The Tuite Family 
County Meath
In
the original Gaelic divisions Mide was in fact a
fifth province and, as well as the present Co. Meath, incorporated what is now
Westmeath and large parts of Cavan and Longford. It was reduced to its present
size by the Normans in the thirteenth century; large parts of the territory had
been granted to Hugh de Lacy, who built massive fortifications at Trim and
elsewhere to enforce and protect his possession. Despite its proximity to
Dublin, only part of the county remained in the Pale as English power waned in
the late Middle Ages.
In
1549 Meath was split into Meath and Westmeath by the English.
County Westmeath
"Westmeath,
a county of Ireland, province of Leinster, bounded N by Cavan, E by Eastmeath, S by King's county, NW by Longford, and W by
Roscommon, 33 Irish m. long from E to W and 27 broad, contains 249,943 acres,
Irish plantation measure, including bogs, mountain, and waste. It is agreeably
interspersed with beautiful lakes. The chief rivers are the Shannon, Inny, and Brosna. It returns 3 members to the Imperial
parliament. Pop. 128,042."
[From
The New London Gazetteer (1826)]
12 Baronies of County Westmeath
All - O'Conallain (O'Connellan or O'Kendellan) were princes of Ui Laeghari or "Ive-Leary",
an extensive territory in the counties of Meath &
Westmeath. The O'Maolconrys (O'Conry)
were chiefs of Teffia (or Westmeath) when they
crossed the Shannon in the 10th century receiving lands from the O'Connor kings
of Connacht. MacConmedha (MacConway)
is cited as a principal chief of Teffia, in Muintir Laodagain. Teffia formed a greater portion of the ancient kingdom of Meath. In later times a large part of the county came to be
referred as Dillon's country.
Brawny -
The O'Breen were lords of Breaghmaine,
a former name for Brawny. The O'Malone sept had large territory here, and were
known as barons of Clan Malone and barons Sunderlin.
Clonlonan - The Sinnach
(later Fox) O'Catharniagh family were chiefs in this
territory which also included Rathconlan and the
barony of Kilkcourcy in Co. Offaly.
They were named for Catharniagh, the head prince of Teffia, and the O'Kearneys were
of this clan. Anciently, the Mac Auleys were chiefs
of Calraidhean-Chala in the parish of Ballyloughloe. The O Daliagh (O'Daly) sept is cited as chiefs
of Teffia with territory here. Septs
noted here in the 12th century included Ua Cairbre (O'Carbury) of Tuath Buada and Ua Braoin (O'Breen)
of Conmaicne.
Corkaree - O'Hindradhain (O'Hanrahan) are given as chiefs of Corcaraidhe
or Corco Roíde, from which
the name of the barony derives.
Delvin - In the 8th century this area is cited as Delbna Mór. O'Fionnalain
(Fenelon) are cited as lords of Delvin
prior to the arrival of the Normans. Sir Gilbert De Nogent
became baron here after the Norman Invasion, and the Nugent family
were Barons of Delvin.
Farbill - The territory of Fir Bile is noted here in
the 8th century. The Ua hAinbheith
(O'Hanfey) sept is noted
here in the 12th century.
Fartullagh - O'Dubhlaich (O'Dooley), chiefs and lords of Fertullach
(Fir Tulach) up to the 12th century, subsequently
forced by the O'Melaghlins and the Tyrrells into the barony of Ballybritt
in Co. Offaly.
Fore - The
Ua Maoil Tuile (MacTullys) are noted here
as evidenced by the name of Tullystown, anciently
included as part of Uí Maic
Uais Mide. Ua Maoil Challan
(Mulholland) of Delbna Bec
is cited here in the 12th century.
Kilkenny West - The territory of Conmaicne
Bec is noted here very early. The O'Tolairg
(O'Toler) name is cited as chief of Quirene, a former name of this barony.
