My ancestors - Blennerhassett - Contents

Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, 1st Baronet

Sources yet to be consulted:
- Local history by children at Christian Brothers School, Tralee, 1937-38, SMS 440, Irish language, Schools’ Manuscript Collection, National Folklore Collection, UCD.
- Letter from Daniel O'Connell to his wife, Oct 25, 1827, re: the conversion of Sir Arthur Blennerhassett, 3rd Baronet to Catholicism. The correspondence of Daniel O'Connell. [NLI] Ms 33,565/25(5).

Blennerville Windmill. Photo 2003. See full size.

Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, 1st Baronet (see here), born 1741,
of Blennerville House, Blennerville, nr Tralee, Co.Kerry,
and later of Churchtown House, nr Killarney, Co.Kerry,
mar 31st Oct 1762, Rathkeale, Co.Limerick, to Millicent Agnes Yielding [dau of Richard Yielding, of Belview, Rathkeale, Rathkeale par, Co.Limerick],
settled at Cathair Uí Mhóráin near Tralee and renamed it "Blennerville" after his family,
family lived Blennerville House, which he probably built, he is listed as living Blennerville House 1783, elsewhere he is usually described as "of Churchtown",
Colonel 1779-82 of the "Laune Rangers" regiment of the Kerry Volunteers,
built Blennerville Windmill 1780 or 1800,
he managed his brother Arthur's estate after his death 1790, he is described as of Churchtown in deed of 1806,

Millicent was alive as at her son's marriage settlement, 1799,
she was killed in accident at Blennerville windmill,
[Ms 20621] says she was killed by a blow of the windmill sails 1802,
alternatively [Blennerhassett and Hollwey, c.1992] says she was killed in 1801, she "went up on the balcony of it. It was working at the time and the wind blew her in and she was ground to pieces", think their source is [SMS 440, p.140],

Grant of Arms 13th Mar 1808 (NOT 1801), [NLI] GO Ms 105, p.53, microfilm POS 8290, granted by Sir Chichester Fortescue, no pedigree attached,
see Grant of Arms (from Bill Jehan's site),
created a Baronet 22nd Sept 1809,
[Holden's Directory, 1811] lists "Rowland Blennerhassett, Blennerville",
established Protestant school at Blennerville 1812 [Heritage Council, 2001],
died 14th Mar 1821, age 80 yrs,
will pr 1821, apparently burnt in Four Courts 1922,
see entry in [Boyd's Family Units],
had issue:

Sir Robert Blennerhassett, 2nd Baronet,
born 26 Jan 1769, must be after grandfather,
of Churchtown House, nr Killarney, Co.Kerry,
mar 27 May 1790 to Rosanna Blennerhassett,
succ 1821,
High Sheriff of Co.Kerry 1823-24,
Rosanna died Jan 1828 (NOT 4th Feb) at Churchtown, "the seat of her husband" [Kerry Evening Post, Sat 26th Jan, [KCL] RR microfilm],
he died 21 Sept 1831, age 62 yrs,
had issue:
1. Sir Arthur Blennerhassett, 3rd Baronet, born 30th July 1794,
  High Sheriff of Co.Kerry 1820-21 [before Arthur of Ballyseedy],
  mar 26 July 1826 to Sarah Mahony [Catholic, dau of John Mahony, of Blennerville, Co.Kerry],
  she was aunt of the American politician Rowland Blennerhassett Mahany,
  he took an oath as a Catholic 1827 [Letter of Daniel O'Connell],
  the family is now Catholic, it dates from this marriage, the 4th Baronet was Catholic even before his marriage,
  he might be "A. Blennerhassett, J.P." who approved George Cashel joining the County Constabulary 1828,
  maybe had sympathy for a disinherited Catholic relative,
  succ 1831,
  he must be Arthur Blennerhassett, of Mount Rivers, who is listed in House of Commons Parliamentary papers, Volume 35, 1832, as one of the Magistrates in the Commission of the Peace in Co.Kerry, the list is from 1831-32 and is slightly out of date, showing his father the 2nd Baronet as alive,
  listed as one of the "Magistrates" of Co.Kerry in [Pettigrew & Oulton, 1835], described as of Mount Rivers,
  he died 22nd Apr 1849, think NOT Feb, age 54 yrs,
  Sarah mar 2ndly, 1850, to Frederick Randall, of Highbury,
  she died 11 July 1866,
  had issue:
  1. Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, 4th Baronet, born 1839.
2. Robert Blennerhassett, born 1797,
  bapt 17 July 1797, Tralee [Tralee Protestant par records],
  inherited Mount Rivers, nr Killorglin, Co.Kerry, described as "of Mountrivers" at mar,
  mar 1838, Tralee, to Sarah Eagar,
3. Catherine Blennerhassett, mar Rev. Edward Conyers and had issue:
  1. Capt. Robert Rowland Conyers, mar Eliza Jane Blennerhassett and had issue.
Richard Blennerhassett [Richard Francis], born 23rd May 1772,
a magistrate of Co.Kerry,
listed as "of Blennerville" at mar,
mar 31st Oct 1798 [Tralee] to Agnes Denny,
fought duel 1813 with Daniel O'Connell's brother John O'Connell (him age 40, O'Connell age 34),
argument over politics, O'Connell went into the Billiard Room in Tralee and accosted Blennerhassett in terms which induced him to demand a meeting,
["Old Tralee", Rev.J.J.Flynn, 1890], quoted in Tralee Miscellany, remembers this as a duel fought on Daniel O'Connell's account by his brother John,
they met Tue 19th Jan 1813 at Tralee, pistols, Blennerhassett supported by his friend Thomas Blennerhassett of Caherine [unidentified], O'Connell shot in mouth, seriously injured,
see The Times, 28th Jan,
died Fri 28th Nov 1817 (NOT 1827) at Cahirciveen of a violent fever, age 45 yrs [Limerick Evening Post, Thur 4th Dec].
Agnes died 19 Dec 1842.
Arthur Blennerhassett, of Blennerville, born 27th Oct 1776,
inherited Blennerville House and most of Blennerville.
Rowland Blennerhassett, born 26th Dec 1780 (twin),
of Kells, Co.Kerry,
and of 6 Day Place, Tralee town,
listed as "of Blennerville" at mar,
mar 14th May 1808 [Tralee] to Letitia Hurly,
[Holden's Directory, 1811] lists "Rowland Blennerhassett junior, Blennerville",
listed as Protestant voting for William Denny, of Strand St, Tralee in general election, Tralee, 1835,
in 1837 he purchased lands at Kells, Killinane par, nr Cahirciveen, Co.Kerry, and built a house "Holly Mount", later called "Kells Lodge", see KELLS in [Houses of Kerry],
listed as of 6 Day Place in Slater's Directory 1846,
listed as "Rowland Blennerhassett, Day Place, Tralee" in [Griffiths Valuation, 1851-2],
died at his residence, 6 Day Place, morning of Wed 12th Apr 1854, age 73 yrs (NOT 1855) [Kerry Evening Post, Wed 12th Apr, [KCL] RR microfilm],
had issue:
1. Millicent Agnes Blennerhassett, named after grandmother,
  mar morning of Tue 12th Apr 1836, at Tralee par church, by her uncle Rev. Robert Conway Hurly
  [Kerry Evening Post, Wed 13th Apr, [KCL] RR microfilm]
  to John Collis and had issue.
2. John Hurly Blennerhassett, born 1812,
  mar 1844 to Annabella Yielding,
  he must be John Hurly Blennerhassett, 3 Day Place, Tralee (beside father's house) listed in Slater's Directory 1846.
3. Mary Blennerhassett,
  mar morning of Tue 19th Apr 1836 [one week after her sister], in Tralee church, by her uncle Rev. Robert Conway Hurly
  [Kerry Evening Post, Wed 20th Apr, [KCL] RR microfilm]
  to Rev. George R. Purdon [eldest son of Rowan Purdon, M.D.],
  had issue:
  1. Rowan Purdon (apparently daughter).
4. Letitia Blennerhassett, born 1814, would be named after mother,
  died Dec 1828, age 14 yrs, at her father's house, 6 Day Place, Tralee
  [The Western Herald or Tralee and Killarney Advertiser, Mon 29th Dec, [KCL] RR microfilm].
5. Richard Francis Blennerhassett,
  of Kells, nr Cahirciveen, Co.Kerry, born 1819.
William Blennerhassett, of Blennerville, born 26th Dec 1780 (twin),
built King's House, Blennerville.
Apart from his 5 sons he had "other issue" according to BLENNERHASSETT in [Foster's Peerage, 1881].
Thomas Blennerhassett of Gortatlea corresponded with Pat Lavelle in 1965, and said that "This lady Letitia must have been the daughter of Sir Rowland", but he provided no evidence for this, and it is not convincing.
[Blen. Pedigrees] lists Sir Rowland with a dau Catherine, who marries Rev. Edward Conyers, but this is confusion with the dau of the 2nd Baronet, as in fact is shown on the same chart in [Blen. Pedigrees].
[Foster's Peerage, 1881] also lists Catherine, dau of the 2nd Baronet, marrying Rev. Edward Conyers.

The gates of Blennerville House. Photo 2003. See larger and full size.

Blennerhassett Baronetcy

My ancestors - Blennerhassett - Contents

Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, 1st Baronet

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