Frances Deane Grady by Charles Foot Tayler (British, fl. 1813-1853). Sold at Christies in 2007 for £625 Stg
Henry Deane Grady of Stillorgan Castle/Mount Eagle House.
Henry Deane Grady of Stillorgan Castle was the son of Standish O’Grady and Elizabeth Deane and was
called to the bar in 1787. He married Dorcas, the daughter of William Spread, lawyer, of Ballycannon,
Co Cork and Elizabeth Peard. He was a successful barrister and entered the Irish parliament for his
native Limerick in 1797.
A small man, he was known for his wit, humour and eloquence, it was said that his wink said as much
as many a rival's speech. He was also quite the duellist having taken part in at least four. He succeeded
to Lodge in Co Limerick on the death of his father in 1809. They were living at York Street in 1799 when
one of their children was born but by 1809 they were living in Stillorgan.
He was Counsel to Excise and Customs for over 20 years and when he retired he received a pension of two
thousand a year. His obit mentions him as the father-in-law of Lord Muskerry, Lord Massareene, Lord E
Chichester, Sir David Roche & the late Mr Blennerhassett and during his tenure of Stillorgan castle, it seems
that the house became known as the House of Lords due to the illustrious marriages of his daughters.
Henry Deane Grady married 12 Apr 1794 Dorcas Spread
born circa 1757 Castletown Roche, Cork born circa 1766
died 8 Sep 1847 died 13 Dec 1857
Stillorgan Castle Merrion Square
buried at Stillorgan buried at Stillorgan
1 Standish Deane Grady, eldest son. It seems he challenged his brother in law The Marquis of
Donegall to a duel in 1828 but this was later denied in court. He died 31 May 1846 at Stillorgan
after a protracted illness and was buried at Stillorgan graveyard.
2 William Deane Grady, second son took Holy orders and died 12 Jan 1841 at Kennington and was
buried at Stillorgan graveyard.
3 Frances Deane Grady born 1800 married Arthur Blennerhassett on 13 Jan 1821 at St Peters.
She died on 10 Mar 1834 giving birth to her ninth child. Arthur was MP for Kerry and died at
Nantes in April 1843 aged 44 survived by two sons and three daughters.
1 Dorcas Blennerhassett, eldest daughter married R Conway Hurley in May 1845.
2 Cecelia Blennerhassett born 1824 died April 1841.
3 Arthur Blennerhassett born circa 1825 died as an infant.
4 Amelia Blennerhassett married the Hon Chichester Thomas Skeffington in Dec 1845 at her
grandfather’s house on Merrion Square, she died 3 Aug 1887.
5 Georgina Blennerhassett born 1827 at Ballyseedy.
6 Henry Deane Blennerhassett born 1828, died 3 Jan 1850.
7 Charles John Allison Winn Blennerhassett born circa 1831, married Mary Ann Hickson in
1855, they had two children and he died 9 Dec 1859.
1 Arthur Blennerhassett born 1856.
2 Georgina Blennerhassett born 1857.
8 Adelaide (Ada) Blennerhassett married Standish O’Grady, Viscount Guillamore on
23 Jul 1853 at the home of Sir David Roche at Merrion. She became Viscountess Guillamore
and died 4 Dec 1867.
9 Frances Annabella Blennerhassett youngest daughter married Sir John Wolsey of Mount
Wolsey in Carlow and died 30 May 1907.
4 Amelia Diana Spread Deane Grady, daughter born circa 1803, eloped and married Lord Edward
Chichester, son of the Marquis of Donegall in Gretna Green on 21 Sep 1821. The resided at
100 Park Lane, London. Edward was the Dean of Raphoe and succeeded his brother as Marquis
of Donegall in 1883. He died 20 Jan 1889 and Amelia died in March 1891.
1 Augusta Annabell Chichester, died 9 Oct 1914.
2 Dorcas Juliana Fanny Chichester, youngest daughter born circa 1839. She was engaged to
William Fitzwilliam but following a letter from the 6th Early of Wentworth, Williams father,
informing the Chichesters that their son was mentally unstable, the engagement was called
off. Dorcas died 6 Mar 1890. Today we understand this to be epilepsy which wasn't
recognised at the time.
3 Adolphus John Spencer Churchill Chichester born 18 Dec 1836, died 5 Mar 1901.
4 George Augustus Chichester, 5th Marquis of Donegall, born 27 Jun 1822, died 13 May 1904.
5 Henry Fitzwarine Chichester, born 11 Sep 1834, died 7 Nov 1928.
5 Louisa Dorcas Grady born circa 1805, married Matthew Fitzmaurice Deane by special licence
at Stillorgan castle on 13 Aug 1825 and became Lady Muskerry she died 25 Sep 1846 at Merrion
Square and was buried at Stillorgan graveyard. There is a memorial dedicated to her in
St Brigid’s Church.
