Part III. History of the County of Clare
Chapter 30. Reign of James II. and William and Mary. 1689 to 1700.

William Smith of Tullagower; Murtagh MacMahon; Patrick Creagh of Kilfearagh; Conor Clancy of Aughagarna

William Smith of Tullagower, gent., states that in 1676, Lord Clare, being owner in fee of Cahermurphy and Cahermore, in consideration of £200 fine, and for the yearly rent of £25, demised these townlands to John Harwell and Giles Vandeleur for their lives. Harwell soon after parted this kingdom never minding said lands, so as that Vandeleur was forced and did pay off the fine of £200, to Lord Clare. His lordship, in 1678, mortgaged these lands, with others, to Alderman Wm. Yorke of Limerick, for £1,200. In 1681, Smith purchased for £300 Vandeleur’s interest, and then got from Lord Clare a new lease for three lives, Henry Hickman being appointed his lordship’s attorney to deliver possession. The lease and livery of seizin were witnessed by Owen M‘Sweeney, Thomas Power, Jas. Fitzgerald, Jas. M‘Donnell, Darby Considine, and Hugh Hickman. Conformably with the terms of his lease, the claimant made great improvements in his chief residence at Gowerhass.

Smith in another petition states that Tullygower and Gowerhass were formerly held from Lord Clare by old George Roche, and by his son James Roche. In 1671 James Roche sold to petitioner his title in these lands. Then Lord Clare made a new lease to Smith, at the yearly rent of £40, for the lives of Willliam, son of Walter Hickman of Doonnagurroge, and of Richard Bernard of Cork. By the terms of the lease, the tenant was to enclose and plant with apple trees two acres of land, and to build a house 50 feet long, with a thatched roof. The lease was witnessed by John Hart, Roland Wall, Morogh Kelly, Teige Glasson, Edmd. Gerald, Dermot Glasson, and one Halpin. Petitioner adds that he greatly improved the premises, making Gowerhass his principal residence.

Murtagh M‘Mahon of Ballinagun, gent., says that in 1668, Lord Clare demised to him the lands of Knockmore, alias Kiltinnins, alias Kiltumper, for the lives of the petitioner, of Ambrose, son of Henry Ivers, of Elizabeth, wife of Henry Ivers, of Dermot Considine, and of More his wife, at the yearly rent of £25. The lease contains the usual covenant as to building a house and planting an orchard, and is witnessed by Dermot Considine, Murtagh M‘Mahon, Connor Considine, Sheeda M‘Namara, and Michael Creagh. Petitioner describes himself as within the Articles of Limerick, and in that character claims the residue of the term of his lease.

Patrick Creagh of Kilfearagh, gent., says, that in 1673, Lord Clare demised to him the townlands of Kilfearagh and part of Farrinbeg, for the lives of himself, of his wife, Margaret Creagh, alias McDonnell, and of Patrick FitzAndrew Creagh, at the yearly rent of £24 and a fat beef, or forty shillings in lieu thereof. The usual covenants for building a house and planting an orchard were contained in the lease, and it was witnessed by Jas. M‘Donnell, John M‘Namara, Francis Fitzgerald, Donogh Madigan, John Davis, and Bryan O’Cahane. By a subsequent endorsement upon it, the lessee was absolved from the obligation of building and planting. This endorsement was witnessed by Edmd. Moroney, Corns. Considine, And. Creagh, Turlagh M‘Mahon, and Francis M‘Inerney.

The petition of Conor Clancy of Aughagarna, “a poore man,” states that in 1669, Donogh Clancy, gent., father of petitioner, took from Colonel Daniel O’Brien the lands of Aughagarna, being part of Danganella, containing 24 acres of profitable land, at the yearly rent of £4, for the term of the lives of his three sons, Connor, Boetius, and Teige, with the usual obligations to build and plant. Instead of constructing a stone house as agreed upon, he built one of mud, stone not being convenient.