Comyn Family of Beaufield, Stillorgan
James Comyn married Ellen Quin
born circa 1842 30 Jan 1869 born circa 1844
Co Clare Kilfenora Co Clare
died 29 May 1929 died 18 Jan 1905
Co Clare Co Clare
James Comyn born circa 1842 son of Michael Comyn. He was a farmer of Loughbrask,
Ballyvaughan and married Ellen Quin at Kilfenora Co Clare on 30 Jan 1869. They were living
at Gortnaboul in 1901. Ellen died 18 Jan 1905 at Kilshanny, Co Clare and was buried at the
family burial ground at Bishopsquarter, Ballyvaughan. James died 29 May 1929 at Kilshanny
and was buried with his wife. American & Australian newspapers were asked to copy his
death notice.
1 Bridget Comyn born 17 Jan 1870, at Clareville, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare.
2 Michael Comyn born 3 Jun 1871 at Clareville, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare. He was educated
at Brady’s School Ruan, at Lancaster and Preston Schools, and at UCD. He was
admitted to the Bar in 1898 and joined the Munster circuit in 1900 and he took silk in June
1914. He was living at Northbrook Road and married Marcella Margaret Blake Foster on
12 Nov 1924. Marcella was the daughter of Francis O’Donnellan Blake Foster, the
O'Donnellan,of Ballykeal House, Kilfenora. He represented the forty-two men who had
been sentenced to death by a court martial in Co Cork and by using delaying tactics he
gained a stay of execution and the eventual release of the men. He was a fluent Irish
speaker and defended Erskine Childers in 1922. He was appointed a senator in 1929 and
resigned when he was appointed a judge in 1936. He retired in 1943 and as a keen
geologist was involved with mines in Clare and gold mines in Co Wicklow. He died
6 Oct 1952 at Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare and was buried at Ballyvaughan. Marcella died in
1962 at the Bon Secours aged 81 late of Wellington Road and was buried with her
husband.
3 Patrick Comyn born 16 May 1873 at Clareville. He was a farmer of Smithstown and
married Maria Carroll on 7 Feb 1914 at St Leonard’s, Ennistymon. Maria was the
daughter of Patrick Carroll, farmer. Maria died at a nursing home in Lisdoonvarna late
of Gortnaboul, Kilshanny on 3 Aug 1966 and Patrick died in 1967.
4 Delia Gertrude Comyn born circa 1874 was a nurse in 1901 living with her parents in
1901. She was working as a nurse on the Isle of Wight in 1911. She moved to Belvin
Hall in 1934. She died unmarried on 9 Oct 1950 at Belvin, Tara, Co Meath and is
buried at Glasnevin.
5 Elizabeth Marion (Lily) Comyn born 12 Jul 1875 at Clareville, Ballyvaughan. She was a
nurse working at the Mater Hospital in 1901. She died unmarried on 25 Apr 1965 at
Belvin Hall, Tara and was buried at Bishops Quarter, Ballyvaughan.
6 Mary Ellen Teresa Comyn born January 1877. She was a hospital nurse living with her
brother at Waterloo place in 1911. She was a superintendent of the Child Welfare of
the City of Dublin. As third daughter, she died unmarried at a Dublin Nursing Home in
April 1946 late of 15 Waterloo Road, Dublin.
7 James Joseph Comyn youngest son born 16 Dec 1878. He was a civil servant living at
Mount Street in 1901. He graduated Trinity BA in 1906 in Legal and political science.
He was also awarded the O’Hagan silver medal and called to the Bar in 1907. He was a
barrister at law of Northbrook Road, Dublin and married Mary Anne Moloney on
31.07.1918 at University Church, Dublin. Mary was the only child of Peter Edward Moloney
a merchant of Mill Street, Ennis and Eaton Square, Terenure. He acted as junior counsel
to his older brother Michael and they moved to Beaufield in 1921. Mary died 14.12.1922
aged 34 with placenta previa at 40 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, late of Beaufield. Her funeral
mass was held at St Laurence's, Kilmacud and she is buried at Glasnevin. He was a member
of Dublin Corporation for several years and was called to the Inner Bar in 1938. He went
to live in London with his son James circa 1951 where he died on 4 Jun 1953 at 18 Cresswell
Place. His body was repatriated, a funeral mass was held at St Mary's, Haddington Road
and he was buried at Glasnevin.
1 James Gerard Peter Comyn born 8 Mar 1921 at Beaufield. He attended Belvedere
College, Dublin, The Oratory School in England and read law at New College, Oxford.
He was called to the English bar in 1942 and the Irish Bar in 1947. He took silk in
1961 and was called to the Hong Kong bar in 1969. He mainly worked in England and
defended many high profile cases and had some spectacular victories. He married
and they lived at the house in inherited from his aunt at Tara where he and his wife
bred pedigree cattle. James wrote a number of book and was knighted in 1978.
Belvin House in Tara was burned down by subversives in 1981 at the height of the
H-Block campaign. He claimed 1 million in compensation and the house was rebuilt.
