Ashbrook House STROKESTOWN

Lissonuffy (Roscommon)

 

Ashbrook House was the townland of Ashbrook or Knocknabarnaboy, just south of Strokestown. 

In 1814, Ashbrook, Strokestown was the residence of Mr Thomas Ryan (Leet's). In 1838, there was no house in Ashbrook valued at £5 or over. 

In 1825, Upper Ashbrook was recorded in the name of Peter Lyons Esq. (later replaced by William Gearty) and his tenant Doctor Hugh Farrell who had sub-tenants.  

CONVICTION UNDER THE GAME ACT. 

At the Court of Petty Sessions held at Rooskey on Tuesday the 28th of May last, Peter Leyns, Esq. of Ashbrook (sic) near Strokestown in this county, was prosecuted for keeping a Grey-hound, without having a Game Certificate, by George Knox. Esq. Distributor of Stamps for this County, and convicted of the penalty of £21 13s. 4d. and the costs prescribed by the statute.

In 1840, William Gurty of Carrick-on-Shannon registered a £10 freehold at Ashbrook, Barony of Roscommon. 

In 1846, Ashbrook was the residence of Hugh O'Farrell, Attorney (Slater's). In 1850, his wife, Mrs Eleanor Farrell is listed among the tenants when the toenland was put up for sale by the Incumbered Estates Court. 

In 1850, "Knocknabarnaboy, and part of Tinegreevy and Creggan, called Ashbrook" was put up for sale in the Incumbered Estates Court.  Eleanor Farrell's holding of approx. 82 acres was held under a year-by-year tenancy (as was the case of all 8 tenants in this townland). [Roscommon Journal - 15 June 1850]

In 1857, at the time of Griffith's Valuation, Ashbrook was the residence of George A. Kelly Esq. and valued at £4. Kelly held 82 acres from Sir Thomas Ross who owned the townland. In 1864, his mother Mrs Anne Kelly (1804-1864) died at Ashbrook. 

In 1866,  Patrick Hanly of Ashbrook was among the cess-payers to be selected by ballot for the Grand Jury for the Barony of Roscommon. Ashbrook in the early 20th century was "the old homestead of brothers,  Thomas, Michael and Patrick J. Hanly  (d.1934). PJ Hanly was an Excise Supervisor, who owned the property and left his brother, Thomas (who built the new house there) there as caretaker.  In 1901, Ashbrook was the only 1st class and slated house in the townland. At that time it was the home of Thomas Hanly and family.  That year, PJ bought a house and farm for Thomas in Elphin, hoping to retake possession of Ashbrook, but Thomas refused to go. They also bought him a small house and a couple of acres in Strokestown which he also rejected. PJ and Michael continued to work the land at Ashbrook. In 1919, they took Thomas (who by then had 9 children) to court seeking an order for possession, which was granted.   As Tom's wife, Mary Hanly, was suffering badly from TB, a stay on that ruling was given in 1920. 

Of the original Ashbrook house, only the outbuildings and boundary wall are still extant today.

[Research by Rua Mac Diarmada]

 

 

 

Type of Building: