THE TUAM HERALD, SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1909 TUAM, CO. GALWAY DEATH OF COLONEL BURKE. We deeply regret to record the death in London on Sunday of Lieutenant Colonel Sir Theolbald Burke, Bart., of Glynsk and Knocknagur in this county. The deceased baronet was born in Waterslade House, Tuam, as were all his brothers - the most noted of whom was Thomas Henry Burke, the lamented murdered Under Secretary for Ireland, Sir Theobald, who was in his 76th year, saw distinguished service in the Army and was in the 18th Regiment in the Crimea and in the Indian Mutiny. He succeeded his brother, Sir Lionel, in 1884, as 13th baronet, and with his death disappears from the peerage the fine old honoured and historic title of the Burkes of Glynsk. He was owner of several estates in this county, particularly those of Knocknagur and Knockdoe, in the neighbourhood of Tuam, and the best relations always existed between his family and their tenants/ ---------- Sir Theobald Hubert Burke (13th Bart.) of Glinsk, (late Col. 18th Royal Irish Regiment), died in London on 4th inst. aged 76. The deceased gentleman had seen distinguished service. Having entered the Army (88th Connaught Rangers) at an early age, he went through the Crimean war and the Indian Mutiny, and afterwards exchanged into the 18th Royal Irish Regiment. He succeeded in the Baronetcy his cousin, Sir John-Lionel, in 1884. Sir Theobald was the last male representative of his family, and also the last of a band of seven brothers, all remarkable for their good looks as well as for their mental abilities. The Burkes entered Connaught as conquerors 700 years ago, and it is 600 years since Sir Theobald's ancestor settled at Glinsk (in the N.E. of this county), separating form the branckh of the family afterwards ennobled with the title of Clanricarde. The McDavid Burkes, (as the Glinsk family were called), have always claimed to be the elder branch of the name, and bore a different crest from that of the others (viz., live ostrich feathers rising out of a ducal coronet), the badge of Baldwin of Flanders, King of Jerusalem, from whom the Burkes claim to descend. (See "Journal of the Galway Archaelogical and Historical Society," Vol III Page 57 and Vol. IV. Page 113). The Baronetcy was created in 1628 in favour of Sir Ulick Burke, who was the builder of the magnificient castle, or rather castellated mansion, of the name, fortunately still standing and in perfect preservation, except that it is roofless. This building is therefore of the first half 17th century and of great architectural importance as marking the transition from the high strong castle of earlier days to the modern mansion; and, it is to be hoped that, whereas the lands on which it stands are about to be sold to the Estates Commissioners, the latter will have it vested in one of the public bodies empowered to take custody of such notable monuments. Poor Sir Ulick did not long enjoy his castle. Being foreman of the famous Grand-jury of Co. Galway empannelled by order of Wentworth (afterwards Lord Strafford) to vote the right of the English Crown to a head rent off the lands of Ireland, and which nobly refused to agree to such usurpation; he, with D'Arcy, the High Sheriff, was heavily fined and imprisoned in Dublin Castle. It must have been very shortly after his return to Co Galway that the Cromwellians carried war into this country, and at its conclusion, Sir Ulick, together with other royalists, was exiled. Returning home finally he soon was at enmity with some of his neighbours, the O'Conors, who besieged and burnt the Castle. The family, however, resided close beside it until they had to sell the property after the great Irish Famine. About ¼ mile from the Castle of Glinsk stands the ruined church of Ballinakill, containing a splendid recumbent effigy of a knight in armour, said to be that of the first de Burgh to come to Ireland, or else the first of the name to settle at Glinsk (for a representation, see "Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society," Vol. II, Page 136). A cast of above has been placed in the National Museum, Dublin. Mr. William Burke, father of the late Sir Theobald, resided for some years in Tuam, Waterslade House, where his son, the late Under Secretary for Ireland, was born. He also at one time occupied Barbersfort, in the neighbourhood of this town. Sir Theobald died a firm believer in and a staunch supporter of the old religion, to which his family had remained true all through the penal times. He died unmarried, and leaves one sister now residing on the continent. Jim McNamara British Isles Family History Society - USA, Newsletter Editor http://www.rootsweb.com/~bifhsusa