Blake's on Clonava Island

Hi Brenda,

This was an interesting one!

The area falls under county Westmeath.

rootsireland.ie has the following:

baptism of James Blake Westmeath 1784 parish Taughmon R C (This would make him 57 when he married though!)

marriage of James Blake to ANN Daly 1841 Westmeath Taughmon parish

baptism of Peter 1841 James 1844 and Mary Ann 1846 Westmeath parents James Blake and Ann Daly parish Streete R C.

There are 5 death listings for James 1838 (no age) 1848 aged 63 (which would be the baptism above) 1875 (no age) and 1901 age 70.

For Ann Blake 1891 age 65 1898 age 95 and 1928 (no age)

There are 10 birth/baptism records for Ann Daly born 1820 + - 5 years in Westmeath but if you purchase the marriage record you will get her parents' names to narrow it down. (rootsireland.ie is a pay site).

Couldn't find any castle photos but you might want to post a message on the Westmeath site and the Taughmon and Streete parishes.

Col

Two photos of what remains of the CASTLE.

Matty

My name is Matthew Blake,Ilive in Clonava. My great great great grandfather was James Blake.

There were two familes of Blakes in Clonava in the 1800 century .There was a  james in both families.

From what you say i think you are not the Castle blakes.I am not a decendent of  the Castle Blakes either.

Matty

I have a painting of Jim Blake By Erskine Nicol but cant up lode it to here file size to big,  there is also a Book on Multyfarnham by a Man called Peter Wallace you might find out more info

My Name is Kevin Brady if you send me your email address ill see if i can find anything to help you

email address kbrady1964@gmail.com 

Brenda,

A bit of info for you.

Last Thursday I read ‘Jim Blake's tour from Clonave to London’ in the National Library, Dublin. I live not two miles from Clonave. I grew up with Eskine Nicol’s St Patrick’s Day, since acquired by the National Gallery of Ireland. I was delighted to discover Nicol had a studio not far from where I’ve settled and I have done extensive reseach trying to find the exact location of his studio and today I feel I am very close. I had thought the author Jim Blake was an English friend of Nicols but only saw the light when I read his delightful account of his Journey to his friend Nicol in London and detected his brogue. He caught the train from Multifarnham Station to Dublin and stayed overnight with William Wilde, eye surgeon: no doubt his 2-year old Oscar was making a niusance of himself!

  At the end of the book he returns to Clonave and his wife NANCY, so there is a clue for you. I attach two images also

1. An Irish Emmigrant Landing at Liverpool 1871

2. "THE HOUSE ON THE LEFT IN THE MID-DISTANCE IS MY STUDIO", 1862

 Number one appears as a print in Jim Blakes book and is referred to as a portrait of himself off the boat in Liverpool before he gets the train to London

 In number two, the land rising up on the right is recognisably Clonava hill, the low blue hills on the horizon are across Deravaragh right of Kiltoom, I think! I’ll walk down there tomorrow with a printout and try lining it up.

 The Castle is on the Ordinance Survey 1835 map and marked as a Castle. The remains are still visible from a satellite image. I introduced myself to Mathew on the phone today. I shall contunue my persuit of the studio and will let you know of any developments

Kevin O’Neill

P.S. I cant see if the files are attached let me know and I’ll send them again, or some other way.

Liverpool

Studio

Taht is interesting about the castle being a tea room. I cant find a rthing about the castle yet. I’d really appreciate knowing the source of the tearoom story