Author: Michael
Turbulence in Tullyhunco by Tomás Ó Raghallaigh
With thanks to the author for kindly contributing the full version of his book to share with all those who have an interest in this period of the history of Tullyhunco and the wider Cavan area.
Read the book here:
Review from The Anglo Celt:
Turbulence in Tullyhunco by Tomás Ó Raghallaigh, illustrated by Cathrina Lyons is a study of the Ulster Plantation in Tullyhunco, a tiny Gaelic-Irish state which extended from Carn, near the present Slieve Russell Hotel to the shores of Lough Gowna.
It included the parishes of Kildallan, Killeshandra and Gowna, and was ruled by the McKiernan Family from their residence on the Hill of Croghan. Under the Ulster plantation, it became the Barony of Tullyhunco, and was granted to five Scottish Undertakers. They and their followers began to arrive there 400 years ago, in the latter part of 1610.
This book attempts to reconstruct what life was like for the Irish on the eve of the plantation, to explain why the English king and government decided to plant Ulster, to record the arrival of the planters and to assess the impact of this on the native population.
The Rebellion of 1641 is one of the most contentious events in Irish history, and there was plenty of action around Killeshandra with Castlehamilton and Croghan castles under siege for seven months.
After the Cromwellian re-conquest of the country, the planter families returned with a new set of followers, and colonisation resumed. This turbulent century ended with the Williamite wars, after which another wave of immigrants arrived from Scotland and the North of England.
Religion was a important matter for people at the time. The new settlers were Protestant, while the Irish people were Catholic, and this pattern has continued with their descendants down to the present day. The reasons for this are considered, and the activities of the various religious groups, Catholic, Protestant, Presbyterian, and Methodist, are outlined.
Much of the action takes place in the Killeshandra, Kildallan end of the barony, because the planters, like the Irish before them, tended to neglect the Arva, Gowna area, where there was only limited development before the 1700s. But the study should be of interest to all inhabitants and natives of the area, as well as descendants of prominent Irish families like the McKiernans/ Kiernans/ MacTiernans/ Tiernans, the Donohoes, Mastersons and Farrellys; and it should also be of interest to the descendants of the settlers who arrived here in the 1600s and 1700s.
The book is illustrated by Cathrina Lyons, and her beautiful black and white drawings are complemented by a number of colour photographs of important sites as they are today. The author, Tomás Ó Raghallaigh, is a retired teacher, and has had a life-long interest in history, archaeology and the Irish Language. He has been Killeshandra correspondent of the Anglo-Celt for many years.
Ulster Inquisitions
Inquisitionum in Officio Rotulorum Cancellariae Hiberniae Asservatarum Repertorium Vol II details the local hearings (Inquisitions) which were held around the counties of Ulster and Leinster to enquire as to the ownership and boundaries of townlands.
These hearings took place over a number of years but it is the inquisitions of 1629, during the reign of King Charles I, which make up the vast bulk of the recorded documents relating to Cavan.
The order in which the townlands are listed generally correspond to the original schedule of grants from 1611. This makes it possible to trace the changing ownership, name changes and aliases of many townlands. It also lists sub-divisions of townlands, most of which no longer exist. Interestingly some have morphed into full townlands in their own right. In some instances the names of tenants are provided as well as detailed descriptions of the physical boundaries and buildings encountered on the new manors/estates.
The Ulster Inquisitions: County Cavan.
The Ulster Inquisitions: Cavan Index
On the Townland Distribution of Ireland
Pynnar’s Survey of 1619
The lack of progress and the reports coming back to London of the undertakers neglecting their duties led to the investigation and survey by Captain Nicholas Pynnar in 1618/19. The exact date of the survey was from 1st December 1618 to 28th March 1619. Pynnar personally had been granted lands in Tullyhaw creating the manor of Pynnar. His brief was to establish how many families were planted, what buildings had been erected, how prepared they were to defend their estates, how much land was still occupied by the native Irish and to clarify other areas of concern.
Pynnar makes some interesting notes on progress in each of the Precincts including Castlerahin:
Captain Culme is to build a town called Virginia, for which he is allowed 250 acres. Upon this he hath built 8 timber houses, and put into them 8 English tenants; of which town there is a Minister which keepeth school, and is a very good preacher.
A number of native Irish are listed in this survey in the Precincts of Castlerahin, Tullaghgarvy, Clonemahown and Tullagha which were allotted to Servitors and Natives. Hill (George Hill, An historical account of the Plantation in Ulster at the commencement of the seventeenth century 1608-1620. (Belfast 1877) covers Pynnar’s survey comprehensively by barony as follows:
The Precinct of Loghtee (Loughtee Upr & Lr) P.460
The Precinct of Tullaghconche (Tullyhunco) P.469
The Precinct of Clanchie (Clankee) P.451
The Precinct of Tullagha (Tullyhaw) P.473
The Precinct of Clonemahown (Clanmahon) P.468
The Precinct of Castlerahin (Castlerahan) P.457
The Precinct of Tullaghgarvy (Tullygarvey) P.458
Hunter’s commentary on Pynnar’s survey relevant to Cavan is also detailed and worth consulting. (R.J. Hunter, The Ulster Plantation in the Counties of Armagh and Cavan, 1608-41 (Belfast, 2012), pp. 114-126)
The extract below covers the barony of Tullyhunco which includes the parishes of Kildallan, Killeshandra and Scrabby.
Plantation Papers 1610
This excerpt from Hill’s work covers County Cavan and can be found on pages 179-209 of the original book which includes Armagh, Tyrone, LondonDerry, Donegal, Fermanagh and Cavan. Included below is an interesting paragraph on Co. Monaghan which suffered greatly at this time, although not included in the plan of Plantation. Cavan is dealt with by barony as allotted to the undertakers and servitors with some mention of the displaced natives. This document draws heavily on the Survey of 1611 by Sir George Carew who was appointed to investigate the progress of the Plantation.
Gentleman & Scholar: Thomas James Barron, 1903-1992 by Jonathan A. Smyth
| This publication explores aspects of Irish studies in terms of early Irish history, literature, archaeology and folklore. It includes a semi-biographical account of the industrious lifetime and valuable studies of Thomas J (Tom) Barron, native to Knockbride, Co. Cavan. The content extends discussion of his vast contribution, as documented in the National Museum of Ireland, with particular emphasis on his ground-breaking theory on the significance of the early Iron-age ‘Corleck Head’. |
Subjects
| Archaeology and antiquity, Bailieborough, Brigit, The Corleck Head from Drumeague, Co. Cavan, Cumann Seanchais Bhreifne, Education in Ireland, Folklore and mythology, Knockbride Model School, Bailieborough, The National Museum of Ireland |
Up the Reds
The Cornafean Achievement
Published in 1990, Up The Reds is a history of the GAA in Cornafean, a small rural area, in the extremity of the Killeshandra parish in county Cavan. It is a club with a rich tradition – the most successful in Cavan. It has provided an array of star players who have backboned all of Cavan’s successful All-Ireland winning teams. Some of these legendary players are household names; the famed O’Reilly brothers ‘Big’ Tom and John Joe, Paudge Masterson, Willie Young, Mick Dinneny, Packie Phair, Ned O’Reilly, Josie Martin, Willie Fitzpatrick, the Maguire brothers, Peadar Doyle and Seamus Morris to mention but a few. The author, who hails from Cornafean, interviewed many of the surviