The Aylmers of Donadea and Kilmacud
The medieval lords of Donadea are said to have had a castle or fortified manor in Donadea, which was
acquired by the Aylmers in 1558. Sir Gerald Aylmer (1548-1634), 1st baronet built a new tower house on
the estate that incorporated parts of the earlier building which was built about 1581. He completed the
tower house in 1624.
The Aylmers lived at Lyons until the end of the eighteenth century, when they sold the demesne
and the lands of Cloncurry to Sir Nicholas Lawless, who was shortly afterwards raised to the Peerage
by the title of Lord Cloncurry. Michael Aylmer (1728-1808), whose extravagent ways caused the
break-up of the estate which ultimately led to the sale of Lyons itself. In the 18th century Michael Aylmer
became indebted to the Rt. Hon Nicholas Lord Baron Cloncurry, and in 1796 and he was forced to sell, the
estate was bought by Cloncurry.
A new house was built on the land and which led to the following inscription placed in the Chapel on the
grounds in 1878.
Hallelujah
Within this old catholic chapel of centuries was interred several generations of the Aylmer Family The ancient
proprietors of Lyons Cloncurry and surrounding townlands. The Aylmers were seated at Lyons from The year
1300 to the close of the last century. In 1799 the family of the present owners obtained possesion of this estate,
and four years after, the Remains of the Aylmers were disturbed. Their very graves and tombs levelled and
defaced.
Gerald J Aylmer esq. representative of the family caused this tablet to be erected in 1878 in memory of The last
resting place of his ancestors.
R.I.P
The above tablet was removed from the chapel at Lyons by the 4th Baron Cloncurry.
Jane Grace Evans-Freke born circa 1775 was the daughter of John Evans (Freke) and Elizabeth Gore. She
married Sir Fenton Aylmer, 7th Baronet Donodea Castle in 1795 and became Lady Aylmer. Sir Fenton
Aylmer was founder of the Kildare Hunt and a Yeoman leader during the Rebellion of 1798. Grace moved to Kilmacud House (St Margaret's) in 1821 and
died on 31 Dec 1827. Her furniture and household goods were sold the following year.
Jane Grace Evans-Freke married Sir Fenton Aylmer
born c 1775 born circa 1768
died 31 Dec 1827 died 1816
Castle Freke, Limerick
1 Gerald George Aylmer born 15 Sep 1798 became the 8th Baronet on the death of his father
and died 8 Feb 1878.
1 Gerald Aylmer inherited the Donadea estate in 1878. The 9th Baronet died
in 1883.
1 Justin Aylmer born circa 1867 was an undergraduate at Cambridge,
he became the 10th Baronet and was killed in a cycling accident in
1885.
2 Caroline Aulmer inherited the castle and demesne, while the title of
Baronet passed to a cousin. Caroline Aylmer was the last person to
live in the Castle, she died a spinster in 1935 and her property was
sold to the Land Commission. In 1981 the lands were taken under the
management of Coillte and developed as Donadea Forest Park. The
building were left to decay and are in a very poor condition today.
2 Margaret Susan Aylmer born 1799, married John Aylmer of Courtown, Co Meath on
29 Dec 1828. They had one son and seven daughters. Margaret died on 26 Dec 1892 and
was buried at Lyons. She left an estate valued at over £14000.
3 Sir Arthur Percy Aylmer, JP, 11th baronet born 31 Aug 1801 was educated at Trinity College
Dublin. He was Honorary Secretary for "The Society for Bettering the Condition of the Poor
of Ireland". He succeeded his great-nephew as 11th baronet, 15 Mar 1885.
He married Martha (c1810-87), daughter of Richard Reynell of Killynon, Co. Westmeath on
12 Dec 1833, they had four sons and seven daughters. Arthur died at Cork, 7 May 1885, when
the baronetcy passed to his grandson Sir Arthur Percy Fitzgerald Aylmer (1858-1928 ) who
became the 12 Baronet. His will proved 9 Jul 1885 left an estate valued at £752.
4 William Josiah Aylmer born 6 Dec 1802 was educated at Trinity College Dublin. He was
admitted in 1820, BA 1825 and MA 1832. He was ordained deacon in 1827 and priest in 1828.
He married Elizabeth Frances on the 24 Nov 1830, eldest daughter of Rev. Henry Lambart Bayly
of Ballyarthur and they had five sons and two daughters. He was the prebendary of Donadea
and curate of Dunmurghill from 1828 to 1851. He immigrated to New Zealand in 1851, where he
built Aylmer House at Akaroa. He became the Vicar of St Peter's church that same year and
remained in the post until 1873. Elizabeth died in 1880 and William 9 Aug 1883 and was buried
at Akaroa, New Zealand.
5 John Freke Aylmer was born 6 May 1807. He lived at Green Bank, Bray, Co Wicklow. He was
an officer in the infantry. He married Anna Parrish on 22 May 1832 in Philadelphia, she was the
third daughter of Richard Austin Parrish of Philadelphia, they had two sons and one daughter.
John died 22 Dec 1874 and was buried at Bray. His estate was valued at less that £200.
