In ruins: The Once Great Houses of Ireland (Bullfinch Press 1997) is a collection of Simon Marsden's dream-quality photographs of 128 ruins of great houses around the country. One of those is Ballynagarde House, Ballyneety, Co Limerick, built in 1774 by the powerful and notorious Croker family, originally from Devon in England.
Duncan McLaren's accompanying text informs us: "Larger than life Captain Edward Croker bankrupted the estate." He was described during his lifetime as "a worthless spendthrift who brought up an arrogant race of uneducated blockheads of both sexes". On his deathbed his clergyman son Robert ended his prayers with the comforting thought that the sick man was going to "a far, far better place". The dying man sat up in the bed and viewing his magnificent wondrous demesne through the window, commented "I doubt it", and fell back dead. Ever after the house was known locally as "I-doubt-it Hall".
The Croker residence, named for the townland of Ballynagarde in the Co Limerick parish of Cahernarry, first noted in 1550, though clearly predating that, is the anglicised form of Baile na gCeard, "the town of the craftsmen".
Mac Lysaght's The Surnames of Ireland claims the main Croker family has been in Co Limerick since the early 17th century. "It was earlier in Co Kilkenny. The Anglo-Norman Croker (maker of pots) was in Ireland in the 13th century." In 1304 William and Adam le Croker were arrested for various trespasses and imprisoned in Kilkenny Castle, while among those summonsed by the sheriff to Carlow in 1308 to determine a debt of 100 shillings were Adam le Croker, David le Croker, and John le Croker.
In March 1642 Lord Broghill reported that the Irish had taken Ballyanchor Castle, that they had shot Mr Croker, the owner, and had the rest of the garrison hang one another. Croker's son Hugh commanded the Cappoquin garrison. We learn in the 1659 census that Walter Croker, Ensign, was among the soldiers in Cork city, being part of Lord Broghill's company. Thomas Croker was titulado at Ballyanker; John Croker was titulado at Scoole and Cloghdullerty, Co Limerick, and John was Commissioner for the Poll-Money Ordinances for that county for the years 1660 and 1661. A will of 1704 shows Thomas Croker, gent, at Ballyanker.
Taylor & Skinners Maps of the Roads of Ireland (1778) shows Croker Esq, at Ballynagard, and the 1814 Directory has Edward Croker, Esq, there. Further Croker residences in Co Limerick were at Newborough and Grange Hill. There were Croker residences at Lisnabrin and Belview, Co Cork; Beanfield, Co Wexford; and Scart, Cahir, Co Tipperary.
Owners of Land of One Acre and Upwards (1876) lists Croker holdings in Dublin, Wexford, Wicklow, Cork and Limerick.
Galway-born John Wilson Croker (17801857) was a politician and essayist, and Cork-born Thomas Crofton Croker (17981854) is remembered for his collection of stories and songs from around the south of Ireland. His Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland went into several editions, being translated into German and French. He was also the author of Legends of the Lakes, The Popular Songs of Ireland, Adventures of Barney Mahony, etc.
Best known of this surname was Clonakilty-born Richard Croker (18411922), "Boss Croker" of Tammanay Hall. His family emigrated to New York when he was three. He entered local politics and was leader of Tammany Hall for seventeen years. He held other lucrative public offices as fire commissioner and city chamberlain. Retired to England with a fortune about 1903. From 1907 to 1919 he lived at Glencairn, Co Dublin (now the residence of the British Ambassador), and maintained racing stables there (A Dictionary of Irish Biography: Henry Boylan 1998).
Telephone directories south of the Border list 15 Croker entries and five Crocker. Mainly in the 01 area, the remainder are largely in Munster.