| 14. | William Brownlow was born on 31 Dec 1683 in Of Lurgan, Armagh, Ireland (son of Arthur (Chamberlian) Brownlow and Jane Hartstonge); died on 27 Aug 1739 in Ballwilly, Co Armagh, Northern Ireland. Other Events:
Notes:
The Brownlow Family and the Rise of Lurgan
from Review - Journal of Craigavon Historical Society Vol. 1 No. 1
by K. Clendinning
The eldest, William, was baptised 31st December, 1638, educated Trinity College, Dublin graduated B.A. 1703, M.P. for Armagh 1711-1715 and 1729-1739.
It was during William's lifetime that the Church of Ireland left the old Church in Shankill and began to build the Parish Church on the Fair Green of Lurgan. Commenced in 1722 and opened for worship in 1724, this building was in Georgian style and in 1837 a tower of 80 feet was added and a spire built on this tower in 1756.
This was 36 feet from the battlements of the tower and was of oak and red fir, shingled with oak and topped with a weather vane of copper and gilt. This spire was destroyed by fire in 1792.
During that occasion, Henry Monro, who later became the leader of the Down Insurgents at the Battle of Ballynahinch, was in Lurgan and exerted himself heroically to save the nave of the church. An account of his efforts are to be found in the Belfast News Letter which states "several times he exposed himself that the beholders turned their eyes away expecting to see him topple from his giddy heights amongst the burning ruins, and though the bell fell hissing from the belfry this brave man continued his efforts till the fire was reduced and the church safe."
After the fire the tower was raised by 20 feet and a new spire was added, this was completed by 1801.. The nave was improved in 1832 at the cost of £1,000. In the Ordinance survey memoirs of 1834 the church is described as a large whinstone building corniced with cut stone. It is 96ft long, 49ft across with a square tower about 27ft square and a wooden spire which was coppered. The interior of the Church was rather plain, the ceiling was corniced with oak. There was a small gallery at the south-east end and. a pulpit neatly carved.
The Big Wind
In 1839 disaster struck the spire again for it was blown down on the night of the big wind. This spire was replaced but in 1861 the church was taken down and re-built in the pointed Gothic style with a new freestone spire at a cost of £8,000. The only remaining parts of the Georgian Church are the window at the right of the East end and part of the tower, and the iron railing which encloses the church.
William Brownlow married, 2nd January 1711, to Jane, the daughter of James Hamilton, 6th Earl of Abercorn, who brought with her a dowry of £22,859. She outlived her husband and later married Martin Count de Kearney in France. She died in Dublin 1760. William died 27th August 1739, leaving a son William who was baptised 25th April 1826. He was M.P. for Armagh in six Parliaments 1753/60, 1761/8, 1769/76, 1776/83, 1785/90 and 1790/94.
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Christened: 13 Dec 1683 Place: Shankill, Armagh, Ire.
William BROWNLOW M.P of LURGAN
Master McGrath
Ireland’s Famous Coursing Greyhound
by Joan Dillon
Whelped in County Waterford, Ireland, Master McGrath (or M’Grath as it sometimes appears) was sired by Lord Lurgan’s great coursing greyhound, Dervock, out of a bitch of James Galway’s named Lady Sarah. Black with white markings, Master McGrath was small as greyhounds go - only fifty-four pounds when full-grown. Yet, although his career as a great coursing greyhound is well-documented, there are a number of contradicting stories about his early life.
According to one account, an Irish tenant who was suffering the effects of too much imbibing, heard a strange sound on his way home. It was coming from a bag caught on the root of a tree, half in and half out of the water. Opening the bag he discovered a nearly drowned greyhound pup. Somehow, this pup then came under the care of Lord Lurgan and rewarded his benefactor by excelling against all comers on the coursing field.
Another account claims that this undersized pup was going to be put down as he lacked potential. Due to a plea by the orphan boy who exercised him, a young lad by the name of Master McGrath, the dog’s life was spared. Named after the boy, Master McGrath then went on to best the most famous coursing greyhounds of his day both in Ireland and England.
Whatever his early history, Master McGrath became a top coursing greyhound and was entered in England’s prestigious Waterloo Cup in 1868. At just two years of age, he surprised his detractors by bringing the blue riband home to Ireland. The next year, more than 12,000 people gathered at Altcar to see if this Irish interloper could repeat. In his final course, Master McGrath drew in against Bab-at-the-Bowster, a Scottish bitch who was also considered unbeatable. In what many consider to be history’s greatest coursing match, the two ran neck and neck until Master McGrath proved he wasn’t a fluke and pulled ahead to record his second Waterloo Cup win.
In 1870, when trying to win the Waterloo Cup for a third consecutive year, Master McGrath suffered the only defeat of his coursing career. The event was held despite a controversy over course conditions. Many felt that a February freeze had caused the course to be unfit. This was indeed the case as Master McGrath fell through some ice and almost drowned in the River Alt. As he struggled in the icy water, an Irish slipper by the name of Wilson jumped in and saved him. After this mishap, Lord Lurgan vowed never to course Master McGrath again and took him home to Ireland to recover from his ordeal.
The following year, with Master McGrath back in racing condition, Lord Lurgan just could not resist the challenge of trying for a third Waterloo Cup victory. To the utter disbelief of some, this amazing greyhound came through and won the event for a third time. Following this victory, Master McGrath received a summons to appear before Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle. (The queen and her husband Prince Albert had once owned a black and white pet greyhound by the name of Eos.) Just two short years after his presentation to the Queen, Master McGrath died of heart failure.
So great was Master McGrath’s fame in Ireland that, after his death, a monument was erected near his birthplace in County Waterford. He was later memorialized on the Irish sixpence coin and was the subject of several paintings. A poem commemorating his triumph in his second and most famous Waterloo Cup victory, was later put to music and became a popular Irish ballad.
Notes for WILLIAM BROWNLOW:
Surname: Brownlow
Given Name: William
Sex: Male
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Death: 1739
Death Place: Ballywilly, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
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Miscellaneous: SOG, London
Source: Civil Registration 16
More About WILLIAM BROWNLOW:
Baptism: December 31, 1683, Shankill, Armagh
Burial Site: Shankill, Armagh
Education: 1702, Trinity College Dublin
Political office: 1711, High Sheriff, County Armagh
William married Elizabeth Hamilton about 2 Jan 1711 in Dublin, Dublin Ireland. Elizabeth (daughter of James Hamilton and Elizabeth Reading) was born about 1688 in Strabane, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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