Our hosts were Lizanne & Kenneth Allen and we thank them for a wonderful day.
We had a 'Sarsfield Theme' to the gathering as Janet Sarsfield married John Bellew.
The Bellews gathered for their sixth reunion on Friday 17 July at Dardistown Castle near Julianstown. Bellews came from counties Louth, Meath, Armagh and Galway. John Bellew (1522-1600) of Bellewstown and Castletown (Dundalk) married as his third wife, Genet Sarsfield who came from the neighbouring village of Sarsfieldstown next to Dardistown. Genet by the 1580's had been married five times and she built on an extension to her daughter's house at Dardistown. Her daughter Katherine Shillingford had been married to Thomas Talbot of Dardistown. Genet's sixth husband was John Bellew. Ballyneety-man, Chris Ryan gave a talk on the Sarsfield-Bellew connection and on Patrick Sarsfield and the role he played for the Jacobite side especially in Co Limerick and Ballyneety. He mentioned that it was only after Patrick Sarsfield that the name Patrick became popular in Ireland.
A couple from the U.S. Frances and Norman Poole timed their visit to Ireland to coincide with the Dardistown gathering. They celebrated sixty years of marriage the previous day. Frances's mother is a Ballew (spelt with an 'a') who is now 97 years old. Following the talk, Local historian, John McCullen took the group through the tower house that was built by Richard Cornwalsh in 1465. A copy of the book 'The Field Names of County Louth' was presented to Lizanne Allen of Dardistown who hosted the gathering. Then it was time for some tea and everyone had time to renew old acquaintances. Musicians from Galway provided some tunes and Lisa McGuinness also sang and it was not long when a sing song was in full flow.
What da paper said
Early arrivals
The Galway Contingent keep an eye on things
Frances & Norman Poole & Family & Friends celebrate 60 years
The Gibbstown contingent arrives
Too many Seamus's around
That's an unruly lot that are in today!
Ah well they were n't that bad after all!
Has the homework been given out?
Wait until Fern sees who's arrived!
Taking it all in.
Now there's Fern leading the way.
Norman & Frances
Ach the weather did n't turn out that bad after all
Making sure everything is in place
We don't think Meath or Armagh will win Sam this year
Reaching the high notes
Pat and Marita
Is it time for tea
The Timetable for the day was:
2:30 p.m. Arrive - Sign-in
Tours of the fifteenth-century tower house with local historian, John McCullen
3:00 p.m. Welcome
Talk with Ballyneety-man, Chris Ryan on:
The Sarsfield Family: the Dardistown and Bellew Connections
4:00 p.m. Afternoon Tea
In the later eighteenth-century Osborne House
Location of Dardistown
Dardistown Website
The Dardistown Website offers comprehensive history and detail on Dardistown Castle
http://www.dardistowncastle.ie/
Dardistown House
It has made Da Paper
BALLYNEETY Wreath-laying:
Both the Bellews and Sarsfields had links in the 1690's with the Jacobite/Williamite war. The Bellews were involved at the Battle of the Boyne, Aughrim and at Limerick. In 2013 Bryan Bellew & myself visited Ballyneety where the events associated with Patrick Sarsfield were commemorated.
Bryan Bellew with Ballyneety-man Chris Ryan
Dardistown was also an important venue when it came to the Bellewstown Races, some of the local houses vied for the opportunity to host visiting royalty. Dardistown is nearly a 'puck of a ball away' from Bellewstown where we had our first gathering. We hope you will consider joining us.
Dardistown Castle
Janet Sarsfield who resided at Dardistown was daughter of John Sarsfield of Sarsfieldstown, Co Meath. She had the distinction of having married six times. Marrying several times was not uncommon in those times. For the record her six husbands were 1. Alderman Robert Shillingford; 2. James Luttrell of Luttrellstown; 3. Robert Plunkett of Dunsany; 4. Sir Thomas Cusack of Lismullen; 5. Sir John Plunkett of Donsoghly; and Sir John Bellew who survived her.
Dardistown Castle and House
Dardistown Castle and House
Ballyneety
The coat of arms at Dardistown notes the construction of a ‘chambre’ by Genet Sarsfield in 1586 and her burial in Moorechurch is recorded in 1597. Even though she was married four times after her marriage to Robert Plunkett, she referred to herself as Lady Dunsany or Dowager Dunsany. The stone at Mooretown with the following inscription is now built into the chancel arch: HERE VNDER LIETHE THE BODY OF DAME IENET SARSFIELD LADY DOWAGER OF DONSANY WHO DYED THE XXII OF FEBRUARY AN DNI 1597.
The Sarsfield Memorial at Ballyneety
The Sarsfield arms with the inscription THIS CHAMBRE | WAS MADE AT | THE CHARGES | OF DAME GENET | SARSFELDE | LADIE OF | DONSANIE ANO | DOMINI 1586 are now at Dardistown Castle on an extension to the main house.
The Sarsfield Arms at Dardistown
Here are the links to all the Bellew Reunions
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