Edmond Poer , illeg. elder of the two illegitimate sons of Richard, Lord Power, some interesting records exist. I think it almost beyond the realms of doubt that he was identical with the Edward Power, last Abbott of Mothel, in the County of Waterford. The following account of that religious house is taken from Ryland's History of Waterford p. 297, and will be interesting in connection with the Power Family: - At Bollendesart and at Mothil in the neighbourhood of Carrigbeg, there were two famous religious houses; of the former nothing is known further than that it was built, probably in the sixth century by St. Maidoc of Ferns; the latter was also constructed at the same time, or even at an earlier period, for we find that in the sixth century St. Coan succeeded St. Brogan, who was the founder of the Abbey and the first Abbott. The Abbey of Mothil was established for Canons Regular of St. Augustin, though some assert that it belonged to the Cistercians. The abbots were long engaged in disputes about their property, and in one case which occurred in 1296, the Abbot Adam was non-suited, he having sued by the name of Abbot of Morthull. Edward Power, the last Abbott, surrendered the Abbey, 7th April, 31 K. Hen. VIII (1540); being then seised of the same, also of the church, steeple, and cemetery, hall, five chambers, dormitory, kitchen, granary, two stables, an orchard, and other closes, containing six acres, all within the precincts of the abbey, together with lands in Mothil, Kilenaspiecke, Kilberny, and Grange Morlery, exceeding 700 acres; and also the rectories of Rathgormuck, Moynelargy, and Ballylaneen, all which were appropriated to this abbey. In two years afterwards, all these possessions were granted to - Butler and Peter Power, at the annual rent of £6 4s., Irish money. The ruins of this ancient abbey cover a large extent; the west and south walls of what was probably the church, are still standing. In the latter, a beautiful Saxon arch, about 12ft. high, opens into a small square chamber; part of the ancient arch has been recently filled up, leaving a narrow entrance, to which an iron gate has been attached..In the small building which appears to have been reserved for the interment of particular families, two of the sculptured stones are inserted in the wall opposite the entrance, under a piece of ornamental work. Around a flat tombstone in this place is the following inscription, in large Roman capitals: - `Hic jacet Gualterus Power, generosus oriundo exantio…..Familia Johannis Gulielmi et uxor ejus Caterina Phelan qui suis sumptibus construxerunt hoc monumentum, 16 Junii, 1628. Quorum. Animiab. Propitietur Deus.' In the ruins of the large building an iron railing encloses the burial place of the Powers of Gurteen. In the enclosure is a very ancient tomb. I think it is extremely probable that the last Abbot of Mothil in the foregoing extract was Edmond, or Edward, Power, the illegitimate son of the first Lord Power and Curraghmore; and the Walter Power, whose name is recorded on the tombstone, was possibly his nephew, the son of Nicholas, to whom I have already referred as marrying “one in the Pooweris Countrye, presumably Catherine Phelan, a County Waterford family name. The following records would seem to strengthen my surmise that the last Abbot of Mothil was the son of the first Lord Power: - A.D. 1539-41. - Cal. Patent and Close Rolls, Chaucery, Ireland, Henry VIII., Membrane 6. No.37. -Surrender by Edmond Power, Abbot, with the consent of the Convent of the Abbey of Sts. Coan and Brogan, of Mothill, in the County of Waterford, April 7, 81. No. 28. -Surrender by Edmund Powere, Prior, with the consent of the Convent of the Priory of St. Katherine, near Waterford, Oct. 6, 81. A.D. 1545. -Membrane 6, Henry VIII. No. 7. Grant to Edward Powre, bastard brother of the late Lord Power, of the church, cemetery, site, and possessions of the late abbey, cell, or monastery of Saints Koam and Brogan, otherwise called Brogam of Mothell, Kylenaghe, alias Kilbrem, Rathgormyke, Monolargy, otherwise Molargy, Ballylaughlyn, otherwise Ballylanyn, near Maghyn, Teamplewoke, and Templeny, in the County of Waterford and the Grange of Mockelerc, in the Country of Compsy, or Comshenaghe, in the County of Tipperary, the possessions of the said late house, to hold for the term of his life. Reciting a lease dated Aug. 1st, 33 Hen. VIII., of the same monastery and all its possessions to Katherine Butler, of Curraghmore, and Peter, late Power, for 21 years. May 2nd, 37 (1545). This grant proves indubitably that Edward, or Edmond Power was the natural son of Richard first Lord, and brother of Piers the second Lord, who died October 1545, and was buried in the Abbey of Mothel. The date of this grant is just five years after the surrender of the abbey by Edmond Power, the last abbot, and it seems to me altogether improbable that the Edward Power to whom the abbey and its possessions were granted in 1545, was a different individual. On the contrary the presumption is in favour of my theory, that the last abbot was granted these lands for his life, through, perhaps, the influence of his brother, Lord Power and the Lady Katherine Butler. In 1549. - Pardon was granted to Edmond Power, of Mothill. In 1568-9. - Pardon again granted to the same. In 1569. - Edmond Power, of Mothil, gent., commissioned to execute martial law in the County of Waterford. In 1570-1. - Pardon to Edmond FitzRichard Poer, of Mothel, gent., late Sheriff of the County of Waterford. In 1570. - Edmond Power, Sheriff of the County of Waterford; John Power, of Feddanns, gent., and others, were commissioned to make inquisition of the number of acres in County Waterford, to extend it into ploughlands, and divide into baronies; to find what places are cessable, and to divide the county into four quarters or cantreds, dividing any of these into baronies. The Irish Builder
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