John Kearney

Francis Sadleir was a native of Castletown, Co. Tipperary. Some time in the early years of the nineteenth century he came into possession of Mullagh House, Killurin, near Tullamore. The Dictionary of National Biography, vol. 50, London (1897) carries a brief account of his career. It states that he was born in 1774, the youngest son of Thomas Sadleir. Educated at Trinity College, Dublin he became a doctor of divinity in 1813. Here he later held professorships of mathematics and Greek.

Mr. Sadleir was an ardent supporter of Catholic Emancipation and was one of the first commissioners for administering funds for the education of the poor in Ireland in 1831. In 1837 he was made Provost of Trinity College and remained in that position for fourteen years. It is said that he refused an offer of a bishopric on a number of occasions.

He married Letitia Grave of Ballycommon in 1801. One source states that she was the daughter of Joseph Grave while another gives William. Both Joseph and William were sons of Rev. Joseph Grave and his wife Abigail Digby, daughter of Simon Digby, Bishop of Elphin. Joseph the younger was rector of Ballycommon parish.