When Christopher Eustace of Ballycotelan was executed in 1537 and his estates forfeited after the Silken Thomas rebellion, those of his lands lying west of Ballymore Eustace and south of the Liffey were granted to other members of the family; Brannockstown and Boleybeg to Maurice of Castlemartin in 1547; and Rochestown, Gaganstown and probably part of Ardinode (just east or it) to 1st Viscount Baltinglass who had done much to quell the rebellion. (Maurice’s grandson, Oliver is described as ‘of Ballycotelan" but must have been a tenant only, for I do not think that this townland ever came back to the family.)

Their subsequent history appears to have been as follows.

Brannockstown originally extended further to the west, and before the foundation of New Abbey probably adjoined Nicholastown. It passed from Maurice to his great-great-grandson the Lord Chancellor. He bequeathed it in 1665 to his nephew Sir John, who lived there until 1685, when he had to leave soon after the accession of James II during whose reign it was lost either by sale or seizure by the king. In 1700, when it was in the possession of Sir Patrick Trant, Sir Maurice Eustace, Sir John’s brother, claimed without success to have it returned to the family. An old graveyard marks the site of the chapel of St. Sylvester (venerated 10th March) which was affiliated to the parish church of Gaganstown, The Eustaces supplied the priest under the original grant.

Boleybeg including Colewels and Loughbrattock formed part of the Castlemartin lands from 1547 till sold to the widow of Alexander Eustace of Newland (see Castlekeely) in about 1675 and were forfeited by her son Lawrence in 1700. Richard, brother of the 2nd Viscount is described as "of Little Boleys" in 1547, but this may well refer to the Boleybeg some five miles north-east of Tullaghgorey near Athy, which he is known to have occupied. William Eustace, ancestor of the Robertstown line is also so described, but was presumably a tenant only.

Gaganstown (Yagageston) with Rochestown seem to have passed to Nicholas Eustace of Kerdiffstown doubtless as the dowry of Ann; daughter of the 1st Viscount, on her marriage to Nicholas in about 1538. It was forfeited by his son after the 1580 rebellion and let in 1584 to Mary Heron, daughter of Christopher, Baron of Howth. In 1599 the lands were granted in perpetuity to Joan Taaffe, daughter of Christopher Eustace who was the original owner and had been executed in 1537. They were unsuccessfully claimed on slender evidence by Roland Eustace of Blackhall in 1618. (From 1562 until the forfeiture in 1582, he seems to have occupied it but as a tenant only). The Castle and house (in ruins in 1618) have gone, but the old graveyard marks the site of the church of the former parish of Gaganstown. This included Ardinode, Boleybeg, and Moorhill, with the chapels of Brannockstown and Gilltown, south-west of Grangemore. Rochestown must have been sold by the heirs of Joan Taaffe, for it (with Brannockstown) later always formed part of the Harristown estate.

Ardinode must have been retained by the Baltinglass Viscounts and after forfeiture came into the hands of the Borrowes family. We have seen that Elizabeth, daughter of John Borrowe married Charles Eustace of Naas (see Eustaces of Robertstown), and two of her grandsons were described as of Ballymore Eustace, which is close by. Their line however died out.