Fay family genealogy

Arms: Vert a dexter arm issuant from the sinister side of the shield, and a sinister arm from the dexter, vested or, cuffed ar. the hands ppr. grasping a sword erect of the third, pommel and hilt of the second, the blade thrust through a dragon’s head couped of the last. Crest: A dragon’s head couped or. Motto: Toujours fidèle.[1]

The De Fays, or De La Fays are of frequent mention in the old Norman Charters, and, even at the present day, the family has many representatives amongst the Gallic Nobility.

The Viscounts De Latour Maubourg (from whom sprung the Princes D’Auvergne) are stated “to have assumed their sirname from the Lordship of Fay, in Picardy, of which they were possessed at least as early as the year 1000;” while the Counts Mauleveru, the Counts De La-Grange, the Viscounts De La Faye De Bourbonais and Du Fai de Savernay, as well as the Irish Branch now under consideration, appear to have assumed theirs from the Fief of Fay, in the parish of St. Honorine-Du-Fay, in Normandy, which was possessed by the family at an equally remote period.

Du Conge suggests that the local name “Fay” signified, anciently, a Beech or Oak-wood; and the Abbey of Silly, which was situate in the great forest of St. Andre-en-Goufferin, near Fallaise, is styled indifferently in ancient documents “De Silvia,” “De Bosco,” and “De Faya.” To this Abbey in 1202 Garinus, Lord of Bello-Altari, granted certain lands “heretofore held by W. De Mandeville, Earl of Essex, of Robert De Fay, hither of the said Garinus, as of his Fief of Bello Altari.”

To the neighbouring Abbey of St. Andre-en-Goufferin, Burgundian Du Fay, Lady of Harrier, made grants of Lands: as did in 1225 Nicote, sister of Raoul Du Fay, which the latter confirmed, “as dependant on his Fief of Fay, in the parish of St. Honorine-Du-Fay,” while Helie Du Fay made a similar confirmation to the same Abbey, of lands in his Fief of Fay-du-Pré, in the parish of Villy.

The first of the name we meet in England is Radulphus or Ralph De Fay, or De La Fay, to whom Henry II. in 1154 granted the extensive Manor of Bromley, in Surrey. He held until the 19th of Henry II., when, taking part with Prince Henry against his father, he was disseized, and Bromley was granted to Baldwin De Bethune. Afterwards it was again escheated, when King John by charter, dated at Poitou, 4th Dec., 1199, granted it to Ralph De Fay, the son, who, with many members of his family, was then engaged in that monarch’s service in France.

This Ralph married Beatrix, sister and co-heir of Stephen De Turnham, Seneschal of Poictou, and, dying in 1222, left by her, who remained with Hugh De Plaiz—John De Fay, his heir, on whose death s. p. in 1241, the Manor of Bromley passed to his sister Maud, who married, first, William De Clere, and, secondly, William De Braiose; and Philipa, who married William De Neville.

In 1215 King John commands De Podio, Seneschal of Angoulême, “That you without delay cause to be seized into our hands, the land which belonged to William De Mastad, which came to our beloved and faithful William De Fay, in right of his wife, daughter and heir of the said William De Mastad.” In 1215, the said William De Fay, and Ralph, his brother, had a grant of land in Hampshire, heretofore the estate of Robert De Mandville. In the same year King John granted to the said William De Fay, the lands of Barrentin, Roumare, St. Jean-du-Cardonett, and St. Agnes, in Normandy, a grant which was subsequently confirmed by Philip Augustus.

In 1225, William De Fay, electing to remain in Normandy, his lands at Polehampton, Hampshire, were confiscated.

In 1208, King John confirms to “Peter De Fay, our Burgess of Rochelle, the reasonable gift made him by Ralph De Fay, of the office of ‘Baker and Pasturer’ of Rochelle, and of the Hundred Shillings rent in the ‘Minages’ of Rochelle, and of Forty Shillings rent out of the house in Rochelle, wherein Elias Gasket formerly had an Exchange.”

The first mention of the name which we have discovered in Ireland, is in 1219, when Sir Richard De Fay, Knight of De Lacy, Lord of Meath, was sent by the latter on a mission to the King.

