Major Arthur Blennerhassett, of Ballyseedy
- Sources yet to be consulted:
- Obituary
of Major Arthur Blennerhassett,
on p.3
of
[Co.Kerry Soc. annual report 1939-40].
- Obituary of Hilda Blennerhassett,
The Kerryman, 11 Dec 1965, p.16.
- Catalogue for auction of Ballyseedy Castle furniture and contents. Auction held June 1967.
Major Arthur Blennerhassett, of Ballyseedy,
born 26 June 1856.
His
father died 1859.
He succ to
Ballyseedy 1859 (age 3).
Held it for 80 yrs.
He
re-modelled
Ballyseedy
in 1880.
Gave the main S block a medieval-revival look.
He
mar 1882 to
Nesta Fitzgerald [Clara Nesta Fitzgerald].
See Nesta and daughters
listed
at Ballyseedy in 1911 census.
He
died 3 May 1939, age 82 yrs.
Major Arthur and Nesta had issue:
- Hilda Blennerhassett, born 1884.
Her father died 1939.
Hilda was the last Blennerhassett living in
Ballyseedy.
At some point, she became friendly with
Gwenfra Morgan,
mother of
Sir Adrian Blennerhassett, 7th Baronet,
whose father had died in 1940.
Sir Adrian and his mother would holiday in Kerry and stay at Ballyseedy.
Gwenfra died in 1956 and
the 7th Baronet (age only 16) became an orphan.
Hilda had the problem of who to leave Ballyseedy to.
It was thought she considered leaving it to her
Fitzgerald
relations.
In the end she decided to leave it to her very remote cousin, the
7th Baronet.
She corresponded with Pat Lavelle in 1965.
See
[PAT/15].
She died unmarried, 1965, age 81 yrs.
She left Ballyseedy
to the
7th Baronet
(who sold it in 1967).
Grave of Major Arthur Blennerhassett (died 1939).
Ballyseedy Protestant graveyard.
See
larger
and
full size.
Photo 2004 from
Bill Jehan.
See also
2002 photo
from
Kate Healy Coburn.
Grave of Major Arthur Blennerhassett (died 1939) and his wife and daughters.
Ballyseedy Protestant graveyard.
See larger
and full size.
Photo 2004 from
Bill Jehan.
Grave of Hilda Blennerhassett (died 1965).
Close-up of above.
Grave of Hilda Blennerhassett (died 1965).
Photo 2002. From
Kate Healy Coburn.
