Bronze age finds at Chute Hall in 1875. Five/Six bronze age War trumpets discovered in a hoarde at Chute Hall close by Clogherclemin approx 3-4000 Years old. The War Trumpets were discovered by men cutting turf employed by Captain Chute of Chute Hall. To read more go to https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/25506674.pdf pg. 422
A bronze age burial tomb was also discovered here in 2000. Viking skeletons found in cave at Ballymacelligott dating to 1000BC.
Based on the info above the lands around Ballymacelligott and Chute Hall were inhabited since Bronze Age times.
The original name of Chute Hall was Tullygarran.
Circa 1800 : Extracts from Timothy M. Donovans book “The Popular History of East Kerry” 1931,
In the middle of the eighteenth century, when the penal laws were in full blast, the whole of East Kerry from Brosna to Gneeveguilla, including the present three parishes of Castleisland, Scartaglin and Cordal and parts of Currow and Clogher, were under the sole administration of one Catholic priest, who, strange to say, was under the protection of the Protestant Chute family of Chutehall, where the hunted sagart found a refuge with that fine old Protestant family. It must always be remembered that it was only the lowest class of Protestants – bigoted fanatics – that pursued the souls of our people with the soup pot. The great majority of Protestants lived amongst our fathers in the greatest amity and affectionate friendship. They stood stoutly by their own Faith, but they never showed any bigotry towards the Faith of their neighbours. There were exceptions, of course, but generally Catholics and Protestants lived together as good friends and kind neighbours.
We have seen before that this Chute family of Chute Hall was in the Penal Days the protector of the Parish Priest of East Kerry; and that, although the Chutes were then Protestants, they had “a hiding hole” for priests who had a price on their heads.
Chute Hall in Ireland distinguished itself from the more well known mansions in Ireland in much the same degree: rather than being used for the purposes of out doing the British in elegance, this was a functional home known for being airy, drafty, damp, lacking modern conveniences even for its time – and often used for “Kerry Dances” – all of the old first floor furniture was simply pushed out of the way, and wild, enthusiastic all night dances open to everyone were held in the house.
Penelope Antonia Chute 3rd wife of Francis Chute lived in Sping Hill
Richard Chute lived at Chute Hall, Tullygarran
There is still a beautiful original farmhouse at this location. See photo below.
I am so delighted to have been sent information by one of our distant Chute relatives in the UK. Chaloner Chute … thank you for the help and support.
Michael Brosnahan lived at Chute Hall & Ballynahinch. In the 1848 Griffiths Valuation he is listed as a farmer with areas 1 & 2 in his name (see above map)
Tullygarran, Spring Hill and Ballynahinch were all owned by the Chute family.
Michael married Anne Chute on September 30th 1841 in a COI marriage at Ballymacelligott Church of Ireland Tralee. Civil Marriage records were not in existence at the time of her marriage but her sister Ellen Chute also of Ballynahinch was married a few years later and her father was listed as “Francis Chute – Gentleman”.
So … it would seem that Francis Chute had an affair after his first wife passed away and before he remarried. (There was a gap of 5 years here.) His affair appears to have resulted in Anne and Ellen being born. There is no record of their Mothers name.
A short paragraph on Illigitimate Children in Ireland C.1759–1832
Experiences of Irish illegitimacy were further complicated by the intersections of gender, social rank and religion. A number of histories of sexuality and marriage have pointed to examples of individuals whose lives were lived outside the mainstream and whose social and gender privileges meant that their ‘deviancies’ were largely tolerated by those around them. As in Britain, it was not uncommon for Irish men of the landed classes to maintain mistresses and their illegitimate children. Anthony Malcomson’s work, for example, has revealed how the keeping of mistresses was widespread among Irish noblemen. Many aristocrats paid their mistresses good annuities, left provision for their illegitimate children in wills, and ensured they received a good education and made good marriages. Indeed, so long as these relationships were kept out of public view, mistresses were maintained and any children provided for, such alliances were tolerated.
Illegitimate Children, Parenthood and Siblinghood in Ireland, c.1759–1832*
Leanne Calvert https://academic.oup.com/ehr/article/137/587/1144/6705575
It would seem that the above was true for Anne and her sister Ellen as both made good marriages to local farmers.
To continue with the story of Anne …. Michael and Anne went on to have 4 Children and all were baptised Catholic.
Michael Brosnans eldest son was Thomas Brosnan b.1848, who also had a son called Thomas. This family still own the house at 2 on above map at Ballynahinch. Chute Hall and Spring hill are both in ruins with all the stone from Chute hall being reused in the 1950s to build local farmhouses.
Should you wish to visit Chute Hall you can see the beautiful stone wall and gates with Ogham stones. The gates and fence were all hand made by our ancestor Thomas Brosnahan the Blacksmith at Ballynahinch. Thomas was also a locksmith and made all the locks and keys for Tralee Gaol at one time. The ruins of Spring Hill are still in place under heavy overgrowth.
Michael Brosnan and his twin brother Patrick were born in 1857 at Chute Hall, right in after the Famine. The population of the parish of Ballymacelligott dropped by 34% during the famine years, from 4000 to 2600. The Brosnan family survived and Michael and Anne went on to have one further child in 1865, a girl called Anne.
In 1886 Francis B Chute living at chute Hall is recorded as owning 10,328 acres making him one of the largest landowners in Kerry.
In 1882 aged 25, Michael Brosnan married Hanorah Mary O’Connor (daughter of Martin O’Connor – Butcher in Tralee and Catherine Counihan) aged 21. They lived on Castle St, Tralee. His brother Thomas stayed in Ballynahinch in the family home and continued in the trade of Smith.
Their first daughter was born on the 18th January 1885 and they named her Catherine. Catherine/Kathleen would go on to marry Charles Coughlan in 1917.
Click to continue reading about the Brosnahan/Brosnan family of Castle St, Tralee
or if you would like to read more about the Chute Brosnahan connection click here