le Poer

The le Poers, later more commonly called Power, were an Anglo-Norman family whose progenitor came to Ireland with Strongbow and received lands in County Waterford around 1172. Sir Roger le Puher was granted Curraghmore by Henry II in 1177, and it remained the family seat for more than five hundred years.

Arnold le Poer helped defeat Edward Bruce's invasion but was ruined by the Kilkenny witchcraft trials of 1324. His defence of his kinswoman Alice Kyteler led to charges of heresy, and he died a prisoner in Dublin Castle in 1328. His probable younger son Robert rose to be Lord High Treasurer of Ireland.

In 1535 Sir Richard le Poer was created Baron La Poer. The male line failed in 1704, and the heiress Catherine married Sir Marcus Beresford; their descendants became Marquesses of Waterford in 1789 and still hold Curraghmore.