Sir John Kirwan facts for kids

Sir John Kirwan (born 1650, died 1721) was an Irish businessman and politician. He started the Kirwan family line that lived at Castle Hackett in County Galway, Ireland.

Sir John Kirwan was an important figure in Galway's history. He helped his family regain their wealth and influence after a difficult period.

Early Life and Family History

Sir John Kirwan belonged to one of the famous "Tribes of Galway". These were 14 powerful merchant families who controlled the city of Galway for many years. His family, the Kirwans, came to Galway around 1488. They quickly became successful traders in the town.

Many Kirwan family members held important positions in Galway. For example, John Óge Kirwan was the Mayor of Galway from 1530 to 1531. Other Kirwans, like Thomas and Richard, also served as mayor. In total, eleven Kirwans were mayors before 1654.

After a period of war in Ireland, many families, including the Kirwans, lost their land and property. This forced some to leave Ireland and find new opportunities, often by working in faraway places like the West Indies. This helped them build new wealth for their families.

A Career in Trade and Politics

In the late 1600s, Galway became a very busy port. It traded many goods with countries in Europe and islands in the West Indies. Ships from Galway carried things like tobacco, sugar, salted foods, animal hides, and fats. Some Kirwan family members even moved to islands like Martinique and Montserrat to help with this trade.

Ireland was a main supplier of food and other goods to these islands. For example, in 1685, the value of beef sent from Ireland was a huge amount of money!

Sir John Kirwan himself was a leader in Galway. He served as the Mayor of Galway from 1686 to 1688. He was also a Member of Parliament for Galway Borough in a special parliament called the Patriot Parliament. King James II recognized his importance by making him a knight.

During a war in Ireland, Sir John Kirwan supported King James II. However, when the war ended, he made an agreement with the winning side. He was pardoned, which meant he was forgiven, and he was allowed to keep his property.

Castle Hackett Estate

It's not exactly known when Sir John Kirwan bought Castle Hackett, but it was likely in the late 1690s. He probably lived in the old castle that was already there while a new, grander house was being built. The new Castle Hackett house was finished in 1703.

This new house was a large, three-story building located about six miles from Tuam. Sadly, the house was burned down in 1923 during the Irish Civil War.

The last person in the family to have the Kirwan name and own the estate was Sir Denis Kirwan Bernard. He passed away in 1956 and was buried on a nearby hill called Cnoc Meadha. His nephew, Percy Paley, then inherited the property.

Family and Descendants

Sir John Kirwan and his wife, Maria, had at least three children: Simon, Mary, and Anne.

• Mary married a man named Arthur French.
• Anne married Sir Walter Blake in 1687.
• Simon married Julian French, who was the sister of Arthur French.

Many people today are descendants of Sir John Kirwan's family, including Sir Denis Kirwan Bernard, who was mentioned earlier.