Sweetman Family of Longtown, Beaufield and The Priory and Roebuck Hall
Patrick Sweetman married Mrs Mary Thunder nee Dodd sister of Patrick, Thomas and George Dodd.
Will of Patrick dated 25.02.1782 proved 21.09.1784.
Patrick Sweetman of Belvedere married Eleanor Thunder of Lagore, Meath daughter of Michael
Thunder of Balally. Patrick died circa 04.11.1793 at Drumcondra. Will dated 24.03.1792 and proved
25.11.1793.
Michael Joseph Sweetman Alicia Taafe Margaret Gertrude Blackney
baptised 18.07.1779 born circa 1780 born circa 1790
at St Nicholas married 16.05.1802 married 27.08.1808
St Mary, Pro Cathedral St Mary, Pro Cathedral
died circa 21.03.1852 died circa 1806 died circa 1850
at Howth
Michael Joseph Sweetman son of Patrick and Eleanor married Alicia Taafe daughter of John Taafe of
Smarmore Castle, Louth. Michael Sweetman of Francis Court Brewery married secondly Margaret
Blackney youngest daughter of late James Blackney of Ballycormick, Carlow. Michael bought Merville,
Donnybrook Road, Stillorgan in 1827 following the death of Baron William Downes and established
a model farm there. Michael was a member of the New Catholic Association* and lobbied for the
establishment of a National Model School to educate poor Catholics. Prior to moving to Merville he
lived in Raheny and established a school there and shortly after moving to Merville he established a
school on the estate superintended by members of his family.
1 Patrick Sweetman eldest son baptised 15.03.1803 at St Michan’s married Mary Cashin
daughter of the late Edward Cashin of Waterford in 1827 at Mountjoy Square West. Patrick
was a JP and DL. He was elected a life member of the RDS in 1844 being proposed by
Richard Kellett and Sir William Betham. Patrick a senior partner in Sweetman’s Brewery of 24
Francis Street was a member of the Stephen’s Green Club, a committee member for the
Dublin Industrial Exhibition in 1853 and High Sheriff of Kildare for 1862. In 1878 he is
recorded as owning 358 acres in County Tipperary. Patrick died 25.01.1885. He was called as
a witness in the famous Buckley Coady Will affair. A servant of the Sweetmans, Eleanor Cody nee
Collins was transported to Australia for stealing, her son (Patrick) only days old went with her.
Her son went on to become a wealthy man leaving 63K in his Will in 1872. The court case
continued for 10 years and one aspect of it was to identify relatives of Patrick in Ireland. Nine
were identified but by the time the case was settled over 40K had been sucked up in legal fees.
1 Mary Anne Sweetman eldest daughter baptised 1829 at St Andrew’s Church of The
Priory, Stillorgan married Richard Butler eldest son of Richard Butler of Suirville,
Tipperary on 28.01.1868 at St Mary’s Chapel, Booterstown. Richard died on
12.08.1902 aged 68 years at his residence in Wimbledon, Surrey. Mary Anne died on
01.10.1910 late of St Helena, Donnybrook.
1 Mary Butler born 27.01.1869.
2 Richard Joseph Butler infant son born 30.05.1870 died 06.02.1871 aged 8
months at Bray.
2 Edmund Casimir Sweetman born 1831 married Alice Butler born 1840 daughter of
Richard Butler and Elinor Dillon of Suir-Vale on 20.04.1881 at St Mary, Pro Cathedral,
Dublin. They lived at Longtown. He was a JP and DL for Co Kildare. Edmund died
04.02.1913. Alice died 24.01.1923. They had no family.
3 Patrick Sweetman 2nd son baptised 01.08.1833 at St Andrew’s Church, Westland
Row. Patrick died 25.03.1848 of The Priory, Stillorgan.
4 Roger Theobold Joseph Sweetman 2nd son baptised 22.03.1841 at St Mary’s, Pro
Cathedral, Dublin. Roger died on Good Friday 15.04.1870 in Rome.
5 Hugh Chrysantus Sweetman 3rd son baptised 25.10.1842 at Booterstown married
Gertrude Mary Blackney 2nd daughter of James Blackney of Fort Castle, Kings
County on 02.09.1868 at the Church of St Mary, Haddington Road, Dublin. The family
lived at Roebuck Hall from 1888 to 1897 and hosted many parties. Hugh died on
08.05.1898 at Nice.
1 Patrick James Joseph Sweetman born 08.08.1870 at 38 Upper Mount Street.
2 Hugh Matthew Sweetman born 21.09.1871 at 38 Upper Mount Street.
3 James Matthew Sweetman third son born 05.11.1872 at 38 Upper mount Street
was a barrister in practice.
4 Roger Mary Sweetman born 15.08.1874 at 38 Upper Mount Street was a barrister in practice.
5 Walter Sweetman married Gladys May Butler eldest daughter of James Butler of
Marlewood, Kenilworth Road, Leamington and late of Fox Hall, Donegal on
08.04.1902 at St Peters Church, Leamington.
6 John Sweetman baptised 01.08.1833 at St Andrew’s Church, Westland Row. John
died 1874.
7 Katherine Mary Sweetman married Richard Butler.
8 Alicia Sweetman
2 John Michael Sweetman born 1805 2nd son of Alicia married Honoria O’Connor born 1804
daughter of Malachy O’Connor of Dublin and Bath on 27.07.1831 at Brighton. John died on
09.11.1859 at 13 Merrion Square East aged 54 years. Honoria late of 13 Merrion Square East
died 19.08.1879 at Buxton.
3 Ellena Sweetman baptised 30.06.1810 at St Michan’s.
4 Alice Sweetman eldest daughter married Lieut. Col. James Walter Blackney of the Hon. East
India Company Service at her home Merville on 21 Jan 1828
5 Michael James Sweetman born circa 20.07.1829 married Mary Margaret Powell on
19.02.1849 at St Andrew’s Church, Westland Row, Dublin.
6 Margaret Mary Sweetman born circa 1831 married William Francis John Scully of Kilfeakle on
07.05.1851 at St Andrew’s Church, Westland Row, Dublin. Margaret died on 20.05.1861 at
Avignon, France. William died 17.10.1906 aged 84 years in London.
7 Walter Sweetman youngest son of Patrick and Margaret baptised 08.03.1831 at St Mary, Pro
Cathedral married Mary Butler born 1834 eldest daughter of Richard Butler and Elinor Dillon
of Ballyslatten, Tipperary on 05.10.1859 at the Roman Catholic Church of New Inn, Tipperary.
Walter a novelist was called to the bar in 1852 and lived at Clohamon, Wexford. Walter died
24.06.1905 aged 75 years and Mary died on 30.09.1912 aged 77 years both at Clohamon.
* The National Catholic Association was an Irish Roman Catholic political organisation set up by Daniel
O'Connell in the early nineteenth century to campaign for Catholic emancipation within Great Britain.
It was one of the first mass-membership political movements in Europe. It organised large scale public
protests in Ireland. Membership was a guinea pa for member and a penny for associated members
(aka Catholic rent). It was eventually taken over by the Catholic Church who had become the collector
of the subscriptions.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – June 2018