Dillon Family, Clonbrock House, Ahascragh, Co. Galway : Short Biography

The family home was built in the 1780s at Ahascragh, replacing a castle that had earlier stood on the site. It is said that a fireworks display to mark the birth of one of the 1st Baron's sons, caused a fire destroying the castle. 

Robert Dillon was the 3rd Baron of Clonbrock, born to Luke Dillon (2nd Baron) and Anastasia Blake. He married Caroline Elizabeth Spenser on 22nd June 1830 in Oxfordshire, England and so his estate operated at the height of the Great Famine. He was educated at Eton and Oxford. He succeeded to the title of 3rd Baron of Clonbrock in 1826. His children included Frances Letitia, Caroline Anastasia, Helen Isabella, Louisa Emilia, Alice Elizabeth, Georgina Louisa, Katherine Charlotte, Elizabeth Octavia, Luke Almeric, Luke Gerald (4th Baron), Robert Villiers and Francis William. 

He is often seen as a considerate landlord, given his treatment of his tenants during the Great Famine. Unlike many other landlords of the time, Robert Dillon (and later his her, Luke) was mostly resident in Ireland. Others, who were 'absentee landlords' cared little about the fate of their tenants, or at least had little first-hand dealings with any of them. While there were some evictions from the Estate during the famine years, some tenants were assisted in their emigration by the landlord. 

At the time of Griffith's Valuation the house was valued at £100 though the Dillon family held land in other counties too including Meath, Roscommon and Westmeath.