Moycashel - The Mag
Eochagain (MacGeoghegan) sept were chiefs of Cinel Fiacha or Cenél Fiachach (Kinalea) who were centered here, as well as parts of Rathconrath
and Fartullagh. The Cenél nÉnna septs of Ua Braonain (O'Brennan) of Creeve and Mac Ruairc (Mac Rourke) of Teallach-Conmasa were
noted here in the 12th century.
Moyashel & Magheradernon
- The O'Dalaigh (O'Daly)
clan of Corco Adaim was anciently
centered in the barony of Magheradernon. Ua Donnchadha (O'Donoghue) of Tellach Modharain is noted here in the 12th century. The Norman
family of Tuite is given as barons of Moyashel after
the 12th century.
Moygoish - MacEvoy was chief
here in a territory called Ui Mac Uas.
O'Hennesy, chief of Ui Mac Uas, ruled after the MacEvoys. An
O'Curry family is also cited as chiefs here. The O'Harts (Ua hAirt),
a sept of Síl nÁedo Sláine, were noted here in
the 12th century.
Rathconrath - Mac Aodha (MacGee) of Muintir Tlámáin is noted here and in Moyashel
in the 12th century. It was later referred to as Dalton's country,
the Norman family of Dalton were Lords of Rathconrath
following the 12th century. A Donegan sept is cited here in the 17th century.
Misc - O'Convally are found alongside Quinn, O'Kearney
and O'Loughnan as principal chiefs in Teffia. O'Scoladihe (O'Scully) is found anciently centered in Co. Westmeath
until the Norman invasion. The O'Shaughlin family is
noted here in the parish of Dysart. Mac Carrgamhna
(Mac Caron or Gaffney) of Muintir Mailsinna
as well as Mac Con Meadha (MacConway)
of Muintir Laoghachain are
noted in west Co. Westmeath / south Co. Longford in
the 12th century.
Source: http://kings-church.org/intro.htm
Oldcastle (Sean Caisléan)
Oldcastle, Count Meath
Chapel Street Oldcastle
Market Hall Oldcastle
Market Street Oldcastle
Naper Arms Hotel Oldcastle
Naper House in Loughcrew:
Owned by the Naper family who were the local
Protestant landlords. As was common for the time they
were not liked by the local Catholic community. Set under the shadow of Slieve na
Callagh, with its prehistoric tumuli, Loughcrew is a superb demesne, incorporating the remains of
the 17th century seat of the Napers and the Greek
Revival portico of the C. R. Cockerel house of 1823, which was destroyed by
fire in 1960. The family continued to occupy the wing and have restored the
garden under the EU Great Gardens of Ireland programme. The rustic gate lodge
is in separate ownership and has been empty for a number of years. It is a
picturesque structure, with the ground floor comprising 3 rusticated piers
supporting segmental arches and random coursed stone to the upper floors with
central gable. Windows are of latticed design. Deterioration is starting to
become obvious on the roof.
The houses creator, the
eccentric early 19th century architect, Charles Robert Cockerell,
designed the exterior to suit the environment and the interior to suit himself. As a result, upper floor levels have a
mezzanine-like appearance, with window sills positioned below floor level
rather than above.
When the couple first saw it, it was no more than a
shell. Some walls certainly, but no roof, no ceilings, no floors and no window
panes in what had once been the elegant conservatory of the 400 year old Naper family mansion. Throughout the 19th and early 20th
centuries, this room was home to dozens of exotic plants, but after a
devastating fire in 1964, it was reduced to a state of roofless dereliction,
its only tenant a Massey Ferguson tractor. When Emily Naper
took on the task of restoring it, the covered the nasty concrete floor with
limestone slabs and covered the overhead yawning gap with a glass wood-framed
roof. Today, this area combines several functions - family and guest
conservatory dining area in summer, table tennis room for the children in
winter and alternate entrance hall all year round. The unusual wall texture is
accounted for by the traditional 1830s composition of horse hair, cow hair,
plaster, ox blood and brick. The walls are adorned by bear and wild boar shot
by Charles Naper's grandfather.
Valuation of Tenements:
Parish of Oldcastle
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