About this time, Richard De Fay was seized of Mayneston, in Herefordshire, which he held of the Lord John De Monmouth, by ancient enfeoffment. In 1220, Richard and Walter De Fay witness charters of the De Monmouth family, of which House, we may here observe, was Rosa De Monmouth, the first wife of Hugh De Lacy, the “Conqueror” of Meath.

In 1281, the King notifies that Richard De Fay, remaining in Ireland, by the King’s Licence, had attorned before him, Geoffreys Te Ireys, and Richard De Pickeyleigh. (Pickeyleigh adjoins Maynestown in all pleas and plaints in England.)

In 1289, Theobald Le Verdon, Lord of the Western moiety of Meath, had a suit with Richard De Fay, concerning the lands of Tyrlicken, or Tyrkillen, in that county. During the course of the proceedings it was expressly stated, “that De Fay was then abroad in the King’s wars.”

In 1290, George De Fay was seized of premises in Kilmer, Donore, and Glackmorne, in the Liberty of Trim, in right of his wife Isabella, daughter of Richard Fitz John, the fifth Baron of Delvin. In 1339, Walter Fitz George De Fay had a suit with his grandmother, Eglantine, widow of Lord Delvin, concerning the above lands, which she claimed as daughter and heir of William Deweswell, of Deweswellstown, co. Dublin, and Kilmer, co. Meath.

Shortly after this, John Engelande (a trustee) conveyed to Richard Fitz George De Fay, the estate of Comerstown, in the Barony of Fore, and of Mayestown, in the Barony of Moyashell, in Tail Male; with remainder to Roger De Fay—which Roger De Fay succeeded; and, dying before 1380, was seized, inter alios, of Comerstown, Ballindrinan, and Bartanstown.[2]

In 1384, his son, John Fitz Roger Fay of Dernegara, was Plaintiff in a suit at Trim against George Fitz Walter Fay and Philip Tuite, for having unlawfully disseized him of the above lands, and a verdict was given in his favour; whereupon, the said George Fitz Walter appealed, on the grounds that the Jury who tried the case had not been fairly impanelled, “by reason that Thomas Chamber, the Sheriff, had taken to wife Anne Dardis, cousin of the said John Fay.” Thereupon a new Jury was ordered to be impanelled, by the Keeper of the King’s Pleas, which confirmed the verdict of the first,—mitigating, however, the damages against George Fitz Walter Fay, “by reason of his minority.”

In 1465, the Crown having raised some question as to the title of James Fay (son and heir of John Fitz Roger) to the Comerstown estate, he proved it (under the conveyance made by John Engelande above cited) in a Parliament held in Trim in that year, in Drogheda in 1468, and in Dublin in 1469. He complains bitterly at being harassed by this inquiry “that his lands were situate on the Marches, and that he had great trouble defending them against his own and the King’s enemies.” This James, it is presumed, was father of George Fay, who died in 1514, seized of Comerstown and Dernegara, as appears from an Inquisition post mortem, taken at Duleek in that year; and from whom the Pedigree is carried down to the present day, as follows:

1. George Fay of Dernegara, in Westmeath, born 1435, died May, 1514, leaving Gerald, his son, then aged 40; and married, as appears from an Inquisition post mortem, taken at Ratoath.

2. Gerald Fay of Dernegara, who was engaged in the rebellion of “Silken Thomas;” and, dying in 1548, was succeeded by his son:

3. Gerald Fay of Dernegara, then aged 40, and married to Joan Fitzgerald, by whom he had George, James of Comerstown, and Christopher. He was Sheriff of West Meath in 1565, and died 1576.

4. George of Dernegara, son of Gerald, died vita Patris, leaving by Mary Fitzgerald, his wife, four sons —1. Gerald, 2. George, 3. Redmond (all of whom died s.p.), and 4. Meyler.

5. Meyler, of Comerstown: son of George; married Margery Nugent, by whom he had an only son Edward; and, dying Nov., 1627, was buried in the Abbey of Multifarnham.

