D'Altons of Bunratty and Rosscastle
Michael D’Alton, JP and captain of Ross Castle, Rossmanagher, Bunratty one of the senior
magistrates of County Clare.
1 Michael Eyre D’Alton of Ross Castle born circa 1782. He married Elizabeth Scully in June
1813 at Silverfort, Co Tipperary (the residence of her brother). Elizabeth was the daughter
of the late Darby Scully. He was captain in the Ross Castle Yeomanry and appointed a JP
in February 1814. He was in Limerick Gaol (a debtor) in 1817. Michael Eyre, a magistrate
died 16 Feb 1837 at Sixmilebridge late of Rosscastle. Elizabeth died a widow in
September 1855 aged 69 at Wood Park, Co Clare.
1 Michael D’Alton born February 1815 at Wood Park son of Michael Eyre D’Alton. He
was of Woodpark, Co Clare when he married Mary O’Sullivan on 19 Jun 1839 at
Limerick. Mary was the eldest daughter of the late James O’Sullivan of Limerick.
Michael died at 10 Clare Street, Limerick late of Woodpark on 27 Feb 1865. Mary
died at 35 Garville Avenue, Rathgar on 27 Mar 1878.
1 Son D’Alton born 23 Apr 1840 at Limerick.
2 Michael D’Alton second son was a solicitor. He was living at Garville
Avenue, Rathgar when he married Elizabeth (Lizzie Mary) Roche on
2 Jun 1877 at St Kevin’s, Harrington Street. Lizzie was the daughter of
William Roche of 72 Harcourt Street, Crown solicitor for Limerick. She
was the granddaughter of the late Thomas Roche of Limerick.
2 Eliza Scully D’Alton born circa 1820 daughter of Michael Eyre D’Alton married John
Kennedy on 27 Apr 1841 at Woodpark, Co Clare. John Kennedy of Deerpark was
the brother of the Rt Rev Dr Patrick Kennedy, catholic bishop of Killlaloe. They
lived at Wood Park, Castleconnell. John died before 1877. Eliza died 28 Dec 1897
at 24 Ascott Terrace, Limerick.
1 Alice Kennedy eldest daughter born circa 1849 died unmarried on
27 Apr 1937 at 1 Sarsfield Terrace, Limerick.
2 Michael D’Alton Kennedy second son married Gretta Mary Cullinan on
7 Nov 1877 at the Franciscan Church, Limerick. Gretta was the second
daughter of James Culliman of Woodstock, Co Clare.
3 John D’Alton born circa 1822 son of Michael Eyre D’Alton died 8 Mar 1898 at Tiermoyle,
Nenagh late of Kilmogar, Kilkenny.
4 Alicia D’Alton daughter of Michael Eyre D’Alton born circa 1824 died unmarried on
9 Apr 1892 at Dalymount, Dublin.
2 Emelia D’Alton, eldest daughter of Michael D’Alton late of Ross Castle died
20 Jan 1826 and is buried at Bunratty churchyard.
3 Richard Eyre D'Alton of Woodpark dead by 1861.
1 Jeremiah D'Alton youngest son born circa 1823 married Kate Teresa Meagher
on 27 Nov 1861 at Toomevara. Kate was the daughter of Richard Meagher of
Ballybeg, Co Tipperary. Jeremiah died in 1900.
4 Edward Neville D’Alton second son born circa 1794. He was a Lieut in the Royal Navy,
and later Chief Office Coastguard. He rescued the crew and passengers of the brig
Woodbine of Scarborough off the Isle of Arran in 1835. He was transferred from
Claggar Station to Mannon Bay in 1844 and was Acting Inspector Commander in 1847.
Edward died 30 Mar 1871 at 9 Royal Canal Terrace, Dublin aged 77. He is noted at the
uncle of Jeremiah Dalton of Tiermoyle and therefore the brother of Richard Eyre
D'Alton.
1 Edward Neville D’Alton, Coast Guard born circa 1822 at Clare joined the Royal
Navy in 1843 as a Coast Guard and married Johanna William. He was
Coastguard to Sherries from 1863 to 1866, Balbriggan from 1866 to 1873
before becoming coastguard at Howth. He died at Seaview Terrace, Clontarf in
1905 aged 83. Johanna died 7 Mar 1919 aged 78 at Leicester Lodge and is buried
at St Fintan’s Sutton.
