Granny House BALLINAMEEN

Estersnow (Roscommon)

Teach a' Ghreanaidh aka Granny House (no longer extant) was situated just off the northern boundary road of the Irwin"s Camlin Demesne. 

Granny West belonged to John Irwin Esq. of Camlin (1762-1842) and his father John Irwin (1716-91) before him.  Their demesne encompassed the western part of Granny townland, in addition to the townlands of Carrowkeel and Camlin, and part of Carrownagappul and Carkfree). On Granny's eastern boundary, in the townland of Trenamarly, stood the Irwin seat of "Lakeview" the home of Roger Irwin (1785–1872) & wife Jane.

In 1667, the townland of Granny aka Granough [lit. 'a gravelly place'] had been granted to Lord Kingston in fee. 

"Granny East" (the remainder of Granny outside the Camline Demesne) was also an Irwin seat in its own right. Both Leet and Lewis record the Irwin family having a seat at Granny, near Boyle, in 1814 and 1837 respectively. 

At the time of the 1749 Census of Elphin Thomas Irwin Esq. lived at Graney (sic). The Irwin family were Protestant, with 5 children under the age of 14: one of whom was  Alexander Irwin (1741-1825) of Granny who died there on 30-Dec-1825, age 84. Residing with them were 1 Protestant manservant and 2 Catholic maids.  

Only two other families resided in this townland at that time: Charles McDermott (carpenter), and Matthew Noone (cottier). 

In 1837, Granny was described as ''a good farmhouse, the residence of the proprietor'' Thomas Irwin Esq. (Not to be confused with Thomas & Catherine Irwin of Macnadille). 

On 5-Dec-1847 Catherine Irwin (1791-1847) of Granny died age 56. 

In 1852, a portion of Granny House was let by Thomas Irwin to the Royal Irish Constabulary, as a barracks.

 

On 30 March 1852, in the matter of the estate of Thomas Irwin, the elder (Owner) Ex Parte the Rev. William Robinson and John Robinson (Petitioners), the "valuable and well-circumstanced fee-simple estate of Grawney alias Granny East" was offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates Court. It was denoted as being Lot No 6 in the estate of John Irwin, a minor. 

 This included a "comfortable residence" depicted in the sale notice as an isometrical sketch (image above). On the sitemap, Caleb Robertson Esq, the "receiver in the matter" and Thomas Irwin, Senior held Plot 1 where Granny House stood.  Caleb Robertson was the husband of Mary Irwin of Camlin 1801-64. He represented her nephew, John Jr. who had inherited Camlin. Robertson operated the Rent-Office at Boyle and a portion of Granny's grasslands at Plot 1 was held by him.

The remainder of Granny was let on 1-year leases. In 1852, Plot 2 at Granny (15 acres just east of Granny house) was held by Patrick Beirne [GV9] and partners (presumably Patrick Cryan GV8 and John Logan GV10). Plot 3 (4 acres just north of Granny house, nestled between two bogs) was held by Michael Carney [GV11] ; Plot 4  (13 acres further north, nestled between same bogs) was jointly held by James Kerns [GV12],   Owen aka Eugene Cunningham [GV13], and James Roddy [GV14]. Granny bog (99 acres) was held in common by Carney, Cunningham, Kearns and Roddy. 

From this point onwards, Granny House and the Irwin lands of Granny East were owned by the Rev. William Robinson. He retained all of its tenants (including the RIC) and put a herd into Granny House as caretaker of its 76 acres of grazing lands at Plot 1 which he held In Fee. 

In 1853, a Thomas Irwin (1772-1853) of Lisbofen, Co Fermanagh, who died age 81, was interred at Eastersnow. 

In 1857, a the time of Griffith's Valuation, Granny House is recorded as a "Herd"s house" valued at £3 5s. The name of the herd was not recorded. However, marriage records reveal the herd was Pat Ruane m. Brigid Dowd. The Police Barracks was exempt from valuation. 

In 1901, Granny House was the only property in this townland to have a coach house (besides a stable, it had no other out-buildings). Given its age, it was deemed a "2nd class house"  albeit slated with 4 windows to the front (and 4 rooms occupied by the family).  Owned by William Robinson,  Granny was occupied by the herdsman Edward Ruane & Mary Cunningham and family (both of Granny when they wed in 1865) who was still present at the time of the 1911 Census. 

A modern building is extant at the site now.

Type of Building: