Sale of Sir Henry Burke’s Estate at Marble Hill, Galway

Sale of Marble Hill House Estate Property, Galway

A Forenote on the Sale of Marblehill House Estate

This document sheds light on a contentious chapter in Irish history – the Land War and the subsequent sale of vast estates to tenants. The year is 1906, and the spotlight falls on the sprawling estate of Sir Henry Burke, Marble Hill, located in County Galway. Mr Duffy, a Member of Parliament representing South Galway, raises concerns about the ongoing sale of the estate to its tenants.

The document, sourced from the official record of debates in the British Parliament (Hansard), reveals anxieties surrounding the fairness of the sale process. Mr Duffy alleges that the sale prioritizes “the really rich sections” of the estate, potentially inflating the price of the remaining “poor mountainous parts.” His primary concern lies with the welfare of the tenants residing in these less desirable areas, fearing they might be pressured into unfair agreements.

Further adding to the complexity is the issue of evicted tenants. Mr. Duffy specifically mentions Mr. L. F. Egan and others who were previously forced from their dwellings. The document confirms that the Estates Commissioners, responsible for overseeing land sales, are aware of these applications and plan to investigate them as part of the overall sale process.

This forenote serves as a window into a period of significant social and political change in Ireland. It highlights the struggles of tenants seeking land ownership and the complexities of addressing historical injustices like evictions. As we delve deeper into the document, a clearer picture will emerge of the challenges and potential solutions surrounding the sale of Marble Hill House Estate.

MR. DUFFY (Constituencies-Galway, South-October 1, 1900 – December 14, 1918)

28 June 1906

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the attention of the Estates Commissioners has been directed to the negotiations going on for the sale of the widely-spread estate of Sir Henry Burke, Marble Hill, Woodford, to the tenants; are the Commissioners; aware that the townlands comprising the really rich sections of the estate are being sold first, for the purpose of raising the market value of the poor mountainous parts of the property; and, in view of the possibility of the poor people living in these arid mountain districts being forced or induced to sign agreements neither fair to themselves or the ratepayers, will he call the attention of the Estates Commissioners to the proposed sale of this estate, with a view, amongst other matters, of having Mr L. F. Egan and other evicted tenants reinstated in their evicted homes.

HC Deb 28 June 1906 vol 159 cc1100-1

(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have no reason to believe that sales of portions of this estate are being arranged with the object mentioned in the Question. The Commission has referred the applications of the evicted tenants to one of their inspectors for inquiry in connection with the sale of the property.

Reprint extracts: from digitised editions of the UK Commons and Lords Hansard, the Official Report of debates in Parliament. This was part of a project led by the Commons and Lords libraries on Marble Hill House and estate lands in Galway, Ireland. The original article reference can be found here.