Crossmolina.ie

Errew Hotel, built in the 19th century by a man called Greville Knox. It was his private house; it was built with freestone on the inside and cut lime stone on the outside. This stone was brought from County Westmeath for five shillings a ton. This house was later known as Knox's folly because after he had built it he could not afford to live in it. It cost £2,000 at that time to build.The nuns came in 1912 and left in 1916.

Errew then became the property of Robert Paget Bourke. It was leased to a lady called Miss Molly Canavan who ran it as a hotel; it was burnt to a shell in 1948 by a gas leak, but luckily nobody was killed. It remained in this state until about twelve years ago when it was taken over by the Land Commission. It is now owned by a private developer who have restored it to its present state for development of apartments. It is a large plain Victorian Gothic house built on a peninsula jutting out into Loch Conn. It was probably designed by James Franklin Fuller and built in the 1870's.

THE ABBEY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN

Only a fragment of this old priory, founded in approximately 1300 A.D. now remains. It is said that the ruins were used in the building of a mansion close to the site of the Abbey Church. This house is known as Abbeytown House. Part of the wall of one of the buildings (said to be the remains of the priory building) can be seen in the garden across from the present residence. Saint Mary's Abbey was a cell or off-shoot of Ballybeg, near Buttevant, Co. Cork and was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin.

The founder was more than likely a member of the de Barry Family, who held estates at Crossmolina at the time. In the year 1306 John, the son of William de Rathcogan, Walter de Usser and Walter de Coganwere indicted tor assaulting and imprisoning the Abbot of the Blessed Virgin near Crossmolyne (Crossmolina) and also for taking away his goods and chattels to the amount of ten marcs, (a marc was worth 13s 4d then, worth more now of course. J.P.C.). Awrit hereupon was issued to attach the said John which was accordingly done.

In a papal letter of 1401, we are told that the priory was in the patronage of the Barrett family and that it was sometimes governed by secular clerics or by Canons regular by gift of the prior and the convent of Ballybeg. In 1444 a tetter refers to the Warden of St. Mary's priory, Crossmolina and describes it as "The Cell or wardenship of St. Mary by Crossmolina in the Killala Diocese, which depends on Ballybeg or is a member thereof". John Barrett was prior in 1401 and was also Dean of the Chapter in 1410-1428. Robert Dundonall (Barrett) was there by 1444, and was succeeded by Thomas Barrett who is mentioned in 1462.

By an inquisition made in the reign of Queen Elizabeth ('1585) the priory was found to possess four quarters of land "with tithes of the same". These lands were situated at Ballaghmuck, Toreen and Behy. The endowment probably included the lands surrounding the Abbey as well, because these continued as a separate parcel down to recent times.

ABBEYTOWN

It is almost certain the stones from the ruin of the old Abbey were taken to build the house of Abbeytown. "A Major Orme some years ago to show the sincerity of his hatred to the religious establishments of papery descended on and demolished the ruins, profaned the tombs of the dead and erected on the site of the Abbey Church a mansion which he did not long enjoy having died there almost a pauper; his body seized by a Catholic inhabitant of the town, was detained until a sum of money due to this person was accounted for". Quoted from "History of the Irish Church" by Rev.

Thomas Walsh, New York 1876. The Orme family came to Ireland in Cromwellian times and settled in Co. Mayo in 1671, so Abbeytown House would date from the end of the 17th Century. The family was connected by marriage with the Houses of Glenmore, Owenmore, Enniscoe and Gortnor Abbey. The last member of the family to live at Abbeytown was William Henry Orme, M.A. Brevet Major, who died without issue in the mid 19th Century. Since then the House-has changed hands a number of times, and is now owned by a local family.

DEEL CASTLE - CAOSLEAN NA DAOILE

As the name suggests the translation means the Castle of the River Deel.

Deel Castle, a 16th Century Tower House of the Bourkes, close to the nothern end of Loch Conn. After Col. Thomas Bourke had fought on the side of King James in the Williamite Wars the property was forfeited and given to the Gore family, afterwards Earls of Arran, who renamed it Castle Gore.The tower-house had a large C.I 8 wing with a handsome rusticated doorway added to it; possibly incorporating a C.17 range.

The front was flanked by a wall and a low office range which probably included part of the old bawn.In the late C.I 8 the estate somehow became alienated to 1 st Earl of Arran's sister's son, James Cuff M.P. (afterwards 1 st and last Lord Tyrawley) who built a new house a short distance from the old castle about 1790, a typical, late C. 18 block of 3 storeys over a basement, 3 bay entrance front; tripartite doorway with engaged Tuscany columns and pediment extending over door and sidelights. Plain 5 bay garden front. Hall with frieze of delicate late Georgian plaster work. Long and narrow staircase hall at back of main hall, lit by very tall round headed window; also with plasterwork frieze.

Drawing room with niches on either side of fireplace. Low service wing; office court with stone arcade for coaches; barrel-vaulted underground service tunnel passing beneath the formal garden. Many arched bridge over the Deel River.The house was severely damaged during the 1798 Rebellion. Lord Tyrawley left Castle Gore to his illegitimate son Col. James Cuff, who scandalized the Country by keeping a French mistress there. After his death the estate reverted to the Earls of Arran. The house was burnt in 1922 and not rebuilt.The old castle, which was still intact earlier this Century is now a ruin.

SOURCE: BURKE'S GUIDE TO COUNTRY HOUSES - VOL. 1 IRELAND.

CROSSMOLINA CASTLE

The remains of Crossmolina Castle are still to be seen opposite the Church of Ireland. The walls are very thick and the building must have been a strong fortification to have withstood for so long the ravages of time and of people wanting cheap and convenient building materials.In 1526 Q'Donnell. chief of Tirronnell. at the request of the Bourkes, marched into Tirawley, threw down and rendered uninhabitable Crossmolina and Castlehill Castle. The failure to rebuild might have been due to the continued struggle between the Barrett's and the Bourkes.

O'Donnell then marched his army into Tirawley when he took the Castles of Caorthanan and Cros Maolliona, in which he found hostages and many spoils; he then threw down and totally demolished these castles so that they were longer habitable". Knox (Mayo) then continues the story: ln 1570 A.D.Richard Burke of Castlehill was hostile to the other Bourkes Mirawley and opposed them in a widespread revolt against English misrule.

The rebellion was suppressed, but the Bourke's were not easily crushed, for in 1586 A.D. they again took the field, against superior British odds, who were led by Sir Richard Bingham, nicknamed the "Devil's Sickle". Bingham won this battle at the historic pass called Beama - na gaoithe. The prisoners taken by Bingham in the engagement at the "Windy Gap", were brought to an island on Lough Conn although there is no evidence of their fate, we can assume they received little mercy from the man who, so history tells us, slew "Women and Children".

GLENMORE HOUSE

A two-storey, 3 bay, late Georgian house, entrance doorway set in arch, round-headed windows on either side, office wing at back.Built by the Orme family, the house has changed hands several times in recent years. It has always been well maintained and is currently in private ownership.

KNOCKGLASS

A two-storey 5 bay Georgian house with a hood moulding over the entrance door. Formerly the seat of the Paget family, now the residence of the Church of Ireland Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry.

Acknowledgements: Crossmolina Historical and Archaeological society.