6 Edward, of Gartlandstown House, and Dernegara: son of Meyler; married Eliza, daughter of Theobald Nugent, Esq., of New Haggard (by Mary, daughter of Nugent, of Carlanstown, ancestor of the extinct Earl Nugent). By this lady, Edward had six sons—1. Garret, who left issue, Anne, who married Nicholas, brother of the celebrated Father Aloyius Stafford, who was killed at Aughrim; and Captain George Fay, who had the benefit of the Articles of Limerick, and thereby saved the Gartlandstown Estate, which descended to his daughters and co-heiresses (Mrs. Kennedy and Mrs. Lessac); 2. Meyler, died, s.p.; 3. Stephen, a Priest, died 1687; 4. Anthony, died s.p.; 5. Francis, died s.p.; and 6. Thomas.

Edward Fay, taking a very active part in the troubles of 1641, had his estate confiscated by Cromwell.

On the Restoration, this settlement is recited in a Decree dated March, 1663, restoring a portion of property to Richard Nugent as trustee for the four surviving sons of Edward Fay, viz.: 1. Garret, of whom presently; 2. Meyler, of Comerstown, who d. s.p. in 1688; 3. Stephen, a Priest, who died in 1687; 4. Thomas, of Togher, of whom hereafter.

The eldest son, Garret, resided at the Castle of Dernegaragh, and, dying in April, 1687, left: 1. Mary, married to Luke Cashell, gent., of Sturrock, in Louth, and of Down, in Westmeath; 2. Anne,[3] who m., first, Nicholas Stafford, and, secondly, Nicholas Read, Esq., of Dunboyne; 3. George Fay, of Gartlandstown, a Captain of Foot in the service of King James II., who, having been included in the Articles of Limerick, saved the estate, which in 1730 was in possession of his daughters and co-heirs, Mrs. Kennedy and Mrs. Lessac.

Edward Fay d. in March, 1685, and the male line of the family was continued by his youngest son.[4]

7. Thomas Fay, of Demegara, who married (in 1660), Anne, sister of — Blake, Esq., of Castletown, by whom he had three sons— 1. Martin; 2. John Mór; 3. Thomas Mór; and a daughter Frances, who married Owen Johnson, Esq., alias MacShane, son of Colonel John O’Neill of the Fews, and Lettice, daughter of Lord Blayney. From this marriage descended the Johnsons of Warrenstown, in Meath, and Sir W. G. Johnson, Baronet, of Twickenham. Thomas Fay having been attainted in 1691, settled at Damaelstown in Meath.

8. Martin, of Damaelstown and Corboggy: son of Thomas; married in 1709 Catherine, daughter of — Malone, of Possexstown (by Anne, daughter of Thomas Plunkett, Esq., of Possexstown and Gibstown); and dying in 1765 left issue—1. Thomas, 2. Patrick, 3. John. The eldest son,

9. Thomas, of Annsbrook, and Mayo House, county Meath, and of Drumherk, co. Cavan, died January 31st, 1796, aged 86; leaving by his wife Katherine, daughter of Mr. Thomas Murray, two sons—1. Patrick, whose issue is extinct in Ireland; and 2. John.

10. John, of Ballyhaise, who married, first in 1789, Miss O’Dowd, by whom he had one son, Thomas (of whom heareafter); and secondly, in 1797, Miss Brady, by whom he had James of Moyne Hall, and Patrick. James Fay of Moyne Hall died in 1863, leaving two sons—John of Moyne Hall, who was High Sheriff of Cavan, in 1874; and Thomas, A.B., of Dublin and Heath Lodge.

John of Ballyhaise, died January 31st, 1836, aged 76.

11. Thomas Fay of Faybrook, co. Cavan, born 1794, and who d. 1880, married Mary Herbert,[5] only daughter of Patrick MacCabe, Esq., of Ballybay, and by her had four sons—1. Patrick MacCabe Fay, Chevalier of the Legion of Honour; 2. Thomas-Francis, of Trim; 3. James-Henry Fay, J.P., of Faybrook, High-Sheriff for co. Cavan in 1881; 4. Charles-Joseph Fay, who was M.P. for the county Cavan; all living in 1887. Also three daughters—1. Marianne-Frances, wife of Philip Smith, J.P., Artina,co. Cavan, and Colmanstown House, county Galway; 2. Eleanore Gertrude (died in 1875), wife of John MacCarrick, Esq., of Cloonbany House, county Sligo; 3. Margaretta S. Clare, widow of Francis O’Farrell, Esq., of Dublin.

