The Story Of Knockelly Castle

Knockelly Cast1e and village was planned, and its construction begun, about the year 1465, by Edmund Fitz James Butler -eight Baron Dunboyne, of Kiltinan Castle, as a home for his second son, Piers or Peter. This Lord Dunboyne was the Earl of Ormond’s Seneschal for his Palatinate of Tipperary from 1457 to 1478, having succeeded to this office after the death of the seventh baron, William le Botiller, who had held the appointment from 1448. Edmund, in his turn, was succeeded in the office by James le Botiller, ninth Baron Dunboyne, until 1505, when he was succeeded by Sir Peter le Botiller, who eventually became Earl of Ossory, and eight Earl of Ormonde.
The successive Barons of Dunboyee had, therefore, administered the Palatinate Tipperary from Kiltinan Castle from 1448-1517, after which George Comyn or Cummins of Tullaghmanin held the office for a year. The Barons of Dunboyne, therefore, were the virtual rulers of the County Tipperary from 1448 to 1517. They found the appointment by no means a sinecure, and amongst the most turbulent of their chief tenants were the
St. Aubyns or Tobins, barons of Compsey, whose stronghodd was Killaghy Castle, near Mullinahone. It is on record that Piers But1er of Knockelly was "slain" by James Tobin of Kilaghy in 1502, but it is not clear whether this Piers was the son or the grandson of Lord Dunboyne. Piers was succeeded in Knockelly by his son Pierce, who surrendered some of his lands at Lisronagh to the Earl of Ormond on 31st. March 1536, arid part of Knockelly to Thomas Butler, fifthe "Lord", and firdt "Baron" of Cahir, on 20th December 1542. These "surrenders” suggest that they were intended to safeguard the lands and castle of Knockelly from sequestration, as Peter Oge, Pier's son, was "pardoned" by Queen Elizabeth in 1568. Peter Oge, however, was soon in rebellion again and was attainted, with his son and heir Theobald Butler, in 1592, for participation in the Desmond rebellion in which he fought against the Lord of the Palatinate, the tenth Earl of Ormonde, the famous "Black Tom" Butler.
With the defeat of the Desmonds, the. Butlers of Knockelly were ruined. "Black Tom", the favourite - some say the lover -of Queen Elizabeth, had procured a royal pardon for the Knockelly Butlers in 1568. His reward was renewed rebellion. Further "pardon" was out of the question and Peter Oge Butler, with his son, Theobald, were deprived of Knockelly on 17th March 1592. The castle arid lands were granted, in the first instance, to Patrick Grant, of Plebanstown, Co. Kilkenny, a nominee of the tenth Earl of Ormonde.
Queen Elizabeth died on 24th March 1603, and James the sixth of Scotland, son of Queen Mary whom Queen Elizabeth had beheaded on the 18th February 1586, succeedee to the thrones of England and Ireland. Black Tom Butler, tenth Earl of Ormonde, lived on until 26th November 1614, when he died in his new Tudor mansion at Carrick-on-Suir, having been reconciled to the Church of his ancestors on his deathbed by Father Wall or de Vale of Coolnamuck, a descendant of the original grantees of Kilcash.
JamesI encouraged the policy of surrender and re-grant of titles amongst Irish landholders, and amongst the first to avail themselves of this measure were the turbulent Tobins or St. Aubyns of Compsry neighbours and enemies of the Knockelly Butlers. Their neighbours, the Sauces and St. Johns, were apparently left undisturbed.
Black Tom’s legitimate sons aand grandsons had all predeceased him, and his title and lands passed to his nephew, Walter of Kilcash, who became eleventh Earl of Ormonde. But amongst Tom's illegitimate sons was his favourite, Piers Fitz Thomas, who was born in England, and the identity of whose mother Tom carefully concealed. The date of Sir Pier's birth is not accurately known, but was probably in 1566. In 1597 Ormonde conveyed to him some rich church lands of which he had become possessed, and in his will made him his resudual legatte. Piers married Katharine, eldest daughter of Thomas, Lord Stone, and their son, Sir Edward Butler, was created Viscount Galmoy on the 16th May 1646. The identity of Lord Galmoy's grandmother has been the subject of much speculation, and in Carrick-on-Suir, the tradition was that she was none other than Queen Elizabeth herself!!
By 1632, the castle and lands of Knockl1y were the property of Sir John's death is recorded. His son, Nicholas, succeeded, followed by Sir Pedmond, who was dispossessed by Cromwell, but restored, with a baronetcy, in 1662. He married Elizabeth Butler, eldest daughter of Richard of Kilcash, a niece of the Duke of Ormonde. His sone Sir John, was killed it the battle of Aughrim and, in 1702, his confiscated Tipperary estates were sold, Knockelly to David Lowe, and Grove to Richard Burgh or Bourke.
The Everards were an English family of Danish origin, domiciled in East Anglia, who had held extensive possessions in Ireland since 1356 when John “EVERHARD” was one of the junors of Cross-Tipperary. They were distinguished for their staunch adherence to the "old religion". During the Cromwellian protectorate, Knockelly Castle was held by Colonel Matthew Jacob, and officer in Cromwell's army, but he soon left the castle for more comfortable premises at Mobarnan. But Sir John Everard, who declared oor King James II, was killed at the battle of Aughrim, and his estates were again confiscated and, in 170”, finally sold. Robert Lowe, David's son, died at Knockelly Castle in 1742, and soon afterwards the Fethard estates, in cluding Knockelly, were purchases by the Bartons, wine merchants who lived in County Fermanagh, and had an extensive wine trade with southern Ireland and the Ormonde family. The Bartons re-built Grove as their residence, and let Knockelly castle and farm lands to James Kirkham or Kickham, a decendant of a farrier sergeant in Cromeell’s army, and a first cousin of John Kickham of Mullinahone, father of Charles Kickham the Fenian writer and poet. James Kickham, protestant, married Ellen Purcell of Fortwilliam, a catholic, and their children were brought up as catholics. They had four daughters who became Mrs. Crean, Mrs. Hurley, Mrs. Green and Mrs. Heffernan. The last named, Catherine, born in 1808, married Patrick Heffernan of Cuckoo Hill, Derrygrath, and brought Knockelly Castle and lands into the Heffernan family, in whose care they still remain.

Note-Re. Barton family.

The name of the purchaser was William Barton. One of his sons, Robert, born in 1770, served in the British army in the Peninsular War, became a General in 1819. Was knighted in 1857, and died in London on St. Patrick's day, 1853, aged 83years.