New book uncovers nuanced realities of land agent–tenant relationship on Lismore Estate

Local historian and author Margaret O’Sullivan has turned years of careful research into her first book, The Lismore Estate under William Robert Hood Rochfort, 1891–1902, in Counties Cork, Limerick and Tipperary.

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Drawing on the words of both the land agent, William Rochfort (1847–1940), and the tenants of the Lismore (O’Callaghan) estate, the study examines the land agent–tenant relationship during the years 1891 to 1902.

Margaret O’Sullivan traces the methods Rochfort employed to assess the circumstances of his tenants, the manner of his dealings with them, and his occasional efforts to provide discreet support where hardship surfaced.

Equally, the concerns voiced by tenants—preserved in their own words—are brought to the fore, offering a nuanced view of landlord-tenant relationships at the turn of the twentieth century.

A native of Nenagh,  Tipperary, Margaret O’Sullivan was awarded a Master’s degree in Local History by the University of Limerick in 2020 and is currently completing a PhD at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.

From estates in Derry to holdings in Kerry his work took him across the country, but it was on the Viscount Lismore estates in Munster where his influence was most keenly felt.

Margaret O’Sullivan’s research brings him into sharper relief showing how the routines, judgements, and occasional interventions of a single land agent could profoundly shape the livelihoods and daily experiences of countless tenants.

Margaret O’Sullivan places the events of the 1890s in a wider historical context. “The lingering effects of the Plan of Campaign meant many tenants were left with substantial rent arrears,” she explains.

“The long economic depression of the 1890s, which had its roots in the land wars of the late 1870s, was still being felt, and families faced additional pressures from poor weather.”

In County Cork, for example, thirteen inches of snow fell in March during the mid-1890s, delaying the planting season and causing knock-on effects later in the year. Economic difficulties also made it hard for tenants to sell their produce at fairs, limiting their ability to meet rent obligations.

As Margaret notes, Rochfort sometimes extended deadlines for payment, demonstrating a degree of empathy and understanding: “He went to lengths to make sure tenants remained in their holdings.”

These letters, she says, offer a vivid window into the complexities of rural life at the time, showing that the period was far from straightforward and that tenant-land agent relations were shaped as much by circumstance as by policy.

Speaking to the Tipperary Star, Margaret O’Sullivan said her interest in the subject began when she donated a collection of material to the Special Collections at the Glucksman Library in the University of Limerick.

It was there that Ken Bergin, head of Special Collections, and archivist Anna Maria Hajba discovered a series of letters between the land agent and his tenants.

“It shed a whole different light on the period than what I had previously been led to believe,” she said. “It wasn’t black and white; there were lots of grey areas.

What it revealed to me was that the land agent wasn’t always trying to evict people—he often went to lengths to ensure tenants could remain on their holdings and the letters show all the worries people had,  but surprisingly the manner in which their concerns were articulated in their letters.

In the rent ledgers for the Lismore Estate, Rochfort’s meticulous record-keeping is evident in the way he noted tenants’ physical characteristics. 

Con Riordan of Derry is described as “blind in one eye,” William Hegarty of Kilcolman for his “foxy yellow pointed beard,” and Mary Nugent of Ballydrehid as a “white-haired old woman.” “This shows us that he was meticulous in his note keeping,” Margaret O’Sullivan observes.

“He was approachable, and we can see from their correspondence that tenants had no fear in writing frankly to him.” The letters reveal a relationship built on communication and trust, despite the strictures of tenancy.

As Rochfort’s obituary recalled, “the thousands of tenants with whom he had to deal knew that though he could be strict, his word was his bond.”

When asked what she hopes readers will take away from her book, Margaret O’Sullivan says, “I hope people will gain an insight into the lives of ordinary people who lived during this period.

We often forget about them in history, focusing instead on leaders, those involved in conflicts, or the residents of the big houses. My aim is to bring the tenants’ experiences to the fore and give readers a sense of their daily lives, struggles and motivations.”

Lismore Estate under William Robert Hood Rochfort, 1891–1902 offers a rare glimpse into the complexities of  land agent - tenant relationship at the turn of the twentieth century.

Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Margaret O’Sullivan brings both land agent and tenants to life, revealing new insights that demonstrate how history is rarely black and white. 

The book captures the personal  interactions, challenges, and nuanced realities of the tenants daily lives, showing that even within strict systems, empathy, negotiation, and humanity could coexist.

Copies are available from The Bookshop, Nenagh, in local outlets, and directly from Four Courts Press, providing readers with an accessible window into a fascinating period of history that readers are sure to find interesting and revealing. 

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