Would the Catholic Church have taken over the lease of a farm in the mid 1800s?

[Charlie Bucket]

Hello.
Michael Neill had the lease of a farm in Ballymaghroe in County Wicklow. His brother Matthew probably did too.
Matthew aged 20 left the farm and was in India before returning home around 1861. 
Both Michael and his wife had died and three of Michael's children had emigrated to America, leaving an 11 year old.
A family story is that Matthew found that the Church had taken his land. He had a argument with the priest who subsequently fell down the stairs.
I wonder if the Church, in good faith and in absence of the lessees - Michael and Matthew- had taken over the leases, there was some misunderstanding, and the confrontation ensued?
Any thoughts would be most welcome.

[Wexflyer]

Isn't the answer potentially in your query?
If the lesee(s) - one or both of them - had died, or abandoned the farm, that is abandoned their lease, then the landlord would have resettled the land. In which case it could have gone to anyone. I think what matters is what the landlord did, not the church.

[Wexflyer]

There are two key things missing in this story
- Were the rent  payments continued?
- What sort of lease?

I mentioned abandoning the lease as if one brother was dead, and the other in India, who was there to pay the rent due on the lease? Not the 11 year old.

Also, all leases are not equal. It matters if this was a short term fixed term lease, long term, for lives, or for lives renewable forever.

[Charlie Bucket]

Thanks Wexflyer

I understand and agree with everything you have written but, if the story has a basis in fact, the church was somehow involved in the land being re-leased to someone else.

[Wexflyer]

There are maybe three things that could be done to check this story.

First, I just took a look at Griffith's Valuation for Wicklow, published 1853.
There are three entries for Ballymaghroe, in three different civil parishes. The one in Hacketstown CP has entries for both Michael and Matthew Neil - in separate farms. You can trace the subsequent history of these farms in the cancelled Rates books. Available in Valuation Offices, and in LDS Family History Centers. This is certain.

Second, could check to see if the lease was registered in the Registry of Deeds. If so, you will see the terms of the lease. Available online at FamilySearch for free. Possible.

Third, could check newspapers, to see if there was any mention. Doubtful, but possible.

[shanreagh]

If you look at Griffiths the landlord is William Kirkpatrick for both Michael Neill and also for Matthew Neill for the land around Hacketstown.

It would be well worth your while to look at the cancelled rate books to see what happened to the leases. They are absolutely fascinating to read, careful writing in different coloured ink when this coloured ink meant something. 

Just as a thought, would the 11year old be being looked after within the church, have you checked the will as this may have left the land in the care of the church for the young beneficiary. Often land was  held by 'The reps of.....' and that usually meant child beneficiaries or trouble with the admin of the will.   Family search has some of the rates assessments up to 1856 for the Neill properties in Co Wicklow

[Charlie Bucket]

Thank you both for your replies. They have given me some avenues to explore.

Charlie