Aylward of Ballynagar

© Donal G. Burke 2013

The Aylwards came from an old County Waterford landed family of Anglo-Norman descent, who, in the person of John Aylward, were transplanted by the Cromwellians to Connacht and allocated extensive lands about the parish of Ballinakill in the half barony of Leitrim in east Galway.[i] Following the restoration of the monarchy the Alywards lands were confirmed unto John Alyward’s son and heir Peter Alyward, seated at Ballynagar in that parish.[ii]

Richard Tonson Lewis, second son of William Roe Lewis, married in 1824 Cicely, only daughter and heiress of Captain J. M. Aylward of Ballynagar, by whom he had an only son, John Michael Aylward Lewis, Esq. J.P., who inherited the Ballynagar estate.[iii]

This John Michael Aylward Lewis, born in 1827, married Hannah, daughter of Thomas Roberts White, Esq., and died 1873, leaving issue; John Michael Aylward Lewis, born in 1854, Thomas White Lewis, Richard George, Robert Travers, Harry, George White, Annie, Hannah and Amily.

The arms of John Michael Aylward Lewis, Esq. of Ballynagar, Co. Galway, J.P., born in 1854, who succeeded his father in 1873, were given as ‘quarterly, first and fourth, Argent, a chevron Gules between three fleur-de-lis, for Lewis, second, Sable, a chevron Argent between in chief two escallops and in base a boar’s head couped of the last, for Travers, third, Argent, a fleur-de-lis Azure in the dexter chief and sinister base a sun in its glory Or, in the sinister chief and dexter base an increscent of the last for Aylward.’ For crest he bore a lion rampant Proper and for motto ‘Amicus omnibus.’[iv]

The composition of the Aylward shield from the quartered arms of John Michael Aylward Lewis of Ballynagar, born in 1854.

For further details regarding this family, refer to ‘families.’