Townland of Cahergal

An Chathair Gheal (The White Stone Fort)

Killererin Heritage Society & Moylough Parish Services Solas Scheme

Source: Killererin - A Parish History, written by Killererin Heritage Society

Cahergal, An Chathair Gheal,[1] “the white stone fort”[2]

The townland of Cahergal is situated in the Civil Parish of Killererin in the Barony of Clare. The townland is bordered on the north by Barbersfort, in the south by the townlands of Garra and Gortbeg, in the east by Clogherboy and in the west by the townland of Cloonlusk. The Down Survey, records the townland as ‘Knocknadrough’[3]. In Cahergal in 1641, the owners were listed as ‘Richard Bourke (Catholic)’ and in 1670 ‘Thomas Martin Kirwan (Protestant)’. There is no detail of forfeited lands.

According to O’Donovan’s Field Name Books 1830[4], early references to ‘Cahergalle’ and ‘Cahirgeale’ were found in the Chancery Inquisitions of James I (1603-1625); to ‘Cahirgeale’ in the Chancery Inquisitions of Charles I (1625-1649) and to ‘Cahergeale’ in the Chancery Inquisitions of William III (1689-1702). The townland of ‘Cahergall’ is also mentioned in William Larkin’s County map of Galway 1819 and the Boundary Survey Sketch Maps[5], cited the spelling of the townland as ‘Cahergal’. Pat Jennings, Proprietor’s Tenant is also referred to in O’Donovan’s Books as an authority source on the spelling of the townland as ‘Cahergal’. The townland is described as the property of D.W. Ruttledge and contained ‘240¼ acres statute[6] measure including about 142 acres of bog and rough ground’[7]. Today, locally, the townland is spelled, ‘Cahergal’.

Census 1841-1851[8]

There were 150 people living in the townland of Cahergal in 24 houses in 1841. By 1851 this population had decreased to 61 people living in 9 houses. The total area of land in the townland in 1851 was 260 acres, 2 roods and 2 perches. The total valuation of the land was £55 15s 0d.

Griffith’s Valuation 1855[9]

There are 4 tenants listed in Griffith’s Valuation, all of whom had leased land in 7 plots from David Ruttledge, excluding an area of 210 acres, 3 roods and 15 perches held by Ruttledge himself comprising an office and land. This land was valued at £53 0s 0d. Ruttledge from Dublin, owned land in other townlands in the parish of Killererin including Ardawarry, Cahernagry, Clogherboy, Garraun, Garraun Coyle, Garraunmore and Graddoge.

Those recorded as tenants, included John Murphy who leased 6 acres, 3 roods and 7 perches valued at £5 10s 0d; David Reilly who leased 3 plots from Ruttledge, the first 2 comprising of a house, office and land measuring 4 acres, 3 roods and 12 perches, and also a plot of land only, measuring 5 acres, 0 roods and 14 perches. Together these plots were valued at £7 0s 0d. James Fleming leased a house, offices and land measuring 11 acres, 0 roods and 30 perches valued at £6 0s 0d. Walter Hosty leased a house and land measuring 5 acres, 0 roods and 24 perches and valued at £2 15s 0d. The Fleming, Reilly and Hosty families also leased another area between them measuring 10 acres, 2 roods and 20 perches subdivided into 3 plots, the larger area measuring 1 acre, 10 roods and 0 perches was leased by the Fleming family. The 2 smaller plots in this sub-division measured 15 roods each.

Census 1861-1881[10]

There were 50 people living in the townland of Cahergal in 6 houses in 1861. In 1871, the population had increased to 75 people living in 12 houses and by 1881 this had reduced slightly to 71 people living in 10 houses. In 1881, the total area of the townland was 260 acres, 2 roods and 2 perches and the annual valuation of the land was £80 0s 0d.

Census 1891[11]

There were 66 people living in 10 houses in Cahergal in 1891.

Census 1901[12]

There were 47 people or 10 families living in Cahergal in 1901.

