Castle Crine was the home of the Butler-Grahams, who were the Clare branch of the Butler family. As was typical of the landed gentry, they married into families of similar status and wealth. The Butler-Grahams intermarried with the landed Stoney family of Tipperary.
Castle Crine was an early eighteenth century house. The house was demolished in 1955. All that remains (as the aerial photograph below illustrates) are the impressive walled garden and some outbuildings. The gate lodge was refurbished a number of years ago.
In 1862, Castle Crine was offered for rental, as the following notice from Farmer’s Gazette and Journal of Practical Horticulture, noted:
Saunders’s News-Letter, 21 July 1818
An 1890 directory of families records :- Stoney, Thos Butler of Portland Park, Co. Tipperary, oldest son of Richard Falkiner Stoney, of Portland Park, by Jane, daughter of James Butler, of Castlecrine, Clare; married 1837, Sarah, daughter and co-heir of Robt. Fannin, of Dublin and has with other issue, Walter Charles, educated at St John’s College, Cambridge; born 1846; married 1872 Ellen C, 3rd daughter of Rev Chas. Kemble, and has with other issue, Thomas Butler, born 1875. Mr Stoney was Lieut. 19th Regt, is J.P. for Tipperary and Galway.
The Stoney’s had several properties in North Tipperary, including Emell Castle and Portland House as well as an estate in Gortlandroe, Nenagh. George Stoney who may have lived in Greyfort House, Borrisokane, commanded the Borrisokane Volunteers in the year 1779.
There was a fire at Portland Park (now Portland House) on 10 May 1936 which destroyed the house. A report in the Irish Times noted:
Portland House was destroyed by fire in the early hours of the morning. Major Butler-Stoney has not lived there for ten years and had given the house to Emanuel Home of Rathgar as a home for Protestant orphans. The house was due to receive its first intake of seventeen orphans today. At 2.30 am twenty-four armed men woke the inmates, ordered them outside and set fire to the house. The Garda arrived but could do nothing to save the house. Last Friday 710 acres belonging to Major Butler Stoney were allocated to tenants.
The men were masked and carried revolvers and petrol. It is understood that there was some bad feeling in the district, but assurances had been given that this was not to be a proselytizing institution, and that only Protestant children would be sent there. There was no question of land trouble as all the lands had already been divided up. Thomas Hough was later charged with others unknown.
Portland House, County Tipperary.
Source: http://www.grantonline.com/grant-family-individuals/piper-charles/portland-portumna/portland-portumna.htm
Sixmilebridgeblog 
It is strange to see the ghost shells of these buildings, though I guess now they have plenty of inhabitants, just now human ones.
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