Bowles DNA Project

The Boles of Moyge

Richard Boles was a tenant of Lord Perceval's at Kilgrogan in the Liscarroll area prior to the outbreak of the Rebellion of 1641.  Richard made a deposition in 1645 regarding a conversation he had with the rebellion leader, James Barry, after which Barry seized Richard's livestock and Richard and his wife retreated to Castle Liscarroll where Perceval's men held out against the Irish forces.  After the fall of Liscarroll, Richard joined other English refugees in the town of Cork where they held out until the rebellion was finally put down and Lord Perceval's son was able to regain his father's land in 1653.  In the 1650's, during Oliver Cromwell's occupation of Ireland, Richard was allotted some land at Ballynalty "in the great plowland of Moyge" just to the east of Liscarroll, possibly as a result of his role in turning over Cork to Cromwell . Pender's Census of 1659 lists Richard as the proprietor of "Ballynalta and Kilbreedy".  This land was formally settled on him by Charles II in 1666.  The family's fortunes continued to grow on this land and in 1737, Richard's grandson Thomas built the family's Great House "Moyge" for his son Richard upon his marriage that year.  The house was passed down through many generations until the family returned to England in the mid-1800's.  See Richard Boles of Cork's Family tree.