Bridget Forde

Bridget Forde was a widow aged 65, living with her son Thomas aged 40 and his wife Honor aged 40. Bridget’s grandchildren also lived in this house: Bridget aged 14, Mary aged 12, William aged 11, Kate aged 10, John aged 9, Michael aged 8, Ellen aged 6, Norah aged 5 and Maggie aged 3.

Michael Noone

Michael Noone aged 71, was married to Norah, aged 67 and lived in a 2nd class house on land he owned himself. Michael and Norah’s sons also lived in this house: James aged 22 and Martin aged 19.

Mary Noon (as spelled in Census)

Mary Noon (as spelled in census) aged 50, was a widow, who lived in a 2nd class house on land she owned herself. Mary lived with her children: Thomas, aged 20, Matthew, aged 16 and Ellen, aged 12.

Bridget Murphy

Bridget Murphy was a widow, aged 60 years and lived in a 4th class house on land she owned herself. Bridget lived alone.

Patrick Noon (as spelled in Census)

Patrick Noon (as spelled in census) aged 35, lived in a 1st class house on land owned by Thomas B. Ruttledge. Patrick was married to Margaret aged 30 and they lived with their children: Patrick aged 3 and Mary who was less than 1 year old.

John Hosty

John Hosty was a widower aged 65 who lived in a 2nd class house on land he owned himself. John lived with his son Walter aged 35 and his daughter-in-law Mary aged 27. John’s grandchildren also lived in this house: Delia aged 7 and Ellie aged 5.

Martin Reilly

Martin Reilly aged 50, lived in a 2nd class house on land he owned himself. Martin lived with his sister Margaret aged 40 and his brother David aged 45.

Kate Coen

Kate Coen was a widow aged 50 and she lived in a 2nd class house on land she owned herself. Kate lived with her daughter Bridget aged 25 and her sons Michael aged 23 and Patrick aged 16.

Mary Kiggins

Mary Kiggins was a widow aged 52 years and she lived in a 2nd class house on land she owned herself. Mary lived with her children: Michael aged 23, Patrick aged 20, Delia aged 17 and James aged 14.

Patrick Potter

Patrick Potter aged 36 was married to Mary aged 30 and they lived in a 2nd class house on land he owned himself. Patrick and Mary lived with children: Delia aged 11, Thomas aged 8 and Mary aged 6.  All of the occupants of the townland of Cahergal listed their place of birth as ‘Co. Galway’.

While the majority of occupations were listed as ‘farmer’ or ‘scholar’ in the case of the children, there were a number of occupations outside that of farming that were of note in this townland. Margaret Reilly lived with her unmarried brother Martin and was a seamstress; Patrick Noon was a ‘caretaker of house’ and Martin Reilly mentioned above was a ‘GPO letter carrier’. According to the British Postal Service Appointment Books, Martin Reilly was appointed as a ‘messenger’ in the Ballyglunin to Barnaderg area on 3 August 1864 at which time he would have been aged approximately 13 years[13].

The oldest person in the townland in 1901 was Michael Noon aged 71 years and the youngest was Mary Noon who was not yet 1 year old.

Census 1911[14]

There were 38 people or 9 families living in Cahergal in 1911.

Margaret Reilly

Margaret Reilly aged 69 lived in a 2nd class house on land owned by Bernard Potter. Margaret’s nephew Patrick Potter lived in this home also.

Michael Forde

Michael Forde aged 56 was married to Mary aged 52 and they lived in a 2nd class house on land he owned himself.

Patrick Noone

Patrick Noone aged 56 was married to Mary aged 45 and lived in a 3rd class house on land he owned himself. Patrick and Mary lived with their children: Patrick aged 13, Mary aged 11, Norah aged 8 and Roseanne aged 4. Patrick’s mother Norah aged 73 years also lived in this home.

Patrick Potter

Patrick Potter aged 51 was married to Mary aged 53 and lived in a 2nd class house on land he owned himself. Patrick and Mary lived with their children: Thomas aged 19 and Mary Kate aged 17.

