https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Donemark,+Co.+Cork/@51.6967933,-9.4426287,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x48450bbaf6a63bed:0x5730c094c9aaf311!8m2!3d51.6967676!4d-9.4404316

Dummanack House. Gorteenroe House. July 1854; The old salt house Gurteen Roe near Bantry and Gurtnaroe House | George Victor Du Noyer

 

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Donemark is part of the drumlin belt around Bantry good land.

1760s, Lease renewal to Richard Mellefont, Esq., by Kenmare Estate of Donemark, Bantry, West Cork for Three Lives Mellefonts Father had Vastly Improved and Enclosed Fields of a Proper Size with Well Planted Ditches and  Had Fish Palaces Redundant Due to Flight of Pilchards.

Donemark is by legend the place where people first came to Ireland.

This lease and similar ones on the Bantry estate mark a period of the development of the modern landscape and field lay out with planted ditches.

 

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Magistrates:

 

David Mellifont, 1794.  Donemark house of Carrignarontha, Bantry.  May have freedom of Cork 1761 as Esq. Appears in frequent deeds as witness 1761-1775 including soe in Bandon area. 1779 Lieutenant Bantry Volunteers, Superseded 1810-30, Middleman on Lord Kenmare estate. Game Cert 1802.  1820 signed Memorial for new road Glengarriff to Castletownbere.  1822 his house and those of Pattison, Doyle, McCormack, Kingston attacked by over 400 Whiteboys searching for arms. William O’Sullivan, Esq., Carriganass Castle, native Ahill purchased Carriganass from David Mellifont, Donemark in 1817 for £250 and £50 rent.  O’Sullivan prominent in anti tithe, repeal. Married 1804, Sophia Grey, Wexford, address given Mardyke, Co. Cork probably Skibbereen. Sophia Mellifont Nee Gray wife of David Mellifont had a brother called Nicholas Gray,he was secretary to the Wexford Insurgents 1798. Gray went to America and was involved in the 1812 War,he was Inspector General of the American Army. The Grays were from Whitfort House Wexford and Jamestown Co Wexford. Mellifont died Donemark 1835, significant debts, estate in Chancery and litigation.

Richard Mellefont, 1766, Downemart (Donemark), Bantry.  Probably son of Gilbert.  Kenmare Estate renewed lease of Donemark for three lives, his own, Christopher Earbery, Shandaragh and Mathias Hendley son of Roger of Downing, Co. Cork.  Lord Kenmare comments ‘The tenant is a very genteel and worthy man’.  Mellifont family of Norman origin, Kinsale converted.  1758 Lease of 31 years from Kenmare Estate to Richard Mellifont as trustee for Patrick Galwey in occupation his ‘near relation’

https://durrushistory.com/2017/01/09/1741-major-tenants-on-kenmare-estate-bantry-district-tim-casey-miller-newtown-18-david-gallwey-glaunreagh-dromsullivan-47-james-gallwey-donemark-38-patrick-gallway-gurteenroe-22-richard-go/

 

https://durrushistory.com/2016/11/23/proceedings-at-the-high-court-of-justice-at-dublin-and-cork-1652-1654-for-trying-irish-catholics-arising-from-rising-of-1641-mentioned-belgooly-bandon-garretstown-included-triall-jo/

 

https://durrushistory.com/2015/05/24/some-rent-receipts-kenmare-estate-1741-46-bantry-beara-area-william-sullivan-florence-sullivan-rev-thomas-miller-mort-sullivan-gilbert-mellifont-donemark-michael-murphy-newtown-and-mills-bev/