The Mullegans of Athlone

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The town of Athlone in Westmeath and its castle were first built by the Anglo-Normans in the thirteenth century and after the decline of their colony, the town fell into decay and the control of the castle alternated between the O�Kellys of U� Maine, often Anglicised as Hy-many, and the Dillons of Kilkenny-West. The town began to recover once the government forces took control of the castle again in 1537. The building of the great nine-arched Elizabethan bridge of Athlone in 1566, was a prelude to the establishment of the presidency of Connacht in 1569. The headquarters of the presidency was located in Athlone Castle.

Although not stated, it would appear William Mollegane, James Mollegane, Barnabas Mollegane, Peter or Piers Mollegane, and Nicolas Mollegane, who were granted the �English liberty� in 1558, were the ancestors the Mullegans of Athlone. They are first recorded in 1640, when the will of Nicholas Mullegan, merchant of Athlone was made probate at the Prerogative Court of Ireland.

In 1460 the Irish Parliament enacted that civic freedom and admission to trades could only be obtained by Irishmen after they had got English liberty from the king, and had undertaken to be of English array, habit and apparel. Even the Irish chiefs had no right to plead in and be answerable in the royal courts. They needed royal charters or an Act of Parliament to admit them to �English liberty�.

For the rest of the Irish population, individual charters of emancipation or naturalization were the only device for citizenship and freedom from the Irish March law or Brehon law. Two different legal systems (English and Brehon) had operated in Ireland and this remained in place until 1603, when Brehon law was banned under James I and English law was applied by royal and local magistrates.

November 14, 1558
Grant of English liberty to William Mollegane, James Mollegan, Barnabas Mollegane, Peter or Piers Mollegane, and Nicolas Mollegan, and their issue.
[The Nineth Report of the Deputy Keeper of Public Records in Ireland (Dublin, 1884), Appendix to Nineth Report, p. 89, no. 270]


1640
Will of Nichol Mullegan of Athlone, merchant.

[Index of Wills Prerogative Court of Ireland 1536-1858]

Note: Original was destroyed in Dublin in 1922.

1656
List of Transplanted Irish 1655-1659

An Account of lands set out of the transplanted Irish in Connaught

June 18, 1656
Date of Decree to transplant James Mulligan of Athlone in Co. Roscommon.

August 8, 1656
Date of Final Settlement of James Mulligan, received 240 acres of land.
[Historical Manuscript Commission Report, Ormond MSS 2 (1899), p. 169]


1659 - A Census of Ireland

County Longford

Barony of Ardagh

Mullegan ������.. 5

Barony of Granard

Mullegan ������.. 16

County Westmeath

Barony of Fore

Mullgan & Mulligan ���.8

Barony of Corkaree

Mullican ������.. 5

[Pender, S�amus: A Census of Ireland, circa 1659 (Dublin, 1939)]


1684
Letter addressed to King James II by sovereign, recorder, bailiffs, burgess, and freemen of the borough of Athlone, offer condolence to him for the death of his late brother, Charles II, and declare their loyalty and obedience freely to James.

Signed by 84 freemen, including Edw. Molegan, freeman of Athlone and Colonel Charles O�Kelly of Castle Kelly, Co. Galway.

[Athlone in the Seventeenth Century in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Fifth Series, Vol. 1,No. 3 (3rd Quarter, 1890), pp. 198-215]

1690
Prelude to confiscation: a survey of Catholic estates in Leinster

In the Irishtowne of ye Liberties of Athlone, Westmeath

Tenants of the Earl of Clanrickard and Edmund Ffallan.

Property burned during Rebellion

Bartholemew Emery Dier, 2 tenements and gardens.
Henry Dillon, 1 tenement and garden.
Terence McCabe, 1 tenement and garden.
Patrick Rian, 1 tenement and garden.
Hew Brian, 1 tenement and garden.
Frarral Moran, 1 tenement and garden.
Edmond Molligan, 1 tenement and garden.

[Prelude to Confiscation: A Survey of Catholic Estate in Leinster in 1690, The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Vol. 131 (2001), p.109]

May 28, 1720
Memorial of Deed, whereby Richard Glass of Athlone in the County of Roscommon, Gent, in and by an Indenture of lease dated 20 May, 1720, made between him Richard Glass by the name of Richard Glass of Athlone in the County of Roscommon of the one part and Edwin Thomas of the aforesaid Town and County, merchant, of the other part that said Richard did demise and set unto the said Edwin Thomas, all that house and plot of ground where Francis Cabe lately dwelt now in the possession of James Mulligan adjoining Thomas, situated in the land leading from the market house of Athlone unto the Rover between the Widow Nest�s house and the house of James Cuffe, holding of the said Richard Glass, his heir and executors for the term of 62 years and yielding and pay rent of two pound sixteen shilling Stirling from first day of November and first day of May yearly, which said indenture of lease was sealed, delivered and executed before Robert Benson, John Brogan and Edmond Walpole, subscribing witnesses to the same, on 3 May, 1721. Memorial registered on May 8, 1721, by William Parry, deputy registrar, and witnessed by John Brogan.
[Registry of Deeds, Dublin, Memorial 18270, Vol. 31, p. 83]