1 Robert Fitzmaurice Deane-Morgan born 30 Jun 1826 died at Nice on 28 Feb 1857.
2 Henry Standish FitzMaurice Deane born 29 Aug 1829 died 10 Jan 1869.
3 Matthew James Hastings Fitzmaurice Deane born 16 Sep 1831 died in 1907.
6 John Hely Hutchinson Deane Grady born 7 Feb 1812, married Helena Richards in Aug 1827
at Gretna Green and was the subject of a bizarre kidnapping. He died Aug 1843 at Merrion
Square and was buried at Stillorgan graveyard.
7 Olivia Deane Grady, fourth daughter born circa 1815, married the Rt Hon John Skeffington Foster
Skeffington, Viscount Massareene and eldest son of the Rt Hon Viscount Ferrard and Baron Oriel
at the Deanery House, Raphoe by special Licence on 1 Aug 1835. Lord Massereene was ill in 1859
and stayed with his brother in law Robert at Maretimo. Lord Massereene died on 28 Apr 1863, a
fall from an embankment on his estate the previous week had left him paralysed. Olivia died
10 May 1874 at Massereen Lodge, Torquay.
1 Dorcas Louisa Skeffington died 27 Sep 1876.
2 Olivia Margaretta Mary Skeffington died 13 Oct 1914.
3 Florence Cecilia Skeffington died 4 Jan 1906.
4 Blanche Amelia Skeffington died 8 Feb 1938.
5 Clotworthy John Eyre Skeffington born 9 Oct 1842, died 26 Jun 1905.
6 Hungerford Henry Skeffington born 25 Jul 1845, died 18 Dec 1870.
7 Sydney William Skeffington, born 30 May 1849.
8 Reginald George Skeffington born 5 Oct 1850, died 21 Feb 1873.
8 Robert Deane Spread Grady born circa 1820 joined the 60th Rifles and attained the rank of
Captain. He was in Jamaica and Barbados in 1842/43. He married the wealthy heiress Jemima
Harding, daughter of the late Jonathan Harding, salesmaster of Smithfield and Queens Street on
22 Jun 1844 by special licence at Leeson Street the residence of the bride. They moved from
Stillorgan Castle to Lismore in 1851 and Robert had resigned his commission by 1858. They leased
Maretimo as their Dublin residence until 1862. Robert was the heir of Philip J Holland of Limerick.
Philip was the son of Anne Holland nee Grady, sister of Robert's father died in 1858. Jemima died
20 Nov 1884 at 77 Pembroke Road and Robert died at the Fulham Road, London on 3 Dec 1890.
1 Daughter Grady born 8 Jan 1846, Shelbourne Hotel, died young.
2 Louisa Muskerry Deane Grady born 12 Dec 1846 Ballygihen House, Kingstown. She married
her cousin the Hon Hungerford Skeffington at St Andrew's Church, Dublin on Nov 30 1868.
Hungerford was the second son of the late Viscount Massereene and Ferrard, K.P. She was
described in the wedding notice as an only child. Hungerford died at Torquay age 25 on
18 Dec 1870.
Louisa secondly married George Herbert Stepney of the Coldstream guards, C.B., on the
14 Nov 1872 at St Anne's Church, Dublin. Louisa died 14 Jan 1919 age 72 at Alberta House,
Templeogue and was buried in Mount Jerome.
1 Herbert Arthur George Herbert-Stepney, eldest son born 1879. He was a Major in the
1st Battalion of The Irish Guards. He died in WW1 on 7th Nov. 1914, at Klein, Zillebeke,
Ypres, Belgium. His name is recorded on a panel of the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.
3 Son and heir Grady born 21 Jan 1848 died young.
4 Dorcas Deane Grady born circa 1849 died 8 Jul 1854 age 5 after a short illness.
5 Jemima Deane Grady born 27 Sept 1850 at Stillorgan Castle died 5 Jul 1855 age
4 after a short illness.
6 Son and heir Grady born December 1852 at Camphire, Co Waterford.
7 Son Grady born 3 Jul 1855 at Lismore, Co Waterford.
8 Son Grady born 19 Aug 1860 at Mayfield, Lismore.
9 Cecilia Caroline Grady youngest daughter married Sir David Roche, MP of Carass, Co Limerick on
10 Jun 1844 at St Peter's Church and became Lady Roche. Sir David died on 7 Apr 1865 and was
buried at Limerick. Dame Cecilia died 2 Jun 1877 at 23 Merrion Square aged 69 and was buried at
Stillorgan.
