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| Home |  |
Preface | |
A Brief History | |
A Beginning | |
Drum Castle | |
Necarne-Castle Irvine | |
Family Tree |
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Irvines of 'The Castle Irvine' GERARD LOWTHER Pynnar reported that in 1618-1619 Gerard Lowther had built a house and a strong bawn made of lime and stone. The bawn was 324 feet in circumference and the walls were 17 feet high. Near the bawn was a village consisting of 10 houses, a market house, and a water mill. At first this was called Lowtherstown but later changed its name to Irvinestown. Gerard Lowther died in 1629 and his godson, also called Gerard, inherited the property. He was married three times but had no children . He leased the land to Christopher Irvine who was related to him by marriage. |
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THE IRVINES The Irish rebellion of 1641 was felt locally. Christopher Irvine and his family were forced to flee to Enniskillen Castle for safety. The castle of Necarne was burnt down in their absence. The Irvines were Royalists and supporters of Charles I and his men. In the Williamite wars they were to be found on the side of James II. However, by the end of the wars the family appeared to have a change of heart and Gerard Irvine died in William III's service. The Irvines like the Lowthers were of Scottish origin. They were related to the Irvings of Bonshaw, Dumfriesshire. They quickly settled in County Fermanagh and, married into their local planter families. Liaisons were made with the Humes of Castle Hume and the Chrichtons of Crom. In 1788, Major George Marcus Irvine married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Judge D'Arcy of Dunmow Castle, County Meath. It was at this time that D'Arcy was added to the family name. The castle that we see today is of the 19th century period. Judge D'Arcy had renovations carried out in 1831 and John B. Keane was the architect. The original 17th century round towers were kept at the back of the castle and the front was extended to make a two story range built in Tudor Gothic style octagonal turrets at the corners. The gate lodge an the Enniskillen road reflects in miniature the mixtures of styles at the castle. The Irvines were in residence until 1922 when Major D'Arcy Irvine decided to leave for England. With him went the last remaining family connections with the castle and town. (Necarne Castle and the Ulster Lakeland Equestrian
Park, Breege McCusker, 1995, pg. 3-4.) ANN MARY ORMSBY Over the years, I have escorted many visitors around the castle. In March 1994, Joan Johnson made her way to Irvinestown from Oregon, USA, to seefor herself the castle that her grandmother, Ann Mary Ormsby, had worked as a nurse. I will always remember the expression on Joan's face when she first saw the castle. She could not believe that it was still standing. Ann Mary had been brought to Necarne Castle by Mrs. D'Arcy Irvine in 1906. She wanted a specially trained nurse for her children. Ann Mary had spent three years training in the Southern Infirmary, Cork and fitted the job description. She cherished her time as a nurse to the Irvine children passing on these happy memories to her grandchildren in America. She told them she was proud to have been associate with the Irvine family and always insisted that she was not a servant but a nurse. Being well treated by the family she had her own apartment with a separate entrance which was under the archway down by the side of the river. Ann Mary left in 1912 to go to America and was supposed to have been on the illfated Titanic but luckily her passage was changed at the last moment. Many photographs and memorabilia from her time in Necarne were brought with her. Unfortunately, these were thrown out by an aunt of the family who did not believe the family story. (Necarne Castle and the Ulster Lakeland Equestrian
Park, Breege McCusker, 1995, pg. 5.) |
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