May 1, 1721
Memorial by Edwin Thomas of Athlone in the County of Roscommon, merchant, in and by an Indenture of Lease bearing date the first May 1721, and made between the said Edwin Thomas by the name of Edwin Thomas of Athlone in the County of Roscommon, merchant, of the one part, and James Mulligan of the aforesaid Town and County of Westmeath, Felt Maker, of the other part, that said Edwin did demise and set unto the said James Mulligan, all that house and plot of ground where Francis Cabe lately dwelt now in the possession of James Mulligan adjoining Thomas Moran�s plot, situated in the land leading from the market house of Athlone unto the Rover between the Widow Nest�s house and the house of James Cuffe, holding of the said James Mulligan, his heir and executors for the term of 31 years and yielding and pay rent of two pound sixteen shilling Stirling from first day of November and first day of May yearly, which said indenture of lease was sealed, delivered and executed before John Brogan, Francis Mulligan and Edmond Walpole, subscribing witnesses to the same, on 3 May, 1721. Signed and Seal by �James Mullegan�. Memorial registered on May 8, 1721, by William Parry, deputy registrar, and witnessed by John Brogan.
[Registry of Deeds, Dublin, Memorial 18271, Vol. 31, p. 84]

August 1, 1741
To be Sold Publick Auction to the best Bidder on Monday the 10th Day of August next, the Lands at Monkland within half a mile of Athlone in the County of Roscommon, all set to very responsible tenants, of which the present numbers are freeholders of the County and freemen of Athlone now set at �111 6s 3d per annum, but worth double the Rental out of Lease. N.B. there is a Bog of 500 acres that belongs to it. And also, The Lands of Irishtown in Westmeath in and joining to the Town of Athlone, now set for �100 per annum, lease for a Strand and some Waste Plots not here valued, but mentioned in the Rent Roll. N.B. There are on this Estate twenty good Freeholders for the County, and Freemen of the Town of Athlone, and about [unclear] of the Rents are Ground-rents, well-built and inhabited by responsible Tenants. Note also, that on the Lands of Monkland there is a Reservation in Mr. Mullegan�s Lease for one or more Fairs yearly, which, if once established may be worth more than the Rents of the whole Land. Rents in all, exclusive of the Strand and Waste Plots, �211 per annum. Any Person who is inclined to purchase, may view the whole Concern with great Ease, it lying in and about the Town of Athlone. Rent-Rolls of the same are printed, and may be seen in the Hands of Mr. Francis Mulligan, Merchant, at Athlone, Mr. James Dillon, Attorney, on Usher quay, Dublin, Mr. Sherwood at Athlone or Mr. George Faulkner the Printer hereof, who will transmit them to any Person who writes for them.
[Dublin Journal, Tuesday, August 1, 1741]

June 6, 1747
At Dublin. Last Tuesday a Cause was tried in the Court of Common Pleas, between William Hughes, Plaintiff, and Francis Mulligan of Athlone, Defendant, which appeared thus, viz Mulligan swore Horse stealing against Hughes, to prevent him from prosecuting a Suit he had against Mulligan. Hughes got bailed and Mulligan then procuring other Evidence against him, carried on the Prosecution. Hughes was tried at Roscommon in July, 1738, and acquitted, and Copies of his Indictment ordered him, in order to bring his Action; but the Night of his Acquittal he lost his senses, and has been lunatic at Intervals ever since, which has prevented the Cause being tried till now. The Jury gave a Verdict for Hughes, with �300 damages, besides Costs.
[St. James�s Evening Post, London, June 13, 1747]

December 5, 1749
Prerogative Will of Francis Mullegan of Athlone, merchant

Extract Pedigree of Francis Mullegan of Athlone in County Roscommon, merchant; will dated February 22, 1747/8, probate granted December 5, 1749. Names his wife Mary, sister Mary Flanagan, his son, James Mullegan of Athlone, and daughter Ellinor Archer and her children Francis, John and Mary Archer.
[Betham Will Abstracts, Genealogical Office, Dublin, Vol. 29, p. 158]

February 5, 1757
Prerogative Will of James Mullegan of Athlone, Roscommon

Extract Pedigree of James Mullegan of Athlone in County Roscommon; will dated February 5, 1757, probate granted April 6, 1757. Continued from his father Francis Mullegan. No children mentioned.
[Betham Will Abstracts, Genealogical Office, Dublin, Vol. 29, p. 158]

February 5, 1757
Clonmacnoise Burial Ground, County Offaly

In the east end of the Cathedral is the following inscription:

�Flat slab�

I. H. S
Here Lyeth the Body of
James Mullegan of Athlone
Who departed this Life ye 5
Day of Febry 1757 Aged 43 years

[Memorials of the Dead in Ireland Vol. 6, pt. 2, p. 376]

Note: Clonmacnoise is located in County Offaly, at the crossroads where the principal east-west trade route crosses the principal north-south river, the River Shannon. It is about 12 miles from the town of Athlone and from Ballinasloe in County Galway.




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