1 Edgar De Montmorenci D'Alton, born circa September 1860 fifth son of
Edward D’Alton, grandson of Edward Neville D’Alton and great grandson
of Michael D’Alton of Ross Castle drowned by falling overboard the ship
Astracan at Great Horn on passage from Port Victor South Australia to
London aged 18 and 2 months on 19 Nov 1878.
2 Amy Arabella D’Alton born circa 1861 at Galway became a hospital nurse.
She died unmarried 23 Nov 1932 aged 71 and was buried at St Fintan’s
Sutton.
3 Son Dalton born 9 Dec 1863 at Skerries.
4 Olive D’Alton born circa 1864 died unmarried on 30 Mar 1954 aged 90
at Leicester Lodge and was buried at St Fintan’s Sutton.
5 Octavius D’Alton born 16 Aug 1865 at Balbriggan.
.
6 Daughter D’Alton born 1 May 1867 at Balbriggan.
7 Henry Frederick McKay D’Alton born circa 1868 a theatre agent died
unmarried at Leicester Lodge Clontarf 5 Jun 1936 aged 68.
8 Gertrude Campbell D’Alton born circa 1869 died unmarried 9 Nov 1939
aged 70 at Leicester Lodge, Clontarf and was buried at St Fintan’s Sutton.
9 Melfort Campbell D'Alton born circa 1869 was a Vicar Choral at St Patrick’s
Cathedral and lived at 68 Gardiner Street with his sisters Gertrude and
Olive at Lower Gardiner Street in 1901. He studied at St Patricks and then
in Italy. He was a renowned Tenor and regularyly entertained guests of the
Nutting family at St Helen's, Stillorgan. He lived at 19 Lower Pembroke Street
from 1906. He married Isabella Jefferson of 3 Mount Street Crescent,
daughter of T Ross Jefferson at St Patrick’s Cathedral on 12 Dec 1906. He
joined up in 1914 with the British Red Cross and the Order of Jerusalem
and acted as an orderly during WW1. He was dismissed as a Vicar Choral
in 1916 when the Board changed. He was a noted authority on Handel and
was presented with a medal from the Handel Society by Herr Wilheln von
Khlmann, German minister on the 250 anniversary of Haldel’s birth. He was
a judge and on the committee of the Feis Ceoil. He gave a concert at Lodge
Park, Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire after which Oliver St John Gogarty wrote a
poem about him. Isabella born circa 1864 died at 85 Palmerston Road on
30 Jul 1919 and is buried at St Fintans, Sutton. Melfort died at St Kevin’s
Hospital on 9 Jan 1942 and is buried with his wife.
10 Alfred de Courcy D’Alton, seventh son born circa 1871 Co Dublin was a Post
Office clerk. He died at Leicester Lodge unmarried on 5 Nov 1939 and is
buried at St Fintan’s Sutton.
2 Thomas D’Alton, third son born circa 1825 of Edward Neville D’Alton and grandson
of Michael Dalton of Ross Castle. He was a merchant living at Russell Place when
he married Emma Egan, daughter of Thomas Egan on 11 Jan 1851 at St George’s
Church Dublin and they lived at Emorville Terrace, South Circular Road. He died
17 Aug 1878 aged 53 at 3 Frankfort Avenue, Rathgar and is buried at Mount
Jerome. His wife was the executor of his will.
3 Eliza D’Alton born 1847, granddaughter of Michael D’Alton of Woodpark. She was
living at 55 Dominick Street when she married Thomas James Crowe, son of
Thomas James Crowe on 8 Aug 1863 at St Mary’s Dublin. Thomas worked for the
census office and died aged 28 on 7 Royal Canal Tce on 20 Jul 1870 and is buried
at St George’s Burial ground.
Eliza secondly married Robert Drought, a bank official of 9 Royal Canal Terrace
son of George Drought of Ballyboy, Kings County on 23 Oct 1871 at All Saints,
Grangegorman. Elizabeth died 22 May 1925 at 50a Leinster Road, Rathmines
aged 78, the home of her daughter M E MacDonagh.
5 John Henry Dalton born circa 1795 died 9 Mar 1813 in his 18th year and is buried
at Bunratty.
6 Eyre Stratford D’Alton born circa 1805 was a Captain of the Ross Castle Corps of
Infantry. He converted to Roman Catholicism and died January 1827 aged 22. A
month's mind was held for at the RC Chapel at Sixmilebridge in February 1827.
