, Gower, 3rd July 1863, aged 93.

Richard Pilkington's brother Thomas Pilkington was married to Francis Nathaniel Keane's sister Anne Keane.

I wonder if Katrina Vincent or anyone else out there has more details of the use and occupiers of Gower Hall during the famine years.

katrina
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Re: Pilkingtons and Keanes of Gower Hall during the Great Fa

Post by katrina » Fri Mar 01, 2013 8:14 am

Sadly, no, I don't really know anything further.
According to Charlotte Keane's diary, Francis Nathaniel Keane and his family were living at the Square, Kilrush, during the 1830's and early 1840's. She describes frequent visits to them, including a visit in 1839 for the christening of Francis' son Charles, in which she talks about Mrs Pilkington arriving to oversee the food preparation, and all of them joining in to mix & bake the christening cake, which unfortunately they burnt. I don't know who this Mrs Pilkington would be.

In 1830, Hermitage was occupied by Robert Keane (Pat), Clerk of the Peace, and 1st cousin of Francis N Keanes father, Robert Keane (Chas) of Beechpark. Charlotte refers to the death of Mr Kean (without the 'e') of Hermitage, taking place in Dublin, in her diary entry 12 June 1830. There is an obituary for him in Clare Journal 14 June 1830.

There is mention of Gower House in the Kilrush Union Minute Books of 29th September 1849 & 20th October 1849 at
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... 29sept.htm

"The Reports of the Master and other Offices were read, and Orders made thereon, as follows:
We consider it necessary to increase the Workhouse accommodation Resolved that Gower Hall (3 Miles from Kilrush) together with 25 Statute acres of Land attached thereto be taken for a School and Model farm at a yearly Rent of £80 premium. These premises being calculated to afford accommodation for 200 Boys, provided the owner M Keane can establish his right to Lease for his own terms, 3 Lives or 30 years from 1827, all lives still in being. Subject to the sanction of the Commissioners Tenancy to commence as soon as preliminaries can be arranged.
Resolved that additional accommodation for 250 Boys be added to Gower Hall in the event of its being sanctioned"

and
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... /20oct.htm

"The Vice Guardians having received a communication from Mr Fras Keane, stating that title cannot be had for "Gower Hall" for some months & their occupation of the Building, lately used as a County district Fever Hospital, being restuited to the next assizes. Resolved that the agreement proposed in the Minutes of 29th September with reference to these premises be seconded and that all Fever Patients extern as well as Workhouse be treated in the existing Hospital (Kelly’s Store) which can be added to at a small cost & that the Building lately occupied as a district County Hospital which adjoins the Parent Workhouse be used as Auxillary Premises & that the Nurses & Infants at present in the parent House be removed thereto."

Thanks, Paddy for the date for Richard Pilkington's death. Although I think that the given age of 93 is probably very generous, given that his parents Thomas Pilkington & Susan(na) Brew married in 1775, which would make him no more than 88.

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