Castleshanehistory.ie brings together years of research on the history of the area by Castleshane local Liam O'Connor. Liam passed away in 2022, the website is now maintained in his memory. 
Fionnuala O'Connor, January 2024

Liam O Connor, January 2021

As an 83-year-old newcomer to communicating by w.w.w. I have to thank my daughter, Fionnuala, for her help in setting up this site.

My interest in the history of Castleshane comes from my being a native of the townland of Corlust and from having lived here for almost all of my life. Our property adjoins Castleshane Demesne, the seat of the Lucas family, and the wood of the demesne was our playground. I have always been interested in exploring the history of the estate and over the years have been collecting material which I hope may be worth sharing.

In addition, all of my ancestors, on both my father’s and my mother’s side, have their roots in the local area. All eight of my great-grand parents came from the parishes of Monaghan or Clontibret within a ten-mile radius of Corlust. The families of (O)Connor, McCahey, Duffy, McKearney, Moan, Mohan, Callaghan and other related Hughes, Murphys, McGlones, Flanagans,  McGlews were all natives of the area. Many of them would have been tenants of the Lucas landlords.

The Right Honourable Edward Lucas (1787 -1871) was, probably the most eminent and able of the Lucases. Writing in 1848 to a Miss Gertrude Rose he philosophises about the role of the Irish Landlord:

“ he  progresses here that which is a high trust of Providence and an important object of attention and of duty - a serious and extensive influence over the prospects, the conduct and the happiness of a very large number of individuals looking mainly to him as the source of  their comfort or of  the reverse. This position is not one to be wished for; but when it comes unsought, it cannot be deserted or abandoned by right-minded person”

What comes to mind reading this paragraph are the words of Rudyard Kipling, the archetypal poet of British imperialism, in "The White Man's Burden" - written some 50 years later:

“Take up the White Man's burden

And reap his old reward

The blame of those ye better,

The hate of those ye guard."

Many of the natives of Castleshane would identify more with the stanza from the popular song “Galway Bay” by Dr Andrew Colahan:

“The strangers came and tried to teach us their ways

They blamed us just for being what we are

but they might as well go chasing after moonbeams

or light a penny candle from a star”