1 Standish Deane O'Grady Roche born 26 Jul 1845 died 9 Dec 1914.
10 Henry Deane Grady youngest son born circa 1816, died Dec 1837 at Ranelagh where he had been
taken for a change of air and was buried at Stillorgan graveyard.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – December 2017
Henry Deane Grady of Stillorgan Castle was the son of Standish O’Grady and Elizabeth Deane and was
called to the bar in 1787. He married Dorcas, the daughter of William Spread, lawyer, of Ballycannon,
Co Cork and Elizabeth Peard. He was a successful barrister and entered the Irish parliament for his
native Limerick in 1797.
A small man, he was known for his wit, humour and eloquence, it was said that his wink said as much
as many a rival's speech. He was also quite the duellist having taken part in at least four. He succeeded
to Lodge in Co Limerick on the death of his father in 1809. They were living at York Street in 1799 when
one of their children was born but by 1809 they were living in Stillorgan.
He was Counsel to Excise and Customs for over 20 years and when he retired he received a pension of two
thousand a year. His obit mentions him as the father-in-law of Lord Muskerry, Lord Massareene, Lord E
Chichester, Sir David Roche & the late Mr Blennerhassett and during his tenure of Stillorgan castle, it seems
that the house became known as the House of Lords due to the illustrious marriages of his daughters.
Henry Deane Grady married 12 Apr 1794 Dorcas Spread
born circa 1757 Castletown Roche, Cork born circa 1766
died 8 Sep 1847 died 13 Dec 1857
Stillorgan Castle Merrion Square
buried at Stillorgan buried at Stillorgan
1 Standish Deane Grady, eldest son. It seems he challenged his brother in law The Marquis of
Donegall to a duel in 1828 but this was later denied in court. He died 31 May 1846 at Stillorgan
after a protracted illness and was buried at Stillorgan graveyard.
2 William Deane Grady, second son took Holy orders and died 12 Jan 1841 at Kennington and was
buried at Stillorgan graveyard.
3 Frances Deane Grady born 1800 married Arthur Blennerhassett on 13 Jan 1821 at St Peters.
She died on 10 Mar 1834 giving birth to her ninth child. Arthur was MP for Kerry and died at
Nantes in April 1843 aged 44 survived by two sons and three daughters.
1 Dorcas Blennerhassett, eldest daughter married R Conway Hurley in May 1845.
2 Cecelia Blennerhassett born 1824 died April 1841.
3 Arthur Blennerhassett born circa 1825 died as an infant.
4 Amelia Blennerhassett married the Hon Chichester Thomas Skeffington in Dec 1845 at her
grandfather’s house on Merrion Square, she died 3 Aug 1887.
5 Georgina Blennerhassett born 1827 at Ballyseedy.
6 Henry Deane Blennerhassett born 1828, died 3 Jan 1850.
7 Charles John Allison Winn Blennerhassett born circa 1831, married Mary Ann Hickson in
1855, they had two children and he died 9 Dec 1859.
1 Arthur Blennerhassett born 1856.
2 Georgina Blennerhassett born 1857.
8 Adelaide (Ada) Blennerhassett married Standish O’Grady, Viscount Guillamore on
23 Jul 1853 at the home of Sir David Roche at Merrion. She became Viscountess Guillamore
and died 4 Dec 1867.
9 Frances Annabella Blennerhassett youngest daughter married Sir John Wolsey of Mount
Wolsey in Carlow and died 30 May 1907.
4 Amelia Diana Spread Deane Grady, daughter born circa 1803, eloped and married Lord Edward
Chichester, son of the Marquis of Donegall in Gretna Green on 21 Sep 1821. The resided at
100 Park Lane, London. Edward was the Dean of Raphoe and succeeded his brother as Marquis
of Donegall in 1883. He died 20 Jan 1889 and Amelia died in March 1891.
1 Augusta Annabell Chichester, died 9 Oct 1914.
2 Dorcas Juliana Fanny Chichester, youngest daughter born circa 1839. She was engaged to
William Fitzwilliam but following a letter from the 6th Early of Wentworth, Williams father,
informing the Chichesters that their son was mentally unstable, the engagement was called
off. Dorcas died 6 Mar 1890. Today we understand this to be epilepsy which wasn't
recognised at the time.
3 Adolphus John Spencer Churchill Chichester born 18 Dec 1836, died 5 Mar 1901.
4 George Augustus Chichester, 5th Marquis of Donegall, born 27 Jun 1822, died 13 May 1904.
5 Henry Fitzwarine Chichester, born 11 Sep 1834, died 7 Nov 1928.
5 Louisa Dorcas Grady born circa 1805, married Matthew Fitzmaurice Deane by special licence
at Stillorgan castle on 13 Aug 1825 and became Lady Muskerry she died 25 Sep 1846 at Merrion
Square and was buried at Stillorgan graveyard. There is a memorial dedicated to her in
St Brigid’s Church.