©June Bow & Karen Poff - February 2017
The medieval lords of Donadea are said to have had a castle or fortified manor in Donadea, which was
acquired by the Aylmers in 1558. Sir Gerald Aylmer (1548-1634), 1st baronet built a new tower house on
the estate that incorporated parts of the earlier building which was built about 1581. He completed the
tower house in 1624.
The Aylmers lived at Lyons until the end of the eighteenth century, when they sold the demesne
and the lands of Cloncurry to Sir Nicholas Lawless, who was shortly afterwards raised to the Peerage
by the title of Lord Cloncurry. Michael Aylmer (1728-1808), whose extravagent ways caused the
break-up of the estate which ultimately led to the sale of Lyons itself. In the 18th century Michael Aylmer
became indebted to the Rt. Hon Nicholas Lord Baron Cloncurry, and in 1796 and he was forced to sell, the
estate was bought by Cloncurry.
A new house was built on the land and which led to the following inscription placed in the Chapel on the
grounds in 1878.
Hallelujah
Within this old catholic chapel of centuries was interred several generations of the Aylmer Family The ancient
proprietors of Lyons Cloncurry and surrounding townlands. The Aylmers were seated at Lyons from The year
1300 to the close of the last century. In 1799 the family of the present owners obtained possesion of this estate,
and four years after, the Remains of the Aylmers were disturbed. Their very graves and tombs levelled and
defaced.
Gerald J Aylmer esq. representative of the family caused this tablet to be erected in 1878 in memory of The last
resting place of his ancestors.
R.I.P
The above tablet was removed from the chapel at Lyons by the 4th Baron Cloncurry.
Jane Grace Evans-Freke born circa 1775 was the daughter of John Evans (Freke) and Elizabeth Gore. She
married Sir Fenton Aylmer, 7th Baronet Donodea Castle in 1795 and became Lady Aylmer. Sir Fenton
Aylmer was founder of the Kildare Hunt and a Yeoman leader during the Rebellion of 1798. Grace moved to Kilmacud House (St Margaret's) in 1821 and
died on 31 Dec 1827. Her furniture and household goods were sold the following year.
Jane Grace Evans-Freke married Sir Fenton Aylmer
born c 1775 born circa 1768
died 31 Dec 1827 died 1816
Castle Freke, Limerick
1 Gerald George Aylmer born 15 Sep 1798 became the 8th Baronet on the death of his father
and died 8 Feb 1878.
1 Gerald Aylmer inherited the Donadea estate in 1878. The 9th Baronet died
in 1883.
1 Justin Aylmer born circa 1867 was an undergraduate at Cambridge,
he became the 10th Baronet and was killed in a cycling accident in
1885.
2 Caroline Aulmer inherited the castle and demesne, while the title of
Baronet passed to a cousin. Caroline Aylmer was the last person to
live in the Castle, she died a spinster in 1935 and her property was
sold to the Land Commission. In 1981 the lands were taken under the
management of Coillte and developed as Donadea Forest Park. The
building were left to decay and are in a very poor condition today.
2 Margaret Susan Aylmer born 1799, married John Aylmer of Courtown, Co Meath on
29 Dec 1828. They had one son and seven daughters. Margaret died on 26 Dec 1892 and
was buried at Lyons. She left an estate valued at over £14000.
3 Sir Arthur Percy Aylmer, JP, 11th baronet born 31 Aug 1801 was educated at Trinity College
Dublin. He was Honorary Secretary for "The Society for Bettering the Condition of the Poor
of Ireland". He succeeded his great-nephew as 11th baronet, 15 Mar 1885.
He married Martha (c1810-87), daughter of Richard Reynell of Killynon, Co. Westmeath on
12 Dec 1833, they had four sons and seven daughters. Arthur died at Cork, 7 May 1885, when
the baronetcy passed to his grandson Sir Arthur Percy Fitzgerald Aylmer (1858-1928 ) who
became the 12 Baronet. His will proved 9 Jul 1885 left an estate valued at £752.
4 William Josiah Aylmer born 6 Dec 1802 was educated at Trinity College Dublin. He was
admitted in 1820, BA 1825 and MA 1832. He was ordained deacon in 1827 and priest in 1828.
He married Elizabeth Frances on the 24 Nov 1830, eldest daughter of Rev. Henry Lambart Bayly
of Ballyarthur and they had five sons and two daughters. He was the prebendary of Donadea
and curate of Dunmurghill from 1828 to 1851. He immigrated to New Zealand in 1851, where he
built Aylmer House at Akaroa. He became the Vicar of St Peter's church that same year and
remained in the post until 1873. Elizabeth died in 1880 and William 9 Aug 1883 and was buried
at Akaroa, New Zealand.
5 John Freke Aylmer was born 6 May 1807. He lived at Green Bank, Bray, Co Wicklow. He was
an officer in the infantry. He married Anna Parrish on 22 May 1832 in Philadelphia, she was the
third daughter of Richard Austin Parrish of Philadelphia, they had two sons and one daughter.
John died 22 Dec 1874 and was buried at Bray. His estate was valued at less that £200.
©June Bow & Karen Poff - February 2017