Patrick Comerford
On a recent question on the Facebook group Comerford Genealogy, after I posted an up-to-date photograph, one member asked: ‘Weren't there initially 4 owned by the Comerford family? Ballybur, Inchohologan, Danganmore, and Kilbline’.
I thought it would be interesting to start a new, occasional series on the castles and ancestral homes of the Comerford family, beginning with the story of Kilbline Castle, Co Kilkenny, although, when this is migrated to the Comerford Genealogy site, it shall eventually become No 4 in the series.
Kilbline Castle is a fortified 16th century tower house in Co Kilkenny. It is set on the Kilbline Estate in the parish of Tullaherin, in the Barony of Gowran, about a mile south-east of Bennettsbridge.
The historian of the Diocese of Ossory, Canon William Carrigan, suggested the name of Kilbline came from Saint Blaan, an early seventh century Irish saint and the first bishop of the See of Dunblane in Scotland.
Kilbline Castle is a typical example of the tower houses that are distinctive features of the Irish landscape. It is estimated that about 3,000 tower houses were built in Ireland between 1400 and 1650. Kilbline Castle is sometimes dated to the 14th or 15th centuries, while other sources say the castle was built in 1539 and was originally owned by the Comerford family.
If the castle was first built by the Comerford family in 1539, then the most likely original proprietor was James Quemerford or Comerford (ca 1493 – post 1560) of Ballymack, Co Kilkenny, a younger brother of Richard ‘Roe’ Comerford, ancestor of the Comerford family of Ballybur.
James Comerford was Attorney for the Earl of Ormond in counties Kilkenny, Wexford, Carlow and Tipperary, from 1531. He was presented with his brother Richard ‘Roe’ Quemerford of Ballybur and the rest of the gentry of Co Kilkenny in 1537 for ‘charging of coyne and livery’.
He was in possession of Ballymartown in 1543, and held Ballymack, immediately south of Ballybur, and halfway between Kilkenny and Callan. On 26 March 1549, he was pardoned along with his brothers, Richard Comerford of Ballybur, and Patrick Quemerford and Nicholas Quemerford, who were living at Ballymack.
James Comerford was the Queen’s Attorney for Waterford in 1558, and the Sheriff of Co Kilkenny in 1549, 1555-1559, and was killed in office. Elizabeth I’s letter to Perrot in January 1585 implies he had been attainted for rebellion, but this may be a mistake for his elder son, Thomas Quemerford (ca 1523-ca 1583).
Thomas Comerford inherited both Ballymack and Kilbline Castle from his father James Comerford ca 1560. In 1566, he had a commission with his cousin, Richard ‘Oge’ Comerford of Ballybur Castle, and others to make war on Piers Grace. However, Thomas Comerford was attainted soon after, and he lost Ballymack briefly to Patrick Sherlock of Waterford, who also acquired Mothel Abbey, near Carrick-on-Suir, and also lost the townland of Kilbline.
Thomas Comerford, who was to become known as a ‘perpetual rebel and traitor,’ was pardoned on 1 March 1569. However, that summer he joined the first Desmond rebellion led by James FitzMaurice FitzGerald. The rebellion lasted for two years, and Thomas Comerford was attainted again in 1571. All his lands were granted to John Prescott in 1575, but in 1580 they were granted to Francis Lovell, and this was confirmed in 1583.
Thomas Comerford married Margaret Cowley, but they had children and his claims and interests passed to his brother, Henry Quemerford or Comerford (ca 1525-1590) of Ballymack. Henry’s family managed to hold on to Ballymack for another century, but never recovered Kilbline Castle.
Henry Comerford’s descendants included: the Revd Thomas Comerford (ca 1596/1598-1635) of Ballymack, his grandson, who was Vicar of Attanagh and Vicar of The Rower, Co Kilkenny; Thomas Comerford (died ca 1627/1629), who is commemorated in Saint Mary’s Church, Callan, with a monument that includes the coat-of-arms of the Comberford family of Comberford, Staffordshire; Edward ‘Ned’ Comerford (ca 1600-(ca1660), MP for Callan; Major-General John Comerford (ca 1665-1725) of Madrid and Badajoz; Enrique Comerfort, Conde de Bryas; and Doña Josefa Eugenia Maria Francisca de Sales (‘Josefina’) de Comerford (1794-1865) of Barcelona and Seville, a femme fatale in the Spanish revolutionary politics of the 19th century.
