Tuesday 30 January 2024

Ennistymon House

THE MACNAMARAS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY CLARE, WITH 15,246 ACRES

This is a branch of the ancient Milesian family of MACNAMARA, of County Clare, which was resident at Ballynacraggy.

BARTHOLOMEW MACNAMARA (1685-1761), of Murraghlin, The Burren, County Clare, sixth son of Teige Macnamara, of Ballynacraggy, wedded Dorothy, daughter of William Brock, Mayor of Galway, and had issue,
WILLIAM, his heir;
Michael, dsp;
Teige, dsp;
John;
Mary; Margaret; Ann.
The eldest son,

WILLIAM MACNAMARA (1714-62), of Doolen, County Clare, married Catherine, daughter and heir of Francis Sarsfield, of Doolen, County Clare, and had issue,
FRANCIS, his heir;
William, dsp;
Mary; Catherine; Anne; Dorothy.
The elder son,

FRANCIS MACNAMARA (1750-1821), of Doolen, espoused Jane, daughter of George Stamer, of Carnelly, County Clare, by Honor his wife, daughter of Christopher O'Brien, of Ennistymon, and Mary, his second wife, daughter of Sir Randal MacDonnell Bt, and had issue,
WILLIAM NUGENT, his heir;
Richard;
George;
Francis;
John;
Burton (Sir), KCB, Admiral;
Honoria; Dora.
The eldest son,

WILLIAM NUGENT MACNAMARA (1775-1856), of Doolen, High Sheriff of County Clare, 1798, MP for County Clare, 1830-52, married, in 1798, Susannah, daughter and eventually co-heir of the Hon Mathias Finucane, Justice of the Common Pleas in Ireland (by Anne his wife, daughter of Edward O'Brien, of Ennistymon), and had issue,
FRANCIS, his heir;
Jane; Susan; Honor; Matilda; Louisa.
The only son,

FRANCIS MACNAMARA JP DL (1802-73), of Doolen and Ennistymon House, Lieutenant-Colonel, Clare Militia, MP for Ennis, 1832, was succeeded by his son,

HENRY VALENTINE MACNAMARA JP DL (1861-1925), of Doolen and Ennistymon, High Sheriff of County Clare, 1885, who wedded, in 1883, Elizabeth Edith, daughter of Sir Daniel Cooper Bt GCMG, and had issue,
FRANCIS, his heir;
Valentine;
George;
Violet Elizabeth; Edith Eileen; Doreen Finola; Honor Nesta.
The eldest son,

FRANCIS MACNAMARA (1884-1945), married, in 1911, Mary, eldest daughter of Eduard Majolier, of France, and had issue,
JOHN, his heir;
Caitlin, m Dylan Thomas;
Nicolette, 1911-87.
The only son,

JOHN MACNAMARA (1908-), wedded Henriette Buffard, of France, though the marriage was without issue.

Michael MacMahon has written an article about the Macnamaras of Doolin and Ennistymon.


ENNISTYMON HOUSE, now The Falls Hotel, Ennistymon, County Clare, is a two-storey, seven-bay, gable-ended 18th century house.

It has a single-storey, 19th century, gable-ended wing.

Interior plasterwork includes a frieze incorporating an arm embowed, brandishing a sword (the O'Brien crest) in the hall.


The conservatory has art nouveau metalwork.

Ennistymon became The Falls Hotel ca 1936.

Francis Macnamara was reputedly a notable bohemian figure and the father-in-law of Dylan Thomas; who married (as his second wife) the sister of Augustus John's Dorelia.

Macnamara and John are the Two Flamboyant Fathers in the book of that name by his daughter, Nicolette Shephard.

First published in March, 2016.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

'Carbuncle' and 'Much Loved Friend' spring to mind. VC

Andrew said...

There's a lot of it about.