One of the first photos sent in to the website was this one of Mr and Mrs Reilly. All we knew was that it was possibly someone on the Powerscourt Estate, as it came from an old Wingfield album.

“Mr and Mrs Reilly”

Thanks to James Byrne, who called in last week to the Gathering Weekend, we now know a bit more. He reckons this house was in Kilmalin, on Blackhouse Lane, about half way up. He says the house was the extent of the portion shown in the picture, and was thatched. The woods opposite the house are known as Reilly’s woods, which were owned by Powerscourt and sold to O’Tooles. The Reillys are buried in Curtlestown Cemetery, towards the top of the graveyard.

As luck would have it, the couple appear in the 1901 Census. Thomas Reilly (76) lived with his wife Jane (53), his brother James (73), brother-in-law James McAnneny (60), and farm servant William Ryder (40). I think it is apparent from the photograph that husband is a lot older than wife.

Incredibly, Thomas is alive in 1911 too, although has only aged 6 of the intervening 10 years! His wife Jane records her age as 57, and they are living with two farm servants, Willie Timmons (50) and John Byrne (72). There are lots of Reillys on the estate in the 1901 Census, at Aurora, Kilmalin and Cloon.