Nolan of Garra House

 

Garra House

Photo: Killererin - A Parish History

 

Entrance to Garra House

Photo: Killererin - A Parish History

The Beginning

In 1855, Arthur Browne leased land to Valentine Browne and Bridget A. Browne, which included a house, offices and a pound measuring 30 acres 1 rood and O perches; this is confirmed on the OS 1888 – 1913 map as Garra House.¹ John Nolan was listed as the ‘owner of lands and residence over 1 acre’ in Garra, Ballyglunin’ between 1873 and 1875. He owned 124 acres.² John was the youngest son of Anthony Nolan and he married Mary Graves, daughter of Andrew Graves Esquire of Derrynara.³

Buildings

In the 1901 census records, Garra House was listed as a 1st class building with 9 front windows. This large house also included 8 out-buildings  – a barn, shed, harness room, coach house, fowl house, cow-house and piggery.⁴

Curran’s Household

Garra House was purchased by Joseph Curran, aged 31 from Co. Mayo who lived there with his sister Nora. By 1911, Curran’s household also included his wife of 5 years, Nora and 3 children – Eileen Mary who was aged 3, Nora Christine who was aged 2 and Patrick Joseph who was aged 1 year. Curran employed 2 servants, Michael Corless, a farm servant who was aged 22 and Mary Mullen who was aged 18 and worked as a general servant.

Garra House today is the home of Dick and Eileen Holian née Curran, daughter of the late Joseph Curran.

¹Ask about Ireland, ‘Griffith’s Valuation’ (http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index) (Feb 2011).

²Irish Genealogy Archives Project, Census Substitutes: County of GALWAY-Alphabetical list of Landowners in 1870s (http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/galway/censubs/galway-land-n-r.txt) (23 July 2013)

³Library Forum, ‘News items for Ennis’ (http://www.ourlibrary.ca/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=195) (23 July 2013)

⁴NAI, 1901 Census (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Ballynapark/Garra/1397349/) (23 July 2012)