Donagh House, Co. Fermanagh
When I was little I was told that I could have been heir to a castle in Ireland. As the eldest son of the eldest son (repeat, repeat, repeat etc) it kinda made sense. When my grandfather was a young, poor NZ farmer, he inherited Donagh House, near Lisnaskea in Northern Ireland. The catch was he needed to pay back-taxes, and so it slipped out of our family’s hands.
Here’s all I could find online, starting with it being worth £253 in 1876. It is now listed but derelict. I figure I will reclaim it if I win Lotto…
The O.S. Memoirs of the 1830s noted several good dwelling houses with farms attached in the Parish of Galloon. Donagh House was one such dwelling and at that time it was unoccupied following the death of the owner, a William Noble Esquire. A two-storey, five-bay, double-pile country house with an attractive Gibbsian door surround, it has been empty since the 1970s and is in a very poor condition. Reminiscent in many ways of Rossconor House (see p. 63), it occupies a very prominent, elevated position and could assume pride of place once more.
These three pics are from Flickr – click on them for full size:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75077138@N08/6884017756
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75077138@N08/7030116571
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75077138@N08/7030117447
My Grandfather bought this property in the early 1900’s and it was my Uncle’s death in the 70’s that led to the sale and further vacating of Donagh House. I have many memories of this house while visiting my cousins and we all have great sadness at the state of this wonderful building as well as inquiries to saving it with the historical society. If I could win the lottery, I would also save this fabulous building. It breaks my heart to see it covered in ivy and the back kitchen falling in. I still remember many games of hide and seek as well as a great feeling of home.
Merry meet. If I win the lottery I’ll share it with you – the house that is.
Do you have the full 1876 Griffith’s Valuation that you could share with me? Or could you tell me if there are any Watsons on it? I’m researching the Watson family and it’s a long crazy story but the gist of it is that one of the sons of this family was serving in the British military in the Yukon area of Canada during the gold rush, was (most likely) murdered, and afterwards some papers were found in his possession that indicated he was a member of the peerage though he told no one of this while he was alive. Newspapers reported he was a nephew of the Viscount Castlemaine. I’ve found no such connection so far but I’m still looking. Please email me at mirabellarose@outlook.com. Thank you!
Lynda, sorry, this is a curiosity for me, I haven’t done any deep digging. But someone else might find your comment (approved 18 months late. sorry)