Cranagh Castle aka Crannagh House

Templetouhy (Tipperary)

The medieval tower that is Cranagh Castle was built circa 1580. Later the Georgian House that was attached to it was also known as "Cranagh" and Crannagh Castle. Three storeys out of the tower's original 5 survive intact today.  

In 1768,  the Lloyd family built a 4 storey house at Crannagh beside Cranagh Castle. The Lloyds held land in the barony of Ikerrin, mainly in the parishes of Borrisnafarney, Bourney, Killea, Templemore and Templetuohy. 

John Lloyd of Cranagh and his wife Deborah Clutterbuck had 6 sons, as mentioned in his will dated 1770. 

• The Lloyds of Lloydsborough and Cranagh descend from their fourth son Jesse Lloyd.  (Emma, widow of John Lloyd of Cranagh died in 1835). John Jesse Lloyd Esq, of Crannagh who in 1844 married Mary Fortescue, was the eldest son of John Lloyd of Lloydsborough.
• The Lloyds of Ballymacrease and Lisheen descend from their fifth son, Frederick Lloyd of Ballymacrease. 
• The Lloyds of Skehanagh may descend from his third son George. In 1786, Wilson wrote that a Mr. Lloyd was the proprietor of a house at Clashagad, near Dunkerrin, Roscrea. 
• Their second daughter Mary Lloyd (d.1828) married Richard Montesquieu Bellew Esq. of Ely Place, Dublin in 1827 and died suddenly the following year. 

In 1814 this house was occupied by John Lalor Esq. of Cranagh (aka John Lawlor) who died in 1828. His farm stock, machinery and house was auctioned for sale on 26 September 1828. 

In June 1829, James Maher of Cranagh registers a house and land at Cranagh as a freehold value of 10 pounds. (In October 1839 Philip Maher and William Maher, farmers, both register a house at Cranagh and a freehold to the value of 10 pounds each). Later generations of this Maher family were still present in 1901. 

In 1839 Lewis records the property as occupied by the Reverend M. N. Thompson of Templetoohy (tenant of John Lloyd). 

Ordnance Survey map circa 1850

Cranagh House was in use as an Auxiliary Poor House at the time of Griffith's Valuation and was valued at £25+.

In 1901, at the time fo the Census of Ireland, it was the only 1st class house in the townland of Cranagh. Occupied by Emly F. J. Lloyd and his wife, the house had 15 rooms and 25 windows to the front. Among their servants were Nurse Harriet Gleen, Rose McTavish, Mary Lonergan, Mary Maunsell, and Ralph McCormack. 

The owner in the early 1940s was J. Cullen.

This Georgian house at Crannagh, then known as "Crannagh Castle" was lost to fire in 1996. The tower survived and has now been restored as a family home. (see Irish Times report below)

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