7 Jane Alicia D'Alton born circa 1810 married Thomas Lewis of the 48th Regiment on
8 May 1830 at Limerick. Alicia secondly married Henry O’Brien of Butler’s Lodge, Co
Tipperary on 22 Jun 1840 at St Peter's Church, Dublin.
To an Old Tenor
Melfort Dalton, I knew you well
With your frozen eyes and your spastic stance.
Ah, but your voice was as clear as a bell
When you tenored the ladies into a trance;
The finest tenor in town you were,
Finest; but those were the days of yore,
Oh, but weren't you arrogant then,
Weren't you arrogant, Chanticleer,
When you told each hostess to go to hell:
"I'll sing what I like and I'll read the score"?
Little they knew, but I knew what you meant:
Yourself you first had to magnify
Before your notes unto Heaver were sent-
(Peacocks and tenors and G.P.I.)
I knew it, and that is the reason why
I now am recording the wonderful tale
Of how you received an offer to come,
Though your eyes and your legs were beginning to fail,
And sing at St. Joseph's Old Maids' Home,
And all the honors you gained therefrom.
We sat in the nearest respectable bar
Waiting the message of how you fared;
And, though you wished it, we were not for
Success overwhelming quite prepared.
Sitting we waited and tippled the ale;
In came the scout with the wonderful word
Of how they tittered and how you scored:
"Called back four times." And we roared, "Waes-hael!
Melfort has done it again, good Lord!"
We were not allowed in the Old Maids' Home;
And rightly so, for they might be scared;
But "Here, boy, here. Tell us all How Come?"
He shuffled at first then he came to a stand.
He did not bow as a fav'rite should
(He knew the balance was none too good)
But he started with a visage inane and bland"
"But how did he merit such great applause?
Be more explicit, you poor recorder?"
"Once for singing and thrice because
His dress revealed a quaint disorder."
Moral
(Non Nobis)
A moral lies in this occurrence:
Let those who have too much assurance
And think that public approbation
That comes from songs or an oration
Is due but to their own desert,
Remember Melfort Dalton's shirt
Oliver St. John Gogarty
© June Bow & Karen Poff – July 2019
Michael D’Alton, JP and captain of Ross Castle, Rossmanagher, Bunratty one of the senior
magistrates of County Clare.
1 Michael Eyre D’Alton of Ross Castle born circa 1782. He married Elizabeth Scully in June
1813 at Silverfort, Co Tipperary (the residence of her brother). Elizabeth was the daughter
of the late Darby Scully. He was captain in the Ross Castle Yeomanry and appointed a JP
in February 1814. He was in Limerick Gaol (a debtor) in 1817. Michael Eyre, a magistrate
died 16 Feb 1837 at Sixmilebridge late of Rosscastle. Elizabeth died a widow in
September 1855 aged 69 at Wood Park, Co Clare.
1 Michael D’Alton born February 1815 at Wood Park son of Michael Eyre D’Alton. He
was of Woodpark, Co Clare when he married Mary O’Sullivan on 19 Jun 1839 at
Limerick. Mary was the eldest daughter of the late James O’Sullivan of Limerick.
Michael died at 10 Clare Street, Limerick late of Woodpark on 27 Feb 1865. Mary
died at 35 Garville Avenue, Rathgar on 27 Mar 1878.
1 Son D’Alton born 23 Apr 1840 at Limerick.
2 Michael D’Alton second son was a solicitor. He was living at Garville
Avenue, Rathgar when he married Elizabeth (Lizzie Mary) Roche on
2 Jun 1877 at St Kevin’s, Harrington Street. Lizzie was the daughter of
William Roche of 72 Harcourt Street, Crown solicitor for Limerick. She
was the granddaughter of the late Thomas Roche of Limerick.
2 Eliza Scully D’Alton born circa 1820 daughter of Michael Eyre D’Alton married John
Kennedy on 27 Apr 1841 at Woodpark, Co Clare. John Kennedy of Deerpark was
the brother of the Rt Rev Dr Patrick Kennedy, catholic bishop of Killlaloe. They
lived at Wood Park, Castleconnell. John died before 1877. Eliza died 28 Dec 1897
at 24 Ascott Terrace, Limerick.