As for Kilbline Castle, it was never recovered by the Comerford family, and the subsequent owners were members of the Shortall family who also owned Rathardmore Castle, Co Kilkenny. A large limestone chimneypiece on the first floor carries the date 1580 so it is possible this is when the building was completed, after it had been lost by the Comerford family.
Thomas Shortall of Rathardmore died in 1628 and soon after his son and heir Peter Shortall moved to Kilbline Castle and lived there. His estates, extending to 1,500 acres, were forfeited by the Cromwellians in 1653 and his sons ordered to be sent to Connaught. After the restoration of Charles II in 1660, it is said, one of the sons of Peter Shortall seems to have returned to Kilbline.
William Candler, from Newcastle, Northumberland, was as a colonel in Cromwell’s army in Ireland in 1649-1653. He received grants of land in counties Wexford, Offaly (King’s County) and Kilkenny. His principal grants of land in Co Kilkenny included 620 acres in Dunamaggin Parish, 70 acres in Kilbeacon Parish, near Mullinavat, and Kilbline Castle. He and his wife, the widowed Anne Villiers, were the parents of two sons, and their youngest son, John Candler, lived at Kilbline.
William Candler’s second son, Thomas Candler, was an officer in the Williamite Wars in 1690-1691 and later lived at Callan Castle. He was the father of four sons, the youngest of whom Daniel who left Ireland with his wife Hannah ca 1735. They first moved to North Carolina before moving to Bedford, Virginia. Daniel died in 1765 and is buried in the Quaker cemetery at South River Meeting, near his home; Hanna lived to the age of 105, outliving her husband by 40 years – she died in 1800 and is buried with her husband. Their great, great, great-grandson was Asa Griggs Candler, who in 1888 bought the formula for Coca Cola.
Meanwhile, back in Ireland, William Candler’s two eldest sons were ordained in the Church of Ireland: the eldest, the Ven Henry Candler, became Archdeacon of Ossory; the second son, the Revd Dr William Candler, was Rector of Eirke, lived in Castlecomer and died in 1753. The third son, Thomas Candler, lived in Kilbline Castle until he died in 1740.
Kilbline Castle continued to be occupied with a Ryan family living in the castle until 1840, before it passed by marriage into the Lannon family, who lived there until 1979. The castle remains in private ownership.
In many ways, Kilbline Castle is a typical Irish tower house. It is five storeys high, with round bartizans or wall-mounted turrets at each corner of the east front and a slender chimney-stack between them.
A chimney-piece in the tower is dated 1580 and there is an oak-panelled room on the south-east corner of the ground floor. However, the most significant feature of Kilbline Castle architecturally is a wonderful panelled room on the south-east corner of the ground floor, with oak that may date from the late 17th or early 18th century. All the wall panelling is intact and in remarkably good condition, although the ceiling is now covered in tongue-and-groove boards. The old chimneypiece is marred only by a shelf added at a later date.
The surrounding bawn wall survives in part, with early brick walls with blank arches. But some sections were demolished as late as the 20th century when modern farm sheds were being erected.
Kilbline Castle continued to be lived in up to a few decades ago. At some point, a two storey three-bay house was added at the west end of the tower house and a further single storey structure adjoining it.
The present owners do not live in the castle and it has been empty for some time, but they are aware of its importance. Although they have are no plans to restore the castle, the interior is said to be relatively intact and in remarkably good condition.
Kilbline Castle is a protected or listed structure with Kilkenny County Council. However, it is not open to or accessible to the public.
Castles and Houses in this series:
1, Ballybur Castle, Cuffesgrange, Co Kilkenny
2, Ballymack, Co Kilkenny
3, Danganmore Castle, Co Kilkenny
4, Kilbline Castle, Co Kilkenny
5, Castleinch or Inchyolaghan, Co Kilkenny
6, Coolgreany House, near Castlewarren, Co Kilkenny
This illustrated essay was posted on Comerford Way (27 May 2025), and in the occasional series ‘Comerford castles and ancestral homes’ on Comerford Family History (backdated to 18 June 2009)
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