Dangan Oughter, Daingean Uachtair, “upper fastness”[1]

Location and Origin

The townland of Dangan Oughter is located in the civil parish of Killererin in the barony of Tiaquin. The townland is bordered on the north by Dangan Eighter in the Barony of Tiaquin and on the west by Lissavalley and the parish of Abbeyknockmoy and on the south and on the east by Danganbeg and Slievegarm[2]. According to O’Donovan’s Field Name Books 1830 early reference was made to ‘Dangan Oughter’ in the Chancery Inquisitions of James 1 (1603-1625).[3] ‘Dangan’ is also referred to in Larkin’s County Map of Galway 1819 and ‘Dangan Oughter’ is mentioned in the Boundary Survey Sketch Maps cites an authority source on the spelling of the townland as ‘Dangan’ supplied by Pat McGann (Bailiff). This townland is described as the property of Lord Lorton; Sligo. It contained 357½ acres including about 60 acres of bog and rough pasture[4]. There was also an ancient fort situated beside the main road and bordering the townland of Polladooey. To the east of the townland there was a Trigonometrical Station called ’Dangan 2’- 326 feet above the level of the sea[5].

Census 1841-1851[6]

There were 15 households and 96 people living in Dangan Oughter in 1841. By 1851, the number of houses decreased to 8 with a drop in population to 28. The total area of land was 357 acres 1 rood 3 perches with an annual valuation of £132. 2s. 0d.

Griffith’s Valuation 1855[7]

There were 20 occupants listed in the townland of Dangan Oughter in Griffith’s Valuation 1855 including Michael J. Browne. All of the tenants leased their land from Michael J.Browne. He retained 1 acre 2 roods 23 perches of plantation for himself. The largest plot containing a herd’s house, out-offices and 191 acres 3 roods 6 perches with a total annual valuation of £54. 0s 0d was leased by George W. Bolton.

Bernard Brown leased a house, out offices and 18 acres 1 rood 21 perches of land with a total annual valuation of £9. 0s. 0d. The smallest plot of land was leased by Patrick Kelly, which measured 3 roods 0 perches with a total annual valuation of £0. 7s. 0d. Other tenants leased the remaining plots of land: Thomas Donnellan, Patrick O’Brien, James Fahy Snr., Lawrence Donnelly, Patrick Kirwan and Thomas Morgan leased plots measuring on average between 17 and 10 acres. Mary Harvety, William Glynn, Thomas Keane, John Holian, James Fahy Jun., Michael Connaughton, Patrick Fahy, John Gannon, Edmond Fahy and Patrick Gibbons leased other plots measuring on average between 1 and 8 acres.

Census 1861-1881[8].

There were 22 houses with 121 people living in the townland in 1861. By 1871, there were 23 houses and a population of 120. In 1881, the population had decreased only by 1 to 119 and the number of houses had dropped to 20. The total area of land remained the same as did the total valuation, 375 acres 1 rood 3 perches, valuation £132. 2s. 0d.

Census 1891[9]

There were 16 houses with a population of 93 in the townland in 1891.

Census 1901[10]

There were 70 people and 15 heads of household listed in Dangan Oughter in the 1901 census. The heads of the families included John Morgan, Catherine Mannion, Mary Roache, Peter Kirwan, Catherine Dolly, Bridget Healy, John Walle, Bryan Mullen, Bernard Browne, Margaret Donelan, Martin Gibbons, Martin Fahy, Mary Lynch, Michael Murphy and John Murphy. all of whom lived in 2nd class houses.

Morgan/Lyons families

John Morgan aged 30, head of the family, lived with his sister Bridget aged 31. They had 3 lodgers listed with them: Martin Lyons aged 60, (married), Catherine Lyons aged 58, Bridget Lyons aged 6.

Mannion family

Catherine Mannion aged 56, head of family lived with her son John  aged 28, daughter-in-law Mary aged 28 and granddaughter Catherine.

Roache family

Mary Roache aged 60, head of family, lived with her daughters Kate aged 21, Anne aged 20 and son Thomas aged 19.

Kirwan family

Peter Kirwan aged 60, head of the family, lived with his wife Mary aged 50 and his son John aged 18 and daughter Katie aged 16.

Dolly family

Catherine Dolly aged 40, head of the family, lived with her son John aged 21, daughter Ann aged 19 and sons William aged 17, Thomas aged 14, Michael aged 11 and Edward aged 9.

Healy family

Bridget Healy aged 65, head of the family, lived with her sons Pat aged 31, John aged 29 and Durby aged 27.

Walle family

John Walle aged 60, head of family, lived with his wife Margrat aged 50 and his son John aged 25 and daughter Uxney Fred aged 17.