1 Alice Kennedy eldest daughter born circa 1849 died unmarried on
27 Apr 1937 at 1 Sarsfield Terrace, Limerick.
2 Michael D’Alton Kennedy second son married Gretta Mary Cullinan on
7 Nov 1877 at the Franciscan Church, Limerick. Gretta was the second
daughter of James Culliman of Woodstock, Co Clare.
3 John D’Alton born circa 1822 son of Michael Eyre D’Alton died 8 Mar 1898 at Tiermoyle,
Nenagh late of Kilmogar, Kilkenny.
4 Alicia D’Alton daughter of Michael Eyre D’Alton born circa 1824 died unmarried on
9 Apr 1892 at Dalymount, Dublin.
2 Emelia D’Alton, eldest daughter of Michael D’Alton late of Ross Castle died
20 Jan 1826 and is buried at Bunratty churchyard.
3 Richard Eyre D'Alton of Woodpark dead by 1861.
1 Jeremiah D'Alton youngest son born circa 1823 married Kate Teresa Meagher
on 27 Nov 1861 at Toomevara. Kate was the daughter of Richard Meagher of
Ballybeg, Co Tipperary. Jeremiah died in 1900.
4 Edward Neville D’Alton second son born circa 1794. He was a Lieut in the Royal Navy,
and later Chief Office Coastguard. He rescued the crew and passengers of the brig
Woodbine of Scarborough off the Isle of Arran in 1835. He was transferred from
Claggar Station to Mannon Bay in 1844 and was Acting Inspector Commander in 1847.
Edward died 30 Mar 1871 at 9 Royal Canal Terrace, Dublin aged 77. He is noted at the
uncle of Jeremiah Dalton of Tiermoyle and therefore the brother of Richard Eyre
D'Alton.
1 Edward Neville D’Alton, Coast Guard born circa 1822 at Clare joined the Royal
Navy in 1843 as a Coast Guard and married Johanna William. He was
Coastguard to Sherries from 1863 to 1866, Balbriggan from 1866 to 1873
before becoming coastguard at Howth. He died at Seaview Terrace, Clontarf in
1905 aged 83. Johanna died 7 Mar 1919 aged 78 at Leicester Lodge and is buried
at St Fintan’s Sutton.
1 Edgar De Montmorenci D'Alton, born circa September 1860 fifth son of
Edward D’Alton, grandson of Edward Neville D’Alton and great grandson
of Michael D’Alton of Ross Castle drowned by falling overboard the ship
Astracan at Great Horn on passage from Port Victor South Australia to
London aged 18 and 2 months on 19 Nov 1878.
2 Amy Arabella D’Alton born circa 1861 at Galway became a hospital nurse.
She died unmarried 23 Nov 1932 aged 71 and was buried at St Fintan’s
Sutton.
3 Son Dalton born 9 Dec 1863 at Skerries.
4 Olive D’Alton born circa 1864 died unmarried on 30 Mar 1954 aged 90
at Leicester Lodge and was buried at St Fintan’s Sutton.
5 Octavius D’Alton born 16 Aug 1865 at Balbriggan.
.
6 Daughter D’Alton born 1 May 1867 at Balbriggan.
7 Henry Frederick McKay D’Alton born circa 1868 a theatre agent died
unmarried at Leicester Lodge Clontarf 5 Jun 1936 aged 68.
8 Gertrude Campbell D’Alton born circa 1869 died unmarried 9 Nov 1939
aged 70 at Leicester Lodge, Clontarf and was buried at St Fintan’s Sutton.
9 Melfort Campbell D'Alton born circa 1869 was a Vicar Choral at St Patrick’s
Cathedral and lived at 68 Gardiner Street with his sisters Gertrude and
Olive at Lower Gardiner Street in 1901. He studied at St Patricks and then
in Italy. He was a renowned Tenor and regularyly entertained guests of the
Nutting family at St Helen's, Stillorgan. He lived at 19 Lower Pembroke Street
from 1906. He married Isabella Jefferson of 3 Mount Street Crescent,
daughter of T Ross Jefferson at St Patrick’s Cathedral on 12 Dec 1906. He
joined up in 1914 with the British Red Cross and the Order of Jerusalem
and acted as an orderly during WW1. He was dismissed as a Vicar Choral
in 1916 when the Board changed. He was a noted authority on Handel and
was presented with a medal from the Handel Society by Herr Wilheln von
Khlmann, German minister on the 250 anniversary of Haldel’s birth. He was
a judge and on the committee of the Feis Ceoil. He gave a concert at Lodge
Park, Tivoli Road, Dun Laoghaire after which Oliver St John Gogarty wrote a
poem about him. Isabella born circa 1864 died at 85 Palmerston Road on
30 Jul 1919 and is buried at St Fintans, Sutton. Melfort died at St Kevin’s
Hospital on 9 Jan 1942 and is buried with his wife.
