Townland of Grange

Grange, Killererin

Extract from Killererin - A Parish History pps. 174 - 179

Graph showing population changes in Grange
Killererin Heritage Society
Entrance to the church in Grange
Photo: B. Forde, May 2020
Ruins of Church in Grange,
Photo: B. Forde, May 2020
Grange River
Photo: B. Forde May 2020
OS Map sheet 44 showing the location of ruins of Grange Church
Photo: B. Forde, May 2020

Grange, An Ghráinseach,[1] “the Grange” (a place for storing grain)[2]

The townland of Grange is situated in the Civil Parish of Killererin in the Barony of Clare. The townland is bordered on the north by the townland of Killeighter and Ahgloragh, on the south by Coolrevagh, the east by Creevaghbaun and on the west by the townlands of Addergoole and Togherbeg. The Down Survey, records the townland as ‘Carrowmannagh’, Parish of ‘Killereran’’[3]. In 1641, the owners were listed as Edward Owny (Catholic) and in 1670 the ‘Earl of Clanrickard (Protestant)’. There were 81 plantation acres of unprofitable land, 217 plantation acres of profitable land and 217 plantation acres forfeited[4].

O’Donovan’s Field Names 1830

According to O’Donovan’s Field Names 1830,[5] early references to ‘Grandge’ were made in the Chancery Inquisitions of Elizabeth I (1558-1603); to ‘Grange’ in the Chancery Inquisitions of James I (1603-1625) and the Chancery Inquisition of Charles I (1625-1649). Reference was also made to the townland in Larkin’s County Map of Galway 1819 while a Map of Property surveyed in 1813 and 1814 also referred to ‘Grange’. The Boundary Survey Sketch Maps[6], cited the spelling of the townland as ‘Grange’.

H. R. Henry, Landlord

The townland was described as the property of ‘H.R. Henry, Esquire, England. It contains 254¾ acres statute[7] measure, and includes about 23 acres of bog’[8]. H.R. Henry held land in other townlands in the parish of Killererin including Addergoole, Ballynakilla, Barnaderg, Carrowgorm, Cloonconra, Cloonreddia, Cooldorragha, Coolrevagh, Cornacartan, Corralea, Corskeaghbeg, Creevaghbane, Killeighter, Kilmore, Lisnaminaun, Lissavalley, Lissavalley Glebe, Omaunbeg, Omaunmore, Pollacapple, Pollaun, Shantallow, Tigreenaun, Togherbeg and Toghermore.

Census 1841-1851[9]

There were 116 people living in 22 houses in Grange in 1841. By 1851, this population had greatly reduced to a figure of 54 people living in 9 houses. The total area of land in the townland in 1851 was 254 acres, 3 roods and 0 perches with a valuation of £57 0s 0d.

Griffith’s Valuation 1855[10]

There were 9 occupiers listed in Griffith’s Valuation in Grange in 1855. Hugh Henry retained 2 areas of land, 1 measuring 33 acres, 0 roods and 23 perches and another measuring 34 acres, 2 roods and 4 perches for himself at an annual valuation of £37 0s 0d. All of the remaining tenants leased their land from Hugh Henry including John Monaghan, Thomas Loughan, James Nolan, John Nolan and Peter Joyce all of whom leased 2 plots including ground listed as ‘common’ measuring 56 acres, 2 roods and 11 perches. Michael Farrell and William Wills also leased a house and land while Michael Farrell leased a corn mill along with the offices and land. Outside of the common ground mentioned above, the largest area was leased by William Wills measuring 56 acres, 0 roods and 31 perches including a house, office and land.

Census 1861-1881[11]

There were 46 people living in 9 houses in Grange in 1861. In 1871, this population was reduced to 41 people living in 8 houses and in 1881 there were 38 people living in only 6 houses. The total area of the townland in 1881 was 254  acres, 3  roods and 0  perches with a valuation of £86 15s 0d.

Census 1891[12]

There were 6 households and 34 people living in Grange in 1891.

Census 1901[13]

There were 26 people or 6 families living in Grange in 1901.

Catherine Madden

was a widow aged 59. Catherine lived with her children: Martin aged 28, Mary aged 25 and John aged 23. This family lived in a 2nd class house with 3 front windows where 4 people lived in 3 rooms.

William Burke

was a widower aged 65. William lived with his children: Patrick aged 27, Ellen aged 21, John aged 17 and Martin aged 15. This family lived in a 2nd class house with 6 front windows where 5 people lived in 6 rooms.

Francis Monaghan,

aged 55 was married to Ellen aged 55 also. Their son Patrick aged 28 also lived in this house. This family lived in a 2nd class house with 3 front windows and 3 people lived in 3 rooms.

John Lohan

aged 64 was married to Sarah aged 60. Their son Patrick aged 32 also lived in this house. This family lived in a 2nd class house with 3 front windows and 3 people lived in 3 rooms.

Catherine Lawless

was a widow aged 65. Catherine lived with her sons; Thomas aged 45 and James aged 40. This family lived in a 3rd class house with 2 front windows where 3 people lived in 2 rooms.

Thomas Craven

aged 60 married to Mary aged 50. They lived with their children: John aged 25, Mary aged 17, Stephen aged 15, Delia aged 9 and Lizzie aged 4. Thomas’s cousin, Honor Joyce aged 80 also lived in this home. This family lived in a 3rd class house with 2 front windows where 4 people lived in 2 rooms.

All occupants in 1901

All occupants of this townland owned the land on which their houses stood. All of the houses were of thatch with the exception of Catherine Madden’s and William Burke’s whose houses were roofed with slate. William Burke had the most number of out-houses listed on the 1901 census – 5 in all. John Lohan had 4 out-houses listed in the census, Lawless, Craven and Madden recorded 3 out-buildings while Francis Monaghan had 1 out-house.

Those listed in 1901 recorded their place of birth as ‘Co. Galway’ and all adults were listed as ‘farmer’ with the exception of Martin Madden, son of Catherine who recorded his occupation as ‘water bailiff’ and was probably responsible for enforcing any laws that may have existed in relation to management of the river, fishing, dams and weirs.

Oldest person in the townland in 1901

The oldest person in the townland in 1901 was Honor Joyce aged 80. Honor was a cousin of Thomas Craven and a widow. Honor lived in this house with Thomas, his wife Mary and their children John, Mary, Stephen, Delia and Lizzie. The youngest person in Grange in 1901 was Lizzie Craven, aged 4.

Census 1911[14]

There were 22 people or 6 families recorded on the census in 1911.

Catherine Madden

was a widow aged 75 who lived with her son, Martin aged 39.

William Burke

was a widower aged 77. He lived with his children: Patrick aged 38, Ellen aged 30 and Martin aged 25.

Catherine Lawless

was a widow aged 77. She lived with her son James aged 27, daughter-in-law Ellen aged 36 and grandson, Patrick who was less than 1 year old.

Francis Monaghan

aged 68 was married to Ellen aged 71. They lived with their children: Patrick aged 39, and their daughter, Bridget Quinn who was a widow aged 38. Their grandson, Michael Quinn aged 2 also lived with them.

Mary Creavan

was a widow aged 65. She lived with her children: John aged 38, Mary aged 28 and Lizzie aged 14.

John Lohan

was a widower, aged 78. He lived with his son, Patrick aged 40 and daughter-in-law Margaret aged 35.

All occupants in 1911

There were no 1st class houses in 1911 and all of the occupants of the townland at this time, owned the land on which their houses were situated. There were a total of 17 out-houses in 1911; the Madden’s recorded a stable and fowl-house, the Burke’s – a stable, cowhouse and piggery, the Creaven’s – a cowhouse, piggery and shed, the Lawless  house included a cowhouse, piggery, and fowl-house, the Monaghan’s –  a barn and the Lohan’s a stable, cowhouse, piggery, fowl-house and shed.

All adults listed in the 1911 census were recorded as ‘farmer’. All occupants of the townland listed their place of birth as Co. Galway, with the exception of John Creaven, a farmer’s son aged 38 who was born in England and Michael Quinn aged 2, son of Bridget, who was born in New York.

Oldest person in the townland in 1911

The oldest person in the townland was John Lohan, a farmer aged 78. The youngest person in Grange in 1911 was Patrick Lawless who was less than 1 year old. From the information provided, Ellen and Francis Monaghan were married for the longest time; 45 years in 1911. This couple had 8 children in total and 8 still living in 1911.

Census 1991-2006

The bar graph below plots the changes in population in this townland between 1841 and 2006 according to census information.

Grange graph

 

Mapping Change

The Ordnance Survey (OS) map (1837-1842)[15] shows the main road dissecting the townland at the centre travelling in the direction of Creevaghbaun to Addergoole. The Grange river also flowed through the townland in the northeast towards stepping stones and a dam at Togher Beg in the west. A tributary flowed in a southerly direction just after Grange bridge and met the main river again in the southwest of the townland where it continued along the southern boundary of Grange.

All of the houses evident on the early map were situated on the left hand side of the main road mentioned above. There were only 2 buildings in the north of the townland, near the border with Addergoole in the west, located across Grange bridge, at the southernmost point of the townland where an eel weir was evident. Beside these ruins, a children’s graveyard was sited and the ruins of a church.

A comparison between the OS 25 inch map 1888-1913[16] and the OS Aerial map 2005[17] shows how the landscape and geography of the area has changed. The 1888-1913 map shows three springs in the north and west of the townland. A lime kiln was located close to Grange bridge on the southern side of the river. A large area in the south west of Grange where the river flowed and marked the border with Togher Beg, was liable to flooding and the old church and infants’ graveyard lay just to the northeast of this flood plain. Further south at the boundary with Garraun and Coolrevagh a number of corn mills and sluices were located.

Modern OS 2000 and 2005 maps

The modern day OS 2000 and 2005 maps show that some of the modern houses are situated on the same sites as those mentioned on the early maps, although there are fewer buildings evident in the more recent maps. Where previously there were up to 19 buildings on the left hand side of the road from Creevaghbaun (now the R332), there are today only 9 buildings. On the Tuam side of Grange bridge, where in earlier times there were only 2 buildings, there are now 5 houses with a number of sheds and out-buildings. In the west of the townland, the Grange river no longer flows into the neighbouring townlands but turns south and still marks the border of the townland in the south.

[1] Logainm.ie, ‘Placenames Database of Ireland’, (http://www.logainm.ie/)
[2] Killererin Magazine Committee ‘Parish of Killererin’ in Out and About in Killererin (2006) p.110
[3] Trinity College, Dublin, ‘The Down Survey’ (http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/)
[4] ibid
[5] Galway County Library, ‘O’Donovan’s Field Name Books’ (http://places.galwaylibrary.ie/)
[6] ibid
[7] PODUNK ‘Place Types and Land Allocation in Ireland’ (http://ei.epodunk.com/place-types.html) (June 2011) An Irish acre, the measure used from the 17th century, equalled 1.62 statute (English) acres, also called a plantation acre
[8] Galway County Library, ‘O’Donovan’s Field Name Books’ (http://places.galwaylibrary.ie/asp/fullresult.asp?id=26164) (May 2011)
[9] ‘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 Hardiman Library, National University of Ireland, Galway, p38)
[10] Ask about Ireland, ‘Griffith’s Valuation’ (http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index) (May 2011)
[11] ‘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 Hardiman Library, National University of Ireland, Galway, p21)
[12] Census of Ireland for the Year 1911 [Province of Connaught, County of Galway] Area, Houses and Population, ‘Table VII-Area Houses Out-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, p110)
[13] The National Archives of Ireland, ‘Census of Ireland 1901/1911’ (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/)
[14] ibid
[15] Ordnance Survey Ireland, ‘25” Historical Map 1988-1913’ (www.osi.ie/publicviewer) (May 2011)
[16] ibid
[17] ibid

This page was added on 07/05/2020.

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