The Skerrett Family

The Skerrett Family

The Skerretts are one of the oldest attested of the Galway Tribe families. Hardiman provides an excellent summary of the family’s early history: “This family is of considerable antiquity in Galway; the name was originally Huscared; and they derive their origin from a noble English family, one of whom, Roger Huscared, [was] a judge, at a very early period. Robert Huscared or Scared, held lands in Connacht, under Richard de Burgo, in 1242. In the registry of the monastery of Athenry, Walter Huscared and Johanna his wife, are mentioned among the principal benefactors of that foundation, and Richard Scared or Skeret, who is supposed to have been their son, was Provost of Galway, in 1378. To him belonged the estate of Ardfry, in Mearuidhe [Maree, in the parishes of Oranmore and Clarenbridge], and other lands about Clare-yn-dowl, now Claregalway to the Friars Minor [ie Franciscans]; of which convent, he bestowed a piece of ground, on which part of their monastery was built. Some of these lands are held by his descendants to this day [c1820]. “The principal branches of this name, at present, are those of Ballinduff [Headford], Carnacrow, Drumgriffin, and Nutgrove in the County of Galway, and Finavarra [near New Quay and Burrin] and Funchien [on the border between Clare and Galway, about five miles southwest of Kinvara] in the  County of Clare.”

EARLY SKERRETTS
Walter Huscared, or Husgard, and Johanna, his wife (mentioned above by Hardiman), were responsible for the construction of the cloister in the Dominican Abbey in Athenry; they were buried at the abbey circa 1241. Edmond Skerrett is listed as a tenant of Walter de Burgo, Earl of Ulster, in 1280. Another Walter Skerrett was Provost of Galway in 1414 and 1417. Nicholas Skerrett (who is probably the same person appointed Collector of Customs for Galway and Sligo by Henry VI in 1445), was Sovereign of Galway 1445-1446. He is named in a Blake document of 1445 referring to arbitration between William Blake FitzGeoffrey and John Blake FitzHenry. From this document we also learn that Nicholas Skerrett owned a house in the town of Galway at this time. In the Blake Family Records we learn that Nicholas Skerrett was appointed guardian of Nicholas, the infant son of John Blake FitzValentine who died in 1503. John Blake’s wife Eveline Skerrett, the daughter of Nicholas Skerrett and his wife, Isabella. We can watch how this particular Skerrett-Blake family relationship developed in the next generation as related in the will of Nicholas Blake FitzJohn, dated 1568, where Mary Skerrett is described as his cousin. And in 1580 we have, in the Blake Family Records, a transcript of the will of Cecily Skerrett, the wife of John Blake FitzNicholas, who was most likely the son of Nicholas Blake FitzJohn, who died c1568. Another daughter of Nicholas and Isabella Skerrett, Agnes Skerrett, married Geoffrey French of Mulpit, Athenry (died 1528). A Mary Skerrett was the wife of Thomas Riveagh Kirwan (died 1515). In the Composition of Connacht, 1585, Richard Skerrett is named as the owner of Castlegar Castle in the Barony of Moycullen. Skerretts who served in the town administration: John Skerrett was Provost of Galway in 1480, and, after the town charter of 1484 was granted by Richard III, he served as mayor in 1491. James Skerrett was bailiff in 1513, and mayor in 1531; that same year Walter Skerrett was one of the two bailiffs of the town. George Skerrett served as bailiff in 1536. William Skerrett was bailiff in 1538. Another William Skerrett - possibly his son - is given as mayor of Galway in 1556. Another Walter Skerrett was bailiff in 1546 James Skerrett was burgess of Galway in 1543. Nicholas Skerrett FitzJames, probably his son, was a burgess of Galway in 1564. Roland Skerrett was bailiff in 1571, and mayor in 1594. In 1580 John Skerrett was bailiff, and in 1606 John Skerrett FitzWilliam (who was possibly the same John Skerrett who was bailiff in 1580) was mayor. Marcus Skerrett was sheriff (formerly the office was described as bailiff) in 1626. We conclude with a passage from Hardiman in which he describes the head of the Skerrett family in 1641: “Edmond Skerrett, ancestor of the family of Ballinduff, and head of the name, resided in 1641, at the castle of Ath-kin or Headford; he was expelled by Cromwell, and his castle and estate transferred to Hatley St George. Mr Skerrett and his family were transplanted to Dountis near Foxford in the County of Mayo, where his descendants remained until 1688.”

Seathrun of Dubhros
Galway Advertiser May 25 2000

Headford Castle