Bryan Mullen

Bryan Mullen aged 55, head of family, lived with his wife Ellen aged 50, his sons Patrick aged 30 and Thomas aged 15 and daughters Bridget aged 18 and Ellen aged 16.

Browne/McDonnell

Bernard Browne aged 60, head of family, lived with his daughter Leilia M. Hughes aged 27, son-in-law Michael Hughes aged 27 and granddaughter Kathleen aged 1. Bridget McDonnell, a farm servant aged 18 also lived with them.

Donelan family

Margaret Donelan aged 50, head of family, lived with her sister-in-law Kate Donelan aged 70 and her daughters Maggie aged 24 and Annie aged 16 and son Michael aged 18.

Gibbons family

Martin Gibbons aged 40, head of family, lived with his wife Margaret aged 40, sons Patrick aged 8, Michael aged 5 and John aged 3 and daughter Mary aged 7.

Fahy family

Martin Fahy aged 60, head of family, lived with his wife Celia aged 58 and sons Michael aged 30 and Patrick aged 19.

Lynch/Murry

Mary Lynch aged 70 years, head of family, lived with her son Thomas aged 23, and her granddaughter Maggie Murry aged 7.

Murphy (Michael) family

Michael Murphy aged 48, head of the family, lived with his wife Margaret aged 47 and daughter Bridget aged 18, his son Michael aged 15 and Stephen aged 11.

Murphy (John) family

John Murphy aged 50, widower and head of family, lived with his son James aged 21, daughter Ellen aged 19.

Housing and Outhouses

There were no 1st class houses in the townland. There was one house listed as uninhabited owned by Martin J. Gibbons. All of the 2nd class houses had 3 rooms except for Bernard Brown and Martin Fahy’s that had 4 rooms. The 3rd class houses had 2 rooms. 9 households had a stable, 12 had a cowhouse, 7 had a calf- house, 10 had a piggery, 6 had a fowl house, 7 had a barn and 5 had a shed.

Residents’ occupations

All of the householders list their occupation as ‘farmer’ or ‘scholar’ with John Morgan listed as a C B officer (Civil Bill Officer-a person who served a legal Civil Bill for a hearing in the District Court). He was also a farmer, aged 30 years and single. His sister Bridget aged 31 years and single was a seamstress also lived with him, as did Martin Lyons aged 60, married, listed as a lodger. Catherine Lyons aged 58 was also listed as a lodger and married and Bridget Lyons aged 6 years also a lodger. They were all listed as living in the Morgan household with their occupation listed as ‘traveller’. (They may have moved around from place to place to get work at different times of the year).

Mannion’s shop

There was a shop in Dangan Oughter owned by Catherine Mannion and she is listed as a widow aged 56 years. Her son John aged 28 and daughter-in-law Mary also aged 28, lived with her, as did her granddaughter Catherine aged 4.

Brown/Hughes/McDonnell

Bernard Brown was a widower aged 60 years. His daughter Delia M. Hughes aged 2, was married to Michael Hughes aged 27 and they along with their daughter Kathleen aged 1 year old all lived with him as did Bridget McDonnell aged 18 years listed as a domestic servant.

Census 1911[11]

There were 74 people and 14 households listed in the townland in 1911. There was 1 uninhabited house located on land owned by the Tuam District Council. There was one 1st class house with 7 rooms listed as a shop owned by John Mannion. The heads of the remaining households were Martin Gibbons, Margaret Donelan, Bernard Browne, Bryan Mullen, Bridget Healy, John Morgan, Catherine Dolly, Michael Roche, Peter Kirwan and Martin Fahy all of whom lived in 2nd class houses. John Tarney lived in a 3rd class house with the landholder listed as Patrick Keane. Michael Murphy and John Walle also lived in 3rd class houses.

Mannion family

John Mannion aged 39, head of family, lived with his wife Mary aged 42, daughters Katie aged 10, Mary aged 8, Nora aged 7, Emily aged 5 and son John aged 1.

Gibbons family

Martin Gibbons aged 58, head of family, lived with his wife Margaret aged 52 and son Pat aged 18, daughters Mary aged 16, Michael aged 14, John aged 12 and Martin aged 8.

Donelan family

Margaret Donelan (widow) aged 66, head of family, lived with her son Thomas aged 35, daughter Annie aged 27 and sister-in-law Catherine aged 87.

Browne family

Bernard Browne, widower, aged 78 lived with his son-in-law Michael Hughes aged 37, his daughter Delia M. aged 37 and his grandchildren, Kathleen aged 11, Bernard aged 9, Maggie aged 8, Celia aged 6, John P. aged 4 and Delia M. aged 3.

