Nolan of Garra House

Landlords and Big Houses

Extract from Killererin - A Parish History Ch. 13, pps 617 - 618

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)

This page was added on 07/04/2021.

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