The Clonbrock Estate

If landlords were characters in popular movies, they would typically be the villains. The Voldemort of Harry Potter or the Joker in Batman. With their actions however, the Dillion’s of Clonbrock bucked the perceived stereotype that surrounded landlords of yesterday.

As employers they put food on the table of many. The school they built educated the locals. The parties they held on their vast estate brought the community together. They were no angels but, as a great man once said: “There was certainly a lot worse out there.”

There was no shortage of sunshine on the Thursday afternoon Irish Country Living visited Clonbrock estate. As I drove through the entrance to the once extravagant 18th and 19th century estate, I couldn’t help but admire the Dillion family’s choice of location.

When I met with Frank Gavin, a local man who worked for the Dillions back in the 1970s, his tour of the estate was as impressive as the scenery was beautiful.

Though he claims himself not to be a historian, I doubt too many people know more about the Clonbrock estate than Frank Gavin.

The details and function of each building on the premise was described. His recollection of the buildings and the people that worked in them brought the estate back to life.

It was however, the way he portrayed the Dillion family that set his story about the landlords apart from their cohorts.

“An awful lot of landlords were not very pleasant. But the Dillions were different, even if you look at the photographs you’ll see Lord Clonbrock out mixing with his workers.

“They were very much at one with the locals because of all the employment they gave. That very much set them apart. They were good natured,” he says.

Did you know? During the great Famine, few people in the area of Clonbrock went hungry

The Dillons arrived in Clonbrock estate in the 1680s. A family rich in heritage, they bought the 3,000 acre estate and a castle from the former chieftains, the O’Ceallaighs, and quickly set about building and expanding their holding to 28,000 acres.

Over the course of their 300-year stay in Clonbrock, the estate was modernised to reflect changing trends, with a kitchen yard, a stable yard, coaches, sawmill, and a forge – just to name a few.

The estate became a fulcrum for the local community and the employment it generated was invaluable, according to Frank.

“They had around 15 people working in the garden. Two men worked full time on the roadways along the estate.

“There were wood workers, horsemen, and they even had their own farrier.

“If workers were owed money, they got it. They were honest people in that way.”

Frank said that during the time of the great Famine, few people in the area went hungry. Around the same time, the Dillions severely depleted their deer herd. There seems to be a connection. The idea of the good Samaritans comes to mind.

Clonbrock estate belongs to history now. The last of the Dillion clan left the estate in the 1970s and today it is farmed by the locals.

Clonbrock house still stands majestic, only now it is empty and covered with ivy.

The buildings still exist, with a few renovated (beautifully) and lived in by a local family.

While many stories like this can be forgotten we are lucky that, in this instance, a direct link to the past can be seen in the 3,000 photographs of Clonbrock taken since 1860, which are held by the National Library of Ireland, a collection I would urge many to look at.

In truth, the tales of Clonbrock lie with people like Frank. From a cultural point of view it is vital that they keep being told. CL