The sun., 1880-02-22
THE GREAT IRISH LANDLORDS.


who own the soil OF ireland. But probably very
few Americans. not Irish born, know who these
landlords are. the extent OF their possessions.
the size o! their rent rolls, or their reputation
where they are best known. Definite niorma-
ton on these points will. therefore. not come
amiss at this stage OF what promises to be
long and heated discus sion.
We will first take those Irish landlords whose
estates arc OF I'm annual value OF 100000 and
upward in the order Of their income. They are
twonty-six in number: The Marquis OF Down
shire. Sir Richard Wallace. Bart. Earl Fitzwl-
liam. tho Duke OF Leinstcr the Marquis OF Lon
donderry. the Duke OF Abcrcorn. the Marquis
OF Lansdowne. the Duke of Devonshiro Smith
Barry. the Marquis OF fConyngham the Marquis
OF Waterford. the Earl OF Annesley the Earl Of
Carysfort, the Earl OF Charlenont, the Earl Of
Ernc. tho Marquis OF ELY. viscount Powers
court, King Harman. the Earl of Bessborough.
Evelyn p. Shirley. Lord Farnham. Sir Roger
Palmer the Marquis of Clanricarde. Viscount
Clitden. Lord Leconneld. and Sir John Leslie.
The Marquis OF Downshire owns 100.92G
acres. annual value $50 027; 2.070 acres are In
Antrim. value f1 .424: 3.717 in Cnrrickfergus,
value f3501 G02 in Downshire. value 49,
$751; 1888 in Kildare, value 1910; 1869 in
Kings County value CT 2Gl; ; 15 766 in Wick
low. valuo f5,0lS. The present Marquis Of
Downshire is n minor, but the Downshires
have always been resident landlords. and
though their tenants. being in well-to-do
circumstances. require but littlo encour-
agement OF any kind they have always held
tho reputation Of being generous and kind
landlords. The family were at ono period Lib
erals. hut for the last three generations have
been Tory: and the Marquis's grand uncle.
Lord Edwin Hill. represents the county. The
Al.
sex in 1873 to suppress O'Neili's rebellion. and
remained. acquiring considerable property.
They were accommodating in their principles
member of the family sitting successfully in
the Parliaments OF Cromwell. Charles H.. and
james H.
Sir Richard Wallace Bart who ranks next on
the list owns G1 .05S acres; annual value a74. .ls9
or this property 5S.365 acres are in Antrim,
value G67 .9i5. and 2.693 in Down. value &C 244.
Sir Richard is an llegitimate son of the late
Marquis of Hertford, who bequeathcd to him all
his large landed estates in Ireland and in Suf-
folk. England. where he chiefly resides. His
father was an absentee. residing altogether in
Paris and his mother is French. He is mar
red to n French lady. and his only child has been
an officer in the French army. Mr.. Gladstone
made a baronct OF him by one of his frequent po-
litical mistakes. He is Tory. and is II. p. for
Lsburn. which is pocket borough oi the fam
lily. though its freedom has been twice won by
Mr.. Roger Smith and by Mr.. Barbour. the we'll
known Irish linen merchant OF this city. both
then residents of the plnce. He is IN absentee
but as his tenantry are all wealthy and hold
under long leases the character of the landlord
is OF little account. Tho Seymours. Marquises
Of Hertiord, whom he represents, inherited
their Irish estates through the Conways. who
were early settlers in Ireland, and in 1902 one
OF them was created Baron Conway in the Irish
pceraCe. and mnde Governor Of CarrickferGus.
The Earl OF Fitzwillam owns 81 ,423 acres ;
annual value. fi7 500; 1882 acres are in Dub
lin. value 81 255. and 1891 acres are in Wick
low. value s464i4. The Earl OF Fitzwilliam
though large landed proprietor in Yorkshire
and other parts OF England. takes n great in
tercst in his Irish property. which is situated
almost entirely in Wicklow. where Mr. Parnell
resides. and runs over there for two months
cv"ry year. His property is In admirable con-
diton. aud his tenants are all comfortable and
coutcnted. thanks to a mos, viEilant and eener-
GUS care which some of his neighbors might
initiate with advantage. the Ftzwliamses
are an nu' 'i"rt English family. They first came
to ireland in 1860. when sir William was made
Lord Deputy. and held that Office down to 1894
administering the Government with justice and
generosity, and winning high place in Irish
estimation. The family have three Irish
peerages. They were Liberals. and supporters
OF Catholic emancipation through the darkest
hours Of that cause.
The Duke OF Lenster owns 6S,271 acres an
nunl value si7 GiG: 81 .227 acres are in Kildare
value SAC 5Tl. and .044 in Meath value sl O75.
The Duke of Lainst-r until the creation OF the
dukedom Of Ahercorn by Disrael "lrcaud's
only strawberry" and head of family pro-
l. I. T.. =
resident landlord. His father and indeed, all
the Dukes UP to the present one. had the rep
utaton OF being excellent landlords; but this
Duke has incurred much public rcproba,ion
and even tho censure of the courts. for some
arbitrary acts OF landlord despoism. The Fitz-
Geralds. VINO are descended from the Italian
family Of Gherardini of Florence settled in
Normandy. Accompanying William the Con-
queror, they became possessed OF large estates
in England. Maurice Fitzgerald was the
patriarch Of the Irish Fitzgeralds. In llGS
Dermott McMurrouGh, the King OF Leinstcr
having been driven from his kingdom 10y Rod
erick O'Connor King OF Ireland. went over to
England to seek aid. was hospitality treated by
David Fitzgerald. Bishop Of ii. pavls. and
induced his brothers. Maurice and Robert to
bring n force over to Ireland to assist him.
From the hour Of Maurices landing down to
llle lllT.eFHIuS were tnSaEtl III al me con-
tests between rival Irish Kings md claimants
and in all the rrbrllions against English rule.
The Duke Of Abercorn owns g.. .jj7 acres. an
nual value OF G35 500; II 942 acres, annual value
f1O,3S2, are situated in Donegal and 47.Gl5
acres in Tyrone. value f2j.i2O. The tenants
on the Tyrone estate. on which he resides al
tho family seat OF Burons Court, are sufficiently
comfortable: those on the Donegal property are
very small holders and occupy poor mountain
land. But no complaints have over come from
any portion OF his property Of distress or Of
eSartiun or nigh rents. He Is Tory was
Ltcntrnnnt oi Ireland under Lords Darby and
Ii'ncnnsteld, and his. eldest son is VI. 7. for
Donegal, The Hamillons, wno are Scotch
tHmliy, first came 10 ireland with James H..
and their head Lord Straaan", having adhered
10 tnnt monarrhs fortunes and fought on his
side nj the bait . Of tho Boync, was outlnwed aud
his estates forfeited. But the atralndcr was
Hiirrward removed and the tl'lo restored
Tine Marquis OF lOud ouAcrrv owns 274l6
acr's, annual value G31.2ll 2.ls9 ncrps are IN
Darcy vnluc 81 .5i2; 1913 IN Donegal. vulue
Sils3: 231H in Down, Nhlu" r3iiSt. the
Londonderry estates have always rorE larraliy
managed, ana though the family have acquired
large estates in England through the Tom
pests. they have ALWAYS resided for the greater
par. Of the year In ireland. They nr' Tory in
politics, and tho present MHrlus's son, Lord
Custl"reagh. r"rresGntS the county. They urr
nm old County Down famltyt one e them, was