John Eyre (settler) facts for kids
John Eyre (died 1685) was an English man who came to Ireland with Oliver Cromwell's army. He later became the Mayor of Galway, an important leader in the town.
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Early Life and Family
John Eyre was born in the early 1600s in Wiltshire, England. His parents were Giles Eyre and Jane Snelgrove. John was one of many children; his parents had ten sons and five daughters! John was their seventh son. His parents were buried at All Saints Church in Whiteparish, England.
Coming to Ireland
John Eyre and his younger brother, Edward, were officers in the English Parliament's army. In 1649, they arrived in Dublin, Ireland, as part of a large army led by Oliver Cromwell. This army had about 12,000 soldiers. The Eyre brothers mainly served under another leader named Edward Ludlow.
Service in Galway
John Eyre was with Ludlow's forces when they reached Galway in 1651. When Galway surrendered in April 1652, the war ended. The Eyre brothers then gained a lot of land and property. This property had been taken from Irish Roman Catholic families. Many English officers, like the Eyres, received land because the government owed them money for their service.
John Eyre's main land was in the south-east part of County Galway. He took land from families like the Kellys, Maddens, Horans, and Burkes. In this area, John Eyre created a new town called Eyrecourt. He also built his main home there. This home stayed in the Eyre family for many generations.
Life After the War
In 1661, both John and Edward Eyre became members of the Irish Parliament. John worked hard to keep the new land arrangements in place. These arrangements had made him and his brother wealthy.
Leading Galway
In September 1661, John Eyre was chosen to be the Mayor of Galway. His brother, Edward Eyre, became the town's Recorder, a legal official. During this time, there were many disagreements between the new Protestant settlers and the Catholic families who wanted their old property back. Families like the Brownes, Frenchs, Martins, and Lynchs (known as The Tribes of Galway) tried to get their land back. However, even after many years of legal battles, they did not get most of their property back. In 1681, John Eyre was also appointed High Sheriff of County Galway, another important local role.
John Eyre's Impact
Historian John Cronin said that John Eyre played a big part in changing Galway in the 1600s. He helped to change who owned the land and who had power. He helped make Protestant leaders more powerful in the area. He also helped bring Protestant settlers to the county, changing the religious mix. On top of all this, he helped develop the town of Eyrecourt and built a grand house there.
Family Life
John Eyre married Mary Bigoe in the 1650s. Mary was the daughter of Phillip Bigoe from Newtown, County Offaly. John and Mary had six children. Their first child, John, was born in 1659. Their other children were Samuel, Rowland (who died young), Katherine (who also died young), Mary, and Anne. The Eyre family continued to be important landowners and politicians in the area until the early 1900s.
