
created new opportunities there compared to remaining on or near the
Abercorn estates?
In terms of when : we know with high confidence our Rollestons ended up in the
village of Ballinamallard in the Magheracross Parish of County Fermanagh before
the birth of James’ eldest son William there in 1801. But the specific timeframe of
their arrival to Ballinamallard is unknown.
Ballinamallard and the surrounding townlands where our Rolleston ancestors lived
was originally built as part of the Newporton estate (originally the Drumchine or
“Dromkyn al’ Newpirton”).
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This estate
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was originally awarded to Sir Henry
Folliott,
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an English army officer, as reward for his service in Ireland (called
“servitors” as opposed to “undertakers”).
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Ballinamallard came into existence
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http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~donegalstrongs/genealogy/estates.htm#Ballyshannon . The
Newporton estate consisted of most or all of 21 townlands located south, east, and west of Ballinamallard
that extend about 1-2 miles out from the village. Ballinamallard Historical Society, Ballinamallard: A
Place of Importance, p. 11. It comprised much of what is now the Magheracross Parish.
https://sites.google.com/site/ballinamallarddevelopmentassoc//home/village-history . Similarly, some
Parliamentary Papers note the Manor of Newporton comprises the following town and townlands:
Ballinamallard, Bigh, Bara, Craghan, Clenaghan, Cooltrain, Coa, Curren, Caruhill, Drummurry,
Drumcullion, Drumrainey, Drumkeen, Drumcunnis, Drumbolkin, Drumcreen, Drumslow, Derryraghan,
Fairney, Kilgarnaleague, Killymitten, Killee, Relagh, Roscorr, Sheridan, Saloon, Sydare, Salry, and
Tilerain. It notes Ballinamallard is situated in nearly the center of the manor and that the manor exitends
about three miles in each direction. Parliament House of Commons, Parliamentary Papers, Reports from
Committees: Sixteen Volumes, Manor Courts (Ireland), Session 31 January – 17 July 1837, Volume 15, p.
407 (https://books.google.com/books?
id=-0oSAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA407&lpg=PA407&dq=newporton+ballinamallard&source=bl&ots=yNxAPfxuI
I&sig=ACfU3U3SlPHq1C6jNOYg3U8ojas60I07jg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiN-
uSNjO_0AhXCT98KHTGZC9cQ6AF6BAg3EAM#v=onepage&q=newporton%20ballinamallard&f=false ).
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The name of Newporton later was used to name both a local “Electoral Division” and an Enniskillen
“Rural District” in the area.
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Sir Folliott had multiple ties to County Donegal, where various Roulstons who share common paternal
ancestors with our Rollestons are from (and still live) – granted in a different part of the county. Before
becoming a plantation undertaker in County Fermanagh, Folloitt was commissioned to develop a
township adjacent to Ballyshannon Castle in County Donegal. In 1608, he commanded troops in the
suppression of O’Doherty’s Rebellion around Kilmacreenan and Tory Island along the coast of the
northern part of County Donegal. The Borough of Ballyshannon was incorporated in 1613 and Sir Henry
was created Baron Folliott of Ballyshannon in the County of Donegal in the Peerage of Ireland.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballinamallard . In addition, “Captain Henry Folliott [a servitor], was
recommended as an undertaker in February, 1608-9 by the Lord Deputy in a letter to the King, in which
Sir Arthur Chichester said—''Sir Henry Folliott having purchased the Abbey of Assheroe of Mr. Auditor
Gofton, and Bellicke of some other patentee, was suitor for the castle of Ballyshannon and Bundrowes,
with their adjoining lands, which generally lie between the two castles now named, and which, with the
castles, he recommends in fee farm to Folliott." Sir Henry became Baron Folliott of Ballyshannon in 1619
and the title became extinct at the death of his grandson, the third Lord Folliott in 1716.
Sir Henry obtained a grant of 1,500 acres to form the Manor of Drumchine or Drumkeen, in Co.
Fermanagh, around the present Ballinamallard. The tates mentioned in the grant (listed in George Hill’s
book) are Coolecurragh, Sydcher [Sydare], Cinliartinleigh [Kingartualeague], Salry, Drumkyn,
Deumroonagh, Dromeiyne, Clynaghdy, Coolecanana, Killigh [Killee], Kildiume, Cowlanghie, Killynsittle
[Killvmitten], Rosscorr, Dromcune, Ardglea, Relaghe, Curryn, Knocknemaweal [Knockmnow], and
Drumcoilin, at £12 a year rent to the King. A list of townlands associated with the estate in the 1830s is
listed in: Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams, eds., Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland: Parishes of
Co. Fermanagh II 1834-35, Lower Lough Erne, Vol, 14 (Belfast: The Institute of Irish Studies, The
Queens University of Belfast, 1992), p. 102.
Lord Folliott exchanged two tates [190 acres] of his own lands in Donegal, Coolegarron and
Coolecorgh, with Mr. Thomas Barton, who had received the Manor of Drumynchin with Drumurer,
Sylann, Farnaugh, Baraugh and half of the half quarter of Sydaugher. Lord Folliott also purchased from
Shane McGilpatrick McGregor, gent., two tates, Roch and Killbrassill, mearing on the lands of Sir William
Cole, and Capt. Roger Atkinson on the south and southeast, and from townlands in the barony of Lurg
being part of abbey Assaroe church lands, Lord Folliott demised the whole of the Manor of Newporton
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