Notes

[1] Fay: For further information respecting this family, see Manning and Bray’s Surrey; De Roques Antient Maisons de la Normandy—Article “Du Fay;” Calendar of Close Rolls, in Tower of London; MS. Pedigrees, in Trinity College, Dublin; etc.

There was a branch of this family seated in the county Kildare, which for many generations occupied the position of political agents and confidential trustees to the Earls of Kildare. The head of this family, Nicholas Fay of Ballinure, was specially exempted from pardon for life or estate by Cromwell. Another branch of the family was seated at Trumroe, in Westmeath, which was similarly “favoured.’’ Both these families appear to have recovered some part of their estates at the Restoration; as George Fay, of Jamestown, in the Queen’s County, mortgaged Ballinure in 1730; and George Fay, of Castlepollard, whose Will is dated in the same year, and preserved in the Registry of Deeds Office, leaves a conditional bequest to his brother Michael “in case I (the Testator) should hereafter enjoy my estate of Tromroy;” a condition of hope not unusual in the Jacobite Wills of the period.

This George was brother of the gallant Geoffrey Fay, Captain in Sir Neil O’Neil’s Regiment of Horse, who gave his name to “Fay’s Ford,” on the Boyne, and who was popularly said to be the last man (aided by his brothers) who opposed the passage of the Williamite Army. Jeffrey was killed at the Battle of Assanno, in Italy, in 1714.—See Letter preserved in the Archives of the Franciscan Convent, Merchant’s Quay, Dublin.

[2] Bartanstown: On the 17th of May, 1680, Garret Fay of Dernegara, filed a Bill in Chancery against his youngest brother Thomas, for having entered into possession of Comerstown, Ballindrinan, and Bartanstown. The latter was thereupon bailed in the sum of £1,000 by Richard Barnewall, Darby Dunn, Michael Hall and Nicholas Barnewall, all of the city of Dublin. From his grandson, and namesake, Thomas Fay of Annsbrook, and Mayo House, county Meath, who settled in Cavan in 1780, descend the Fays of Faybrook and Moyne Hall, in that county.

[3] Anne: By her second husband (Mr. Read of Dunboyne), Anna Fay (whose Will was proved in 1735) left issue two daughters co-heirs, of whom Jane m. Andrew Palles, of Mount Palles, co. Cavan, ancestor of the Right Hon. the Chief Baron Palles, of Dublin, living in 1887.

[4] Son: Edward Fay had daughters, of whom Mary m. Oliver Nugent of Mabestown, who died in 1682, leaving Henry Nugent, who married Eleanore Burrowes of Stradone House, co. Cavan.

[5] Herbert: This Mary Herbert MacCabe became sole heir of her father, whose mother was the daughter and heiress of Mr. Peter McMahon of Recane, county Monaghan, by Ellinor his wife, daughter of “The O’Duffy of Clontibret,” by Mary, his wife, daughter of “The MacKenna of Trough,” commonly called “The Major,” who was killed, March, 1689, defending the Fort of Drumbanagher, near Glaslough, for King James II. Mr. MacMahon of Rekane was nephew of Hugh MacMahon, Archbishop of Armagh (whose nephews, Bernard and Ross MacMahon, succeeded him in the primatial chair), and grandson of Colla Dhu MacMahon, titular lord of Dartry, by Aileen, daughter of “The O’Reilly”—styled Earl of Cavan, and niece of the great Owen Roe O’Neill. Colla Dhu was great-grandson of Sir Brian (MacHugh Oge) MacMahon, Lord of Dartry, by Lady Mary O’Neill, daughter of Hugh, Earl of Tyrone—the unfortunate chief whose “Flight” gave facilities for the “Plantation of Ulster.”—See No. 127 in the “MacMahon” of Dartry pedigree, Vol. I.