Sir Valentine Blake, 1st Baronet facts for kids

Sir Valentine Blake was an important Irish merchant and a Mayor of Galway. He lived from about 1560 until January 2, 1635. As Mayor, he was like the main leader of the city of Galway during his time.

The Blake Family and Menlo Castle

Sir Valentine Blake lived in a grand place called Menlo Castle. He and his wife, Lady Blake, were part of the wealthiest family in their area. They owned lots of land in counties Mayo, Clare, and Galway. Over many years, the Blake family made their castle even bigger and better. They added a large new part to the old tower house in the late 1600s.

Life at Menlo Castle

The Blake family was well-liked by the people living in Menlo village. Many of these villagers rented land or homes from the Blakes. Every year, the family would invite everyone to the castle grounds for a special event. It was called the 'Maying in Menlo' festival. This was a very popular tradition in Galway back then.

The castle grounds became a lively place for all sorts of fun. People enjoyed sports, athletics, and even yachting on the water. There was also tennis, rowing, music, and dancing. Boats would bring people up the river from places like Woodquay and Long Walk. Sweet sellers walked around, offering red and white sugar sticks. They also sold sweet-pipes for a small price. Vendors called out loudly, trying to get people to buy their colorful goods. Their bright tents stretched all the way from the river banks to the village school house.

A Mysterious Night at the Castle

One local midwife, who helped the Blake family, used to tell a fascinating story. She said that one night, while traveling to the castle, she heard something magical. She claimed to hear fairies dancing and playing fairy music in a nearby fairy ring.

However, Menlo Castle also saw a terrible night. Most of the details about what happened were lost. We only know that local people, the fire service of the time, and soldiers from Renmore barracks all tried to help. They worked hard to put out a big fire that destroyed the castle.

The only person known to survive the fire was Anne Browne. For a long time, it seemed she had vanished. But she actually made an amazing recovery. She spent five months in the hospital, resting on a special waterbed. Once she was well, she stayed with her friends, the Cloonan family. After trying to find work in Galway, Anne moved to America. There, she got married and had children and grandchildren. In 1977, her grandchildren encouraged her to share her story. She then wrote to a lawyer and finally told what she remembered about that fateful night.