Eyre, John (1794 -1856)

John Eyre, of Eyrecourt, Co Galway was the eldest son and heir of Colonel Giles Eyre, of Eyrecourt, and Anne, daughter of Michael Daly, of Mount Pleasant in the same county. His father inherited Eyrecourt Castle from his uncle John Eyre, Baron Eyre of Eyrecourt. Giles Eyre's father was the second son of the Very Reverend Giles Eyre, hence the crescent for difference. John Eyre was educated at Harrow School. A Captain in the Life Guards, and a Justice of the Peace, he married Mary daughter of William Armit. The arms in the impalement are those of Armitage. Mary Armit's father's elder brother, John Armit had the arms (Azure three armets or close helmets proper a bordure or) confirmed to him by Ulster King of Arms 15 December 1784. Mary, or whoever was responsible for the impalement in the bookplate either was unaware of that fact, or chose to ignore it. John Eyre inherited an estate very much encumbered with debt, which caused him much trouble culminating in the a sale of Eyrecourt Castle in 1854 by the Commissioners of Encumbered Estates. The first twenty-fice lots sufficed to discharge the debts, and the Castle itself and some of its property were saved. A keen horseman he was killed in a hunting accident 18 February 1856.