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Box of in-letters from correspondents whose names begin with ‘A’ and ‘C’, including correspondence about Sir Nesbitt Armstrong’s trusts, and letters from James Callaghan (a thatcher employed by the Rosse estate), from the ‘Chief of Staff, January 1923’ about the occupation of Birr Castle by the Free State Army, from W. Y. Chisholm (manager of the Rosse sawmill [see Q/327]), from Miss Edith A. Cramer, [see M/18], from Messrs Coutts & Co., etc.

Includes: Letter from Padraig Ua Maolchatha, Col. Comdt., G. O. C. 3rd Southern Command, Roscrea: I am directed by the Chief of General Staff to inform you that it will not be possible to evacuate any portion of the premises occupied by the troops before Christmas. I am at present unable to give you any idea when we may be able to evacuate Birr Castle but assure you that we will not occupy it any longer than necessary. I regret being unable to facilitate Lord Rosse’s family in this matter but trust that the owner will appreciate the circumstances which force us to remain in occupation.’ (4 December 1922)

Includes letter from Capt. F. O’Brien for the Chief of General Staff, Dublin, to Toler Garvey: ‘I have been in communication with the General Officer Commanding of the Area who informs me that we was aware of game being shot on the Rosse Estate, but did not prevent it, as he was not aware that the game was preserved.’ (8 January 1923)

Includes a letter from Toler R. Garvey Jr land agent at Birr Castle to ‘V.J. Beaumont Nesbitt’, Tubberdaly, Edenderry on 9 June 1921 who records agitations in Birr, and laments a former way of life:

‘...Although things are bad they are not a bit worse than I had anticipated, but we must reach an end of it sometime and we, or whoever is left, may once again be able to live in peace, though I don’t think they will ever know the comfort and good times which we had in the past.’

Also includes letter to Hon. Geoffrey Parsons on 8 December 1921, revealing the anxiety surrounding the situation for landowners following the War of Independence:

‘I enclose... Notice from the Local Government Board of their intention to take the land at Croghan after all, but in view of the Settlement just arrived at on the Irish question, it seems very doubtful that they will proceed with the matter. Things have moved rapidly since I saw you and we shall be face to face with a totally new situation.’

Carbon out-letter book of the sawmill manager, W.Y. Chisholm [see Q/383].

‘B’ - principally Richard F. Barry & Son, solicitors, Birr.

Two boxes of letters from ‘D’ -principally Darley, Orpen & McGillycuddy/Synnot, solicitors, Dublin, who write mainly in their capacity as solicitors to the Rosse estate, but who also acted for other employers of Garvey as well.

Octavo volume recording, by townland and then alphabetically by tenants, houses and offices on [the ‘outer estate’. Q/316 is also on MIC.564.]

Large folio stud book.

Small folio volume recording turf-cuttings on the bogs of the Rosse estate.

Envelope of legal papers about the estate, including non-contemporary copies of deeds back to 1909, and counsel’s opinions on cases concerning repairs to tenanted houses, rates on such houses, the claims of J. Laurie, a dismissed steward [see Q/389], etc, etc.

Five envelopes containing miscellaneous estate accounts and financial and estate correspondence of the Birr Estate Office, much of it about arterial drainage (including printed matter back to 1869), one account of 1874 mentioning the cost of labour on the mounting for the three-foot telescope, and other long runs of accounts relating to the Dovegrove, Killeen and Newtown farms and stock, and to the manor saw mill, 1886-1912. [Not in chronological order.]