The Waldrons of Connacht

The surname Waldron is borne by at least two historically distinct families - one of Norman origin whose ancestors came to the West of Ireland around 1300 AD, and whose descendants became most numerous in the Ballyhaunis area of County Mayo; the other of Anglo-Saxon origin, members of which gave rise to different families throughout Ireland.

Hiberno-Norman origins

The local and generally accepted story of the origins of the Waldrons in the general Ballyhaunis area is that they are a branch of the MacCostellos, a clan of Cambro-Norman origin who arrived in Connacht in the late thirteenth century. The MacCostellos carved out an estate for themselves from the ancient tribal territories of Ciarraighe and Sliabh Lugha and it eventually came to be known as the Barony of Costello, taking in the eastern portion of county Mayo. They established a number of castles and manors throughout their territory and had their headquarters at Castlemore, towards the north of the barony (near the present town of Ballaghaderreen). It is generally held that the MacCostellos of Connacht were the ancestors of the families of Costello (Mac Goisdelbh), Jordan (Mac Siurtáin Dubh), Phillips (Mac Pilib) and Waldron (Mac Bhaildrín). All of these families more-or-less dropped the 'Mac' prefix in the seventeenth century.

The Costellos and their kinsfolk came to dominate different parts of the barony: the Phillips' at the very north, in the Doocastle area; the Jordans in the parish of Aghamore, the Costellos around Ballaghaderreen and at the western extremity of Aghamore parish; the Waldrons in the southern extremity of the barony around Ballyhaunis, particularly in the parishes of Annagh and Bekan with parts of Aghamore and Knock. While the names of the occupying families of most of the castles in the barony can be established, no particular castle can be assigned with certainty to the Waldron family, but it is thought that Tulrahan Castle was their principle seat. Traces of the foundations of this castle, along with some pieces of masonry, are still in evidence at the site today.

Anglo-Saxon Waldrons

Different Waldron families of Anglo-Saxon origin came to Ireland from England and became established throughout the country at various times during the last eight-hundred years. One of these settled in County Cavan in the 1600s, eventually moving to the Carrick-on-Shannon and Drumsna district straddling counties Roscommon and Leitrim in the early 1700s. A branch of this land-owning family later settled in north County Mayo in the late 1700s and, remarkably, during the nineteenth century had interests in lands in that part of the county where their namesakes - the Waldrons of Hiberno-Norman origin - were numerous.

Several Waldron historians have suggested that some or all of the Waldrons of so-called Norman origin actually descend from one of the Anglo-Saxon families. Only further research will determine to what extent this is true.