From Sonairte
15th, 16th and early 17th centuries
Various documents in the Gormanston Register indicate that the Preston family remains in possession and occupation of part of Ninch until the Distributions of the 1650's. Two other families also have interests in parts of Ninch. The Hollywood family started acquiring lands in Counties Dublin and Meath from the middle of the 14th century, while a branch of the Anglo-Norman Nettervilles settled in Ballygarth, their main seat being at Dowd Castle.
1654 AD
The Book of Survey and Distribution of 1654 (The Down Survey), identifying landholders who forfeited lands as a result of their involvement in the 1641 Rebellion, give Robert Preston, Hollywood of Arlagan and Lord Netherville as titulados of parts of Ninch.
1655-1659 AD
The outcome of the Redistribution of Lands from predominantly Catholic to Protestant landlords sees the lands of Ninch passing to Stephen Ludlow, a civil servant in Dublin and the nephew of Edmund Ludlow, a general in the Cromwellian army.
1695 AD
The Hollywood family's part of Ninch, surrounding the present Sonairte centre with around 200 acres of land, is leased by Ludlow to John Hannon of Ninch. This lease is unusual as it is renewable for ever.
1753 AD
Denis Doran, a Dublin based solicitor, buys out the perpetual lease and, on the security provided by this lease , proceeds with the construction of a new residence and farm building complex, including a walled garden and dovecot, all now part of the Sonairte centre.
1776 AD
Denis Doran legalises his perpetual lease with Peter, Earl Ludlow.
1792 AD
Edmund Doran, son and heir of Denis, buys the Hollywood's part of Ninch outright from Peter, Earl Ludlow. For more than a century the lands will remain in the Doran and O'Ferrall-Doran family.
1856 AD
After the death of Edmund Doran, the last male of the Doran family, the property passes on to his sister Sarah O'Ferrall-Doran, but it is leased by Charles Pepper of Ballygarth.
1891 AD
The sisters Sarah Mary, Elizabeth and Mary O'Ferrall-Doran sell the property to Frederick Hans Kennedy, a Dublin lawyer. During his period the house is redesigned and extended.
1914 AD
Frederick Kennedy of Frascati, Blackrock, Co. Dublin sells the Ninch to the Irish Land Commission, which conveys it to Colonel Charles Pepper of Ballygarth Castle, the sitting tenant. The Land Commission's Report describes the property as "in the occupation of gentleman farmers for many years....the house, large garden and extensive orchard prove this....the farm buildings are old and substantial but of recent years have fallen somewhat in disrepair...."
1939 AD
The Ninch property is purchased by Francis Stafford and later conveyed to James Stafford and Sons Ltd. The house remains mostly unoccupied because the Staffords are based in Laytown.
1950s
Sometime in the 50's the roof of the main house is taken down in order to avoid paying rates on the unoccupied building.
1977 AD
Upon the death of Francis Stafford, the property is once more put on the market. Luk van Doorslaer, who has been farming at Ninch East since the early 1960s, purchases the building complex and surrounding 90 acres.
1988 AD
Sonairte is established when the buildings and walled garden are offered in leasehold to a group of environmentalists. Renovations and redevelopment of the farm buildings are realised with FAS assistance.
2006 AD
Restoration of the 18th century farmhouse gets under way.