2 Daughter Comyn died at birth in 1922 and was buried with her mother.
8 Susan Comyn born 12 Jul 1882 at Clareville.
9 Johanna Frances Comyn born circa 1883 living with her parents in 1901.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – July 2020/updated July 2024
Return to Beaufield page
James Comyn married Ellen Quin
born circa 1842 30 Jan 1869 born circa 1844
Co Clare Kilfenora Co Clare
died 29 May 1929 died 18 Jan 1905
Co Clare Co Clare
James Comyn born circa 1842 son of Michael Comyn. He was a farmer of Loughbrask,
Ballyvaughan and married Ellen Quin at Kilfenora Co Clare on 30 Jan 1869. They were living
at Gortnaboul in 1901. Ellen died 18 Jan 1905 at Kilshanny, Co Clare and was buried at the
family burial ground at Bishopsquarter, Ballyvaughan. James died 29 May 1929 at Kilshanny
and was buried with his wife. American & Australian newspapers were asked to copy his
death notice.
1 Bridget Comyn born 17 Jan 1870, at Clareville, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare.
2 Michael Comyn born 3 Jun 1871 at Clareville, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare. He was educated
at Brady’s School Ruan, at Lancaster and Preston Schools, and at UCD. He was
admitted to the Bar in 1898 and joined the Munster circuit in 1900 and he took silk in June
1914. He was living at Northbrook Road and married Marcella Margaret Blake Foster on
12 Nov 1924. Marcella was the daughter of Francis O’Donnellan Blake Foster, the
O'Donnellan,of Ballykeal House, Kilfenora. He represented the forty-two men who had
been sentenced to death by a court martial in Co Cork and by using delaying tactics he
gained a stay of execution and the eventual release of the men. He was a fluent Irish
speaker and defended Erskine Childers in 1922. He was appointed a senator in 1929 and
resigned when he was appointed a judge in 1936. He retired in 1943 and as a keen
geologist was involved with mines in Clare and gold mines in Co Wicklow. He died
6 Oct 1952 at Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare and was buried at Ballyvaughan. Marcella died in
1962 at the Bon Secours aged 81 late of Wellington Road and was buried with her
husband.
3 Patrick Comyn born 16 May 1873 at Clareville. He was a farmer of Smithstown and
married Maria Carroll on 7 Feb 1914 at St Leonard’s, Ennistymon. Maria was the
daughter of Patrick Carroll, farmer. Maria died at a nursing home in Lisdoonvarna late
of Gortnaboul, Kilshanny on 3 Aug 1966 and Patrick died in 1967.
4 Delia Gertrude Comyn born circa 1874 was a nurse in 1901 living with her parents in
1901. She was working as a nurse on the Isle of Wight in 1911. She moved to Belvin
Hall in 1934. She died unmarried on 9 Oct 1950 at Belvin, Tara, Co Meath and is
buried at Glasnevin.
5 Elizabeth Marion (Lily) Comyn born 12 Jul 1875 at Clareville, Ballyvaughan. She was a
nurse working at the Mater Hospital in 1901. She died unmarried on 25 Apr 1965 at
Belvin Hall, Tara and was buried at Bishops Quarter, Ballyvaughan.
6 Mary Ellen Teresa Comyn born January 1877. She was a hospital nurse living with her
brother at Waterloo place in 1911. She was a superintendent of the Child Welfare of
the City of Dublin. As third daughter, she died unmarried at a Dublin Nursing Home in
April 1946 late of 15 Waterloo Road, Dublin.
7 James Joseph Comyn youngest son born 16 Dec 1878. He was a civil servant living at
Mount Street in 1901. He graduated Trinity BA in 1906 in Legal and political science.
He was also awarded the O’Hagan silver medal and called to the Bar in 1907. He was a
barrister at law of Northbrook Road, Dublin and married Mary Anne Moloney on
31.07.1918 at University Church, Dublin. Mary was the only child of Peter Edward Moloney
a merchant of Mill Street, Ennis and Eaton Square, Terenure. He acted as junior counsel
to his older brother Michael and they moved to Beaufield in 1921. Mary died 14.12.1922
aged 34 with placenta previa at 40 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, late of Beaufield. Her funeral
mass was held at St Laurence's, Kilmacud and she is buried at Glasnevin. He was a member
of Dublin Corporation for several years and was called to the Inner Bar in 1938. He went
to live in London with his son James circa 1951 where he died on 4 Jun 1953 at 18 Cresswell
Place. His body was repatriated, a funeral mass was held at St Mary's, Haddington Road
and he was buried at Glasnevin.
1 James Gerard Peter Comyn born 8 Mar 1921 at Beaufield. He attended Belvedere
College, Dublin, The Oratory School in England and read law at New College, Oxford.
He was called to the English bar in 1942 and the Irish Bar in 1947. He took silk in
1961 and was called to the Hong Kong bar in 1969. He mainly worked in England and
defended many high profile cases and had some spectacular victories. He married
and they lived at the house in inherited from his aunt at Tara where he and his wife
bred pedigree cattle. James wrote a number of book and was knighted in 1978.
Belvin House in Tara was burned down by subversives in 1981 at the height of the
H-Block campaign. He claimed 1 million in compensation and the house was rebuilt.
2 Daughter Comyn died at birth in 1922 and was buried with her mother.
8 Susan Comyn born 12 Jul 1882 at Clareville.
9 Johanna Frances Comyn born circa 1883 living with her parents in 1901.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – July 2020/updated July 2024
Return to Beaufield page