History of the Redmond Family Name and Coat of Arms

From a search of my geneology and family history I have traced my Redmond ancestors back to Wexford, Ireland. The ancient Redmond family of Ireland shares with the FitzGerald family, a common ancestor in Otho, a Norman nobleman living in England before the Norman Conquest. Tradition says that this nobleman’s family originally came from Italy, being descended from the Gherardini family of Florence. The Redmond name is a corruption of Raymond, of the family to reach Ireland, coming with the Anglo-Norman invaders in 1170.

defenders used sacks of wool to block up breaches in the walls created by enemy cannon

Further research indicates the Redmond name likely comes from the first name of Raymond FitzGerald. Raymond FitzGerald led the French (Norman) invasion of Southern Ireland in 1170, and later Dublin. As a Norman, he would have decended from the Vikings.

The family became established in Wexford (see Wexford pictures) where the family lands were located until confiscated about 1652, during the Wars of Cromwell. There were still many Redmonds in Wexford in 1851 when my Great-Great Grand-father was born.

The Redmond family built the original Redmond Hall in about 1350 during the time of the Black Death. It replaced their original castle at Houseland near Portersgate. For about 300 years, between the 1350s and 1652, the Redmond family home was Redmond Hall, in Wexford. On the coat-of-arms, Redmond Hall is depicted by the castle with two towers upon the red shield of Redmond. In each of the three corners of the shield is a golden wool-pack. These are sometimes described as cushions, which in early days were merely sacks stuffed with wool or straw.

The official Redmond family pedigree alleges that Alexander Redmond had to defend the Hall one or even two more times against soldiers of Oliver Cromwell in the Autumn of 1649. There is a tradition that the defenders used sacks of wool to block up breaches in the walls created by enemy cannon. These woolsacks and a representation of the Hall can be seen in the coat of arms issued to one of their members in 1763. It is alleged that Alexander Redmond received favourable terms from Cromwell and died in the Hall in 1650 or 1651 after which his surviving family were evicted. The Hall became the property of the Loftus family in the 1650s as a result of the Cromwellian confiscations and this was confirmed after the Restoration of King Charles II of England by the Act of Settlement of 1666.

Modern day Lofus Hall built on the site of the 1300's Redmond Hall, was an English Victorian manor in the 1800's, a convent and then a hotel in the 1900's.

Lineage

1. Craig Redmond (1973)
2. David George Redmond (Father, born 73 years ago, West Ham, 18 Nov 1936)
3. Alfred George Redmond (Grand-father, born 106 years ago, Luton, 05 Aug 1904)
4. Michael David Redmond (Great-grand-father, born 130 years ago, Lancashire, 1880)
5. Edward Redmond (Great-great-grand-father, born 159 years ago, Wexford, 1851)

Location - Redmond Hall, The Hook Peninsula in County Wexford Ireland

Location - Wexford

Loftus Hall - Built on the location of Redmond Hall

Loftus Hall

Redmond Coat of Arms

The Cromwellian forces attack upon Redmond Castle, on The Hook Peninsula in County Wexford Ireland, July 1642

The Loftus Hall that exists today was built between 1870 and 1871 by the 4th Marquess of Ely. In 1917 Loftus Hall was bought by the Sisters of Providence and turned into a convent and a school for young girls interested in joining the order. In 1983, it was purchased by Michael Deveraux who reopened it as "Loftus Hall Hotel", which was subsequently closed again in the late 1990s. It was privately owned by Deveraux's surviving family untill late 2008.

Lofus Hall is now owned by Bono of the U-2 rock band, as of 2009.

— Craig Redmond 2009