10 Alfred de Courcy D’Alton, seventh son born circa 1871 Co Dublin was a Post
Office clerk. He died at Leicester Lodge unmarried on 5 Nov 1939 and is
buried at St Fintan’s Sutton.
2 Thomas D’Alton, third son born circa 1825 of Edward Neville D’Alton and grandson
of Michael Dalton of Ross Castle. He was a merchant living at Russell Place when
he married Emma Egan, daughter of Thomas Egan on 11 Jan 1851 at St George’s
Church Dublin and they lived at Emorville Terrace, South Circular Road. He died
17 Aug 1878 aged 53 at 3 Frankfort Avenue, Rathgar and is buried at Mount
Jerome. His wife was the executor of his will.
3 Eliza D’Alton born 1847, granddaughter of Michael D’Alton of Woodpark. She was
living at 55 Dominick Street when she married Thomas James Crowe, son of
Thomas James Crowe on 8 Aug 1863 at St Mary’s Dublin. Thomas worked for the
census office and died aged 28 on 7 Royal Canal Tce on 20 Jul 1870 and is buried
at St George’s Burial ground.
Eliza secondly married Robert Drought, a bank official of 9 Royal Canal Terrace
son of George Drought of Ballyboy, Kings County on 23 Oct 1871 at All Saints,
Grangegorman. Elizabeth died 22 May 1925 at 50a Leinster Road, Rathmines
aged 78, the home of her daughter M E MacDonagh.
5 John Henry Dalton born circa 1795 died 9 Mar 1813 in his 18th year and is buried
at Bunratty.
6 Eyre Stratford D’Alton born circa 1805 was a Captain of the Ross Castle Corps of
Infantry. He converted to Roman Catholicism and died January 1827 aged 22. A
month's mind was held for at the RC Chapel at Sixmilebridge in February 1827.
7 Jane Alicia D'Alton born circa 1810 married Thomas Lewis of the 48th Regiment on
8 May 1830 at Limerick. Alicia secondly married Henry O’Brien of Butler’s Lodge, Co
Tipperary on 22 Jun 1840 at St Peter's Church, Dublin.
To an Old Tenor
Melfort Dalton, I knew you well
With your frozen eyes and your spastic stance.
Ah, but your voice was as clear as a bell
When you tenored the ladies into a trance;
The finest tenor in town you were,
Finest; but those were the days of yore,
Oh, but weren't you arrogant then,
Weren't you arrogant, Chanticleer,
When you told each hostess to go to hell:
"I'll sing what I like and I'll read the score"?
Little they knew, but I knew what you meant:
Yourself you first had to magnify
Before your notes unto Heaver were sent-
(Peacocks and tenors and G.P.I.)
I knew it, and that is the reason why
I now am recording the wonderful tale
Of how you received an offer to come,
Though your eyes and your legs were beginning to fail,
And sing at St. Joseph's Old Maids' Home,
And all the honors you gained therefrom.
We sat in the nearest respectable bar
Waiting the message of how you fared;
And, though you wished it, we were not for
Success overwhelming quite prepared.
Sitting we waited and tippled the ale;
In came the scout with the wonderful word
Of how they tittered and how you scored:
"Called back four times." And we roared, "Waes-hael!
Melfort has done it again, good Lord!"
We were not allowed in the Old Maids' Home;
And rightly so, for they might be scared;
But "Here, boy, here. Tell us all How Come?"
He shuffled at first then he came to a stand.
He did not bow as a fav'rite should
(He knew the balance was none too good)
But he started with a visage inane and bland"
"But how did he merit such great applause?
Be more explicit, you poor recorder?"
"Once for singing and thrice because
His dress revealed a quaint disorder."
Moral
(Non Nobis)
A moral lies in this occurrence:
Let those who have too much assurance
And think that public approbation
That comes from songs or an oration
Is due but to their own desert,
Remember Melfort Dalton's shirt
Oliver St. John Gogarty
© June Bow & Karen Poff – July 2019