1 Robert Fitzmaurice Deane-Morgan born 30 Jun 1826 died at Nice on 28 Feb 1857.
2 Henry Standish FitzMaurice Deane born 29 Aug 1829 died 10 Jan 1869.
3 Matthew James Hastings Fitzmaurice Deane born 16 Sep 1831 died in 1907.
6 John Hely Hutchinson Deane Grady born 7 Feb 1812, married Helena Richards in Aug 1827
at Gretna Green and was the subject of a bizarre kidnapping. He died Aug 1843 at Merrion
Square and was buried at Stillorgan graveyard.
7 Olivia Deane Grady, fourth daughter born circa 1815, married the Rt Hon John Skeffington Foster
Skeffington, Viscount Massareene and eldest son of the Rt Hon Viscount Ferrard and Baron Oriel
at the Deanery House, Raphoe by special Licence on 1 Aug 1835. Lord Massereene was ill in 1859
and stayed with his brother in law Robert at Maretimo. Lord Massereene died on 28 Apr 1863, a
fall from an embankment on his estate the previous week had left him paralysed. Olivia died
10 May 1874 at Massereen Lodge, Torquay.
1 Dorcas Louisa Skeffington died 27 Sep 1876.
2 Olivia Margaretta Mary Skeffington died 13 Oct 1914.
3 Florence Cecilia Skeffington died 4 Jan 1906.
4 Blanche Amelia Skeffington died 8 Feb 1938.
5 Clotworthy John Eyre Skeffington born 9 Oct 1842, died 26 Jun 1905.
6 Hungerford Henry Skeffington born 25 Jul 1845, died 18 Dec 1870.
7 Sydney William Skeffington, born 30 May 1849.
8 Reginald George Skeffington born 5 Oct 1850, died 21 Feb 1873.
8 Robert Deane Spread Grady born circa 1820 joined the 60th Rifles and attained the rank of
Captain. He was in Jamaica and Barbados in 1842/43. He married the wealthy heiress Jemima
Harding, daughter of the late Jonathan Harding, salesmaster of Smithfield and Queens Street on
22 Jun 1844 by special licence at Leeson Street the residence of the bride. They moved from
Stillorgan Castle to Lismore in 1851 and Robert had resigned his commission by 1858. They leased
Maretimo as their Dublin residence until 1862. Robert was the heir of Philip J Holland of Limerick.
Philip was the son of Anne Holland nee Grady, sister of Robert's father died in 1858. Jemima died
20 Nov 1884 at 77 Pembroke Road and Robert died at the Fulham Road, London on 3 Dec 1890.
1 Daughter Grady born 8 Jan 1846, Shelbourne Hotel, died young.
2 Louisa Muskerry Deane Grady born 12 Dec 1846 Ballygihen House, Kingstown. She married
her cousin the Hon Hungerford Skeffington at St Andrew's Church, Dublin on Nov 30 1868.
Hungerford was the second son of the late Viscount Massereene and Ferrard, K.P. She was
described in the wedding notice as an only child. Hungerford died at Torquay age 25 on
18 Dec 1870.
Louisa secondly married George Herbert Stepney of the Coldstream guards, C.B., on the
14 Nov 1872 at St Anne's Church, Dublin. Louisa died 14 Jan 1919 age 72 at Alberta House,
Templeogue and was buried in Mount Jerome.
1 Herbert Arthur George Herbert-Stepney, eldest son born 1879. He was a Major in the
1st Battalion of The Irish Guards. He died in WW1 on 7th Nov. 1914, at Klein, Zillebeke,
Ypres, Belgium. His name is recorded on a panel of the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.
3 Son and heir Grady born 21 Jan 1848 died young.
4 Dorcas Deane Grady born circa 1849 died 8 Jul 1854 age 5 after a short illness.
5 Jemima Deane Grady born 27 Sept 1850 at Stillorgan Castle died 5 Jul 1855 age
4 after a short illness.
6 Son and heir Grady born December 1852 at Camphire, Co Waterford.
7 Son Grady born 3 Jul 1855 at Lismore, Co Waterford.
8 Son Grady born 19 Aug 1860 at Mayfield, Lismore.
9 Cecilia Caroline Grady youngest daughter married Sir David Roche, MP of Carass, Co Limerick on
10 Jun 1844 at St Peter's Church and became Lady Roche. Sir David died on 7 Apr 1865 and was
buried at Limerick. Dame Cecilia died 2 Jun 1877 at 23 Merrion Square aged 69 and was buried at
Stillorgan.
1 Standish Deane O'Grady Roche born 26 Jul 1845 died 9 Dec 1914.
10 Henry Deane Grady youngest son born circa 1816, died Dec 1837 at Ranelagh where he had been
taken for a change of air and was buried at Stillorgan graveyard.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – December 2017