The 'Big House' Kingsland
This is an old house, known always as the 'Big House' not Kingsland house. It is built on approximately 700 acres of land, extending fromLough Gara upper, to the Kingsland Road, and contains 17 rooms. It is believed to have been built by the Conmee family in the early 19th century.
One of the Conmee family, Fr. John Conmee, a Jesuit, who was educated at Clongowes Wood, College, Co. Kildare, was a teacher in Belvedere College Dublin, when the writer James Joyce was a student there, on whom Fr. John Conmee made, apparently, a very favourable impression.
The estate was divided in 1905, and the house vacated around the same time. The place was owned after by Terence Harrington. It is now in ruins, no roof on it, for some years. The slates on the present ParochialHouse at Breedogue on the Boyle-Frenchpark road, are from this house.
It (The Big House), is situated one mile, off the Boyle-Frenchpark road, 2 miles from Breedogue Church and a mile from the newly built pub, known as Harrington's 'John's Bar', Kingsland. Beside the house, are the ruins of stables, 2 yards, all paved with stones, and a 12-foot wall surrounds it.
There was an Oratory, a Belfry (we have the bell), servants to work in the 'Big House' a herd to check or look after the stock, on the estate, a gate house at the road, where a man lived, to open and close the entrance gate when visitors, or indeed anyone call to the 'Big House'.
It was a favourite place for the children of Kingsland to visit, now and again, and ramble through the rooms, even in those days, were in perfect condition.
It was owned at that time by Mrs. Matty Drury, who lived at Kingsland Cross, and owned the local post office, then Fr. John Conmee's sister, Essme, married Frank Flanagan, of Tomona House, Tulsk, and later, her father,John Conmee, left the 'Big House' and went to live with the daughter, at Tomona House. Two families looked after the estate, when John Conmee went to Tulsk. Later two new houses were built on the estate, for those families to live in. The 'Big House ' had a most beautiful wide staircase. I have been led to believe, by one of my informants. Thank you all, who have helped me to put this together, about the 'Big House' at Kingsland. I have lived here the last 32 years, but would have known very 'little about it, only for my informants. Again, many thanks, to one and all, for the information, God bless you all.
- Una Harrington
Emlagh, Kingsland