Pollock Estate

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In 1854, Alan Pollok, a Scottish entrepreneur arrived and built a fine residence at Lismanny from which he oversaw the operation of the 29,000 acre farming enterprise which he had recently purchased. Pollok was a world famous Improver of land in his day, meaning that his farming practices produced an unprecedented yeild per Ha or Acre. Visitors to Lismanny during that period included the Emperor Napoleon III of France and King Edward the 7th of Great Britain.

Alan Pollok quickly established one of the most advanced commercial farms in the Europe of that time. Initially, his enterprise flourished but in the early years of the 20th century, decline set in and the Pollok family left the area for good. Very little now remains of the Pollok mansion or of the magnificent farmyard at Gannaveen.

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The two gate lodges to the estate in Lismany are still there.. My mother Mary Josephine Poland was born in one and I was born in the other one. Both households had worked for Pollock when it was a running farm. I remember my grandfather being the game keeper and his father before him.
I remember there was a canal stopping station in Lismany where the ladies of the day arrived from Dublin or Galway. I don't know if the canal house is still there. My mother remembers the ladies in their carriages dressed in their fine clothes on their way to the ball. She was allowed to look at them from the windows.

I lived in our gate lodge and farm until I was about twelve. As well as the farm we had a shop which was run by my aunt Ellie. She had started the shop in the hallway and later had built on an extension to house the shop. I remember many people coming for the things they didn't make or grow on their farms. It was always a meeting place for people to stay a while to catch up on the talk of the day. The got news from Laurencetown and Ballinasloe and many other areas around Clountuskert. I remember sitting by the fire in the shop with aunt Ellie as a child and she would tell me stories of her life and of days gone by.

We lived in Clontuskert but went to school in Laurencetown as it was nearer to us to walk. I remember taking a magazine to a lady who lived in part of the Pollock estate.in the fifties. I remember most of the families that lived in and around Lismany, Ganaveen, Ballamena and other areas.

If I can help anyone looking for people in the areas please get in touch.

Helena

Thursday 25th February 2021 02:38PM

Hi Helena - My grandmother was born in Eyrecourt - actually Cooolcarty East. Her father William Rutherford, a Scot, was a land stewart for Pollok holding - Ballyhoose and Kylemore. My great grandmother ( Agnes Watt) was born to John Watt, a Scot - also land stewart to Pollok and later a farmer in Fearmore. Agnes marriage certificate has her living in Lismanny as a nursemaid and then later as a housekeeper. WHen she was about When Rutherford died his wife remarried a Mr Lamb also holding some capacity on these holding ( land stewart or games keeper?) I believe her mother, Mary Hay, was the housekeeper to Mr and Mrs Gairdner of Lisberg.

I was wondering if you had any stories or information from 1850-1920. OR perhaps corrections to what I have researched

Was your family in the are during this period?

Eulilie

Wednesday 17th March 2021 02:14PM

Eulilie, William Rutherford was also my great grandfather. My grandfather John Rutherford was your grandmother's brother. I think this makes us second cousins. We have relations in Canada who are trying to trace the Rutherford family history and they would welcome any information you might have. Perhaps I know some things which would be useful to you.

Sunday 25th April 2021 01:53AM

PS I've never used this site before and am not sure how it works. I signed in through Facebook but don't know how to contact you, Felicity Joinson.

Sunday 25th April 2021 02:09AM

Hi Helana; John Loughnane is my name and I am 77 of age ( don't mind my profile name,its a bit tongue in cheek) My ancestors were supposed to be evicted from the Pollack estate,sometime in the nineteenth centuary. They came across the river Suck and looks like they married into farms. My Grandfather Thomas Loughnane married a Brigid Kelly owh owned a small farm ( or maybe rented) in 1885.His Brother Willie married into another a small farm .As far as I know their father would be Thomas Loughnane.

They would be related to The Haverty's and Polands In Lissmanny. I do not know what the relationship is. Can you give me any further info.

I am trying to do a Family Tree before I die. Its especially for My son Ciaran who is showing some interest.

Any Info. would be much appreciated.

Cheers John

Lord Correenwood

Tuesday 30th November 2021 10:20AM

My Colahan ancestors also lived in Ganaveen and were deposed by Pillock, they went to Ballymanagh. Peter and Catherine had 2 children Michael and Peter. Not long after the move Catherine died. Peter remarried Eleanor’s Kelly and had 5 children.
unable to find info. Help would be greatly appreciated.

thank you

catherine

Catherine colahan

Saturday 4th March 2023 09:41PM

My husband's great great grandfather was coachman on the Pollock estate. His name was James Stewart and he was married to isabella Rose. They were both born in scotland. They split their time between the estate at Lismany and the one in Mearns. There was also a Robert Stewart on the Scottish censuses who was the butler. We aren't sure whether Robert was James's father. If anyone has any information or could tell me whether the estate records are accesible anywhere, I'd be really grateful. Thanks.

Catlover

Monday 13th March 2023 06:18PM

My great-grandfather, James Turley was a farm laborer on the Pollock estate. His wife, Bridget (Guinan) Turley died giving birth to my grandmother, Helena Monica Turley, in 1900. The family (James and his eight children) all immigrated to the United States by 1910.

I was recently given a copy of a letter written by my grandmother where she writes about living in a cottage on the estate in Ganaveen. I would love to know what remains of this estate, especially what became of the laborer’s cottages.

Thanks!

Ruth

Sunday 9th April 2023 12:19AM

Hi Catlover

I was interested in two of your comments

1) Your relative splitting his time between Lismany and Mearns. - I had often heard my grandmother say that her father William Rutherford and maybe grandparents John & Minnie Watt split their time between the Pollok holdings in Ireland and Scotland but didn’t know details. Do you know what years your relative did this and under what circumstances? Other details?

2) Last name Stewart. The maternal line of John Watt’s family was Stewart. They were from old Machar/ Aberdeen. I wonder if they were relatives ? what year was James Stewart born and where ? Agnes Stewart’s son John Watt born 1832 was a land Stewart for Pollok at the time of his marriage c- 1860.

Eulilie

Sunday 9th April 2023 01:09AM

HI, Ruth and Eulillie

Our Stewart ancestors were from Perthshire, although Isabella Rose (who married James Stewart) was born in Leuchars in Fife. James was born in 1826 and Isabella in 1825. They both died in 1890 in Galway. James and Isabella were still in Scotland when they married in 1847 (in Libberton). Most of the children were born in Scotland and Isabella is shown on census records but James is absent for some of them - presumably he was in Ireland. Some of the children married in Ireland. James was the coachman.

With regard to Robert Stewart born 1796 in Moulin, Perthshire. He was on the Mearns estate in 1841 and shows up as living in Mearns on all the censuses - he was the butler. He was married to Sarah Manley and they had a daughter Frances. He died in Leith in 1876. He may have stayed on the Mearns estate and not travelled to Ireland. We aren't certain that Robert was James's father because if he is, then his marriage with Sarah was bigamous and that's something we'll probably never prove. this is a mystery we would love to solve.

The Scottish estate was in Mearns in Renfrewshire. I think the house is a school now. The estate in Lismany is in ruins.

Sorry it's probably not much help to either of you.

Pauline