Mullen family

Bryan Mullen aged 73, head of family, lived with his wife Elleen aged 74, son Patrick aged 40, daughter-in-law Margaret aged 40, grandson Bernard aged 7, granddaughter Elleen aged 5, grandson Edward aged 3.

Healy family

Bridget Healy aged 75, widow, head of family, lived with her son Pat aged 50, John aged 45 and Darby aged 40.

Morgan/Donohue

John Morgan, head of family aged 44, lived with his sister Bridget Donohue aged 47.

Dolly family

Catherine Dolly, widow aged 71, lived with her son Patrick aged 43.

Roche family

Michael Roche, head of family aged 40 lived with his wife Bridget aged 30, daughter Margaret aged 4, Anne aged 3, Mary aged 2 and Bridget less than 1 year old

Kirwan family

Peter Kirwan aged 74, head of family, lived with his wife Mary aged 73, son John aged 30, daughter-in-law Ellen aged 35, and grandchildren Peter aged 7, Margaret aged 5 and Mary aged 1.

Fahy family

Martin Fahy aged 73, head of family, lived with his wife Celia aged 74, sons Patrick aged 30, Michael aged 45, daughter-in-law Celia aged 40 and grandchildren Martin aged 8, Pat aged 6, Jane aged 4, Margaret aged 2 and Kate aged 1.

Tarney family

John Tarney aged 77, head of family, lived with wife Bridget aged 52.

Murphy (Michael) family

Michael Murphy aged 63, head of family, lived with his wife Margaret aged 71, his daughter Mary Margaret aged 18, daughter-in-law Mary aged 26 and  his granddaughter Margaret aged 1.

Walle family

John Walle, aged 78, head of family, lived with his wife Margaret aged 79.

Murphy (Michael) family (2)

Michael Murphy’s wife Margaret was born in Co. Mayo. Their daughter Mary aged 18 years and single, lived with them as did their daughter-in-law Mary aged 26. Mary who was born in England and their granddaughter Margaret aged 1 year old, also born in England, also lived with them.

Census 1926-1990[12]

There is no statistical information in relation to this townland until 1991.

Census 1991-2006[13]

There were 18 households and 73 people living in the townland in 1991. By 1996, the population had decreased to 65 and 17 houses. In 2002, Dangan Oughter had 62 people and 18 houses in the townland. There was a decrease in population to 52 and 14 houses in 2006.

The Place and People [14]

It is probable that the Bernard Brown listed in Griffith’s Valuation in 1855 is the same Brown family mentioned in the 1901 census. Information from the family headstone in Killererin’s old cemetery shows us that a Bernard Brown died 17th December 1911 and his wife Kate Agnes Brown died 20th May 1900. Their daughter Delia Brown married Michael Hughes from (Carrowgorm-Carrowmanagh) and they would have been Bernard (Banny) Hughes’ father and mother. The Brown residence was known as ‘Farm Lodge’ according to information from an old prayer book that belonged to Delia Brown.[15] The Hughes family still live in Dangan Oughter and continue to own the same plot of land dating back to the 1850’s. There are some of the present day descendants of families dating back to the 1850’s living the surrounding areas.

 

 

 

[1] Place names Database of Ireland (www.logainm.ie) (August 2011)
[2] Galway County Library, ‘O’Donovan Field Name Books’ (www.places.galwaylibrary.ie) (August 2001)
[3] ibid
[4] ibid
[5] ibid
[6] ‘Table VII-Area, Out-offices and Farm Steadings and Population together with the Valuation of Each Parish, Townland and Township of the County of Galway in 1881’ (James Hardaman Library, National University of Ireland, Galway, p56) (Sep 2011)
[7] Ask about Ireland, ‘Griffith’s Valuation’ (http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index)                (Sep 2011)
[8] ‘Table VII-Area, Out-offices and Farm Steadings and Population together with the Valuation of Each Parish, Townland and Township of the County of Galway in 1881’ (James Hardaman Library, National University of Ireland, Galway, p56) (Sep 2011)
[9] Census of Ireland for the Year 1911[Provence of Connaught, County of Galway] Area, Houses and Population, ‘Table VII-Area Houses Outbuildings-Buildings and Farm Steadings, and Population together with the Valuation of Each Poor Law Union, Dispensary District, Electoral Division, Townland in the County of Galway in 1911’ (Galway County Library, p101)
[10] The National Archives of Ireland, ‘Census Ireland 1901/1911’,(http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search) (Sept 2011)
[11] Ibid
[12] There is no statistical information in relation to this townland until 1991. (Sep 2011)
[13] Central Statistics Office, (www.cso.ie/census/report) (Sep 2011)
[14] Research done in the old graveyard shows headstone.
[15] Prayer Book of Delia Brown in the possession of the Devaney family, Lissavalley, Barnaderg.