In a graveyard high above Swinford, County Mayo is this mausoleum where members of the Brabazon family were formerly interred. The Brabazons had come to the area in the first half of the 17th century and were later responsible for developing the town, close to which they built a fine house, Brabazon House, which survived until 1980 when pulled down by the local Health Board. Also gone is St Mary’s, the Church of Ireland where they once worshipped, so this mausoleum, seemingly ‘repaired’ in 1828 by Sir William Brabazon, who was then MP for the area (and who died 12 years later after choking on a chicken bone), is the last remaining evidence of the family’s presence in the area. However, the Brabazons do not have the place to themselves: on top of the mausoleum is a large marble column topped with a cross, which commemorates one Patrick Corley who died in 1875 at the age of 60, while on another side of the mausoleum is a plaque dedicated to successive generations of the O’Donnel family who lived some five miles south at Fahyness (now Faheens).
There is a fairly similar,but smaller mausoleum to the Devereux Family of Ballyrankin in Kilrush co Wexford
Final resting place also for Peadar O’Donnell
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peadar_O%27Donnell
“is the last remaining evidence of the family’s presence in the area. ” Definitely incorrect. In St Mary’s graveyard (restored by Mayo Council) is a crypt containing the sarcophagi of Sir William Brabazon MP (d.1840) and Maj Hugh Brabazon (d.1864), the father of Gen Sir John Palmer Brabazon, mentor of Winston Churchill. My father’s (Martin Brabazon d. 2000) memorial plaque is the other one on the front of the mausoleum. The mausoleum is actually made from two side walls of the 12th century Kilconduff church with a front and back walls added plus the roof. I am a frequent visitor to Swinford, as are my children and grandchildren. Although my ancestor Capt William Brabazon (1653-1742) acquired (in his name) the Gallen (barony) estate in the Cromwellian Settlement, he lived at Lough Mask Castle, relocating to Carrowgarry (later known as Newpark, Swinford) c.1730. His son George had Brabazon House built in 1777.
Thank you for your message. And for any readers interested in the crypt mentioned above, an image of it can be found at: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/196832457/william-brabazon
Hello Michael. An ancestor named Mauby Brabazon came from Swinford to London in the mid/late 19th Century., I believe with his brother. Guess he was related to the family somehow. He got a job working as a warehouseman in Hoxton in the East End., so essentially seems to have been Ireland’s answer to Tess of the D’Urbervilles.
Hi Adrian – thanks for your comment. Yes, I know of that chap whose name was written in various ways but was actually Malby. He came from Swinford, the son of a William Brabazon, farmer. I think this William may have been a natural son, maybe of another William Brabazon of Brabazon Park. The name Malby is originally from Ursula (nee Malby) Brabazon, the daughter of Sir Nicholas Malby. She was married to Anthony Brabazon of Ballinasloe castle. She became a Catholic and the family thereafter. Long story! Michael Brabazon