Kate Coen

Kate Coen aged 71 was a widow who lived in a 3rd class house on land she owned herself. Kate lived with her sons Michael aged 33 and Patrick aged 27.

John Hosty

John Hosty aged 80 was a widower who lived in a 2nd class house on land he owned himself. John lived with his son Walter aged 65 who was a widower also. John’s grandchildren also lived in this home: Delia aged 17, Ellie aged 15 and Thomas aged 10.

Frances Foster

Frances Foster aged 21 lived in a house where the head of household was named as Richard Foster, probably her husband. A Richard Foster was identified on the 1911 census working as a servant in Barbersfort House. In the 1901 census, Richard Foster was again listed in the townland of Barbersfort, where he worked as a servant in Barbersfort House. Frances lived in a 2nd class house on land owned by Mary Kiggins. Frances lived with her sons Robert aged 1 and Albert who was less than a year old.

Mary Noon

Mary Noon aged 70 was a widow who lived in a 3rd class house on land she owned herself. Mary lived with her children: Thomas aged 28 and Nellie aged 25.

Thomas Forde

 

Thomas Forde aged 58 was married to Honor aged 55 and they lived in a 2nd class house on land he owned himself. Thomas and Honor lived with their children: William aged 21, Michael aged 18, Ellen aged 16, Norah aged 14 and Mary who was married and aged 23 years. Mary’s children James Hogan aged 2 and Norah Hogan who was less than 1 year old also lived in this home.

All occupants in this townland in 1911 recorded their place of birth as ‘Co. Galway’ with the exception of Frances Foster who listed her place of birth as ‘Co. Cavan’ and Mary Noone who listed her place of birth as ‘Co. Dublin’. All of the occupants of this townland were listed as Roman Catholic with the exception of the Foster family who were recorded as belonging to the Church of Ireland. This included Frances Foster and her sons Albert and Robert. The only occupation listed outside of that of farming is that of Michael Forde who was actually listed as ‘farmer and shopkeeper’. The predominance of farming is reflected in the out-buildings recorded. All of the families had a cowhouse and most with the exception of the Forde and Hosty families had a piggery. In total 4 families had a fowl-house and 4 had a barn. The Foster and Potter families also had a separate barn building.

The oldest person in the townland in 1911 was John Hosty aged 80 and the youngest was Norah Hogan who was less than 1 year old. Michael and Honor Forde were married for 25 years, the longest in the townland at that time. This couple had 10 children and 9 still living in 1911.

Census 1991-2006

The bar graph above plots the changes in population in this townland between 1841 and 2006 according to census information[15].

 

[1] Logainm.ie, ‘Placenames Database of Ireland’ (http://www.logainm.ie/)
[2] The Placenames database does not provide a placename meaning. The meaning provided comes from Galway County Library, ‘O’Donovan’s Field Name Books’ (http://places.galwaylibrary.ie/)
[3] Trinity College, Dublin, ‘The Down Survey’ (http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/)
[4] Galway County Library, ‘O’Donovan’s Field Name Books’(http://places.galwaylibrary.ie/)
[5] ibid
[6] 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
[7] Galway County Library, ‘O’Donovan’s Field Name Books’(http://places.galwaylibrary.ie/)
[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 Hardiman Library, National University of Ireland, Galway, p38)
[9] Ask about Ireland, ‘Griffith’s Valuation’ (http://www.askaboutireland.ie/ griffith-valuation/index) (May 2011)
[10] ibid
[11] 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)
[12] The National Archives of Ireland, ‘Census of Ireland 1901/1911’ (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/)
[13] Ancestry.co.uk, ‘British Postal Service Appointment Books, 1737-1969’ (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/)
[14] The National Archives of Ireland, ‘Census of Ireland 1901/1911’ (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/)
[15] Kids Zone Learning with NECS ‘Create a Graph’,  (http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/)

This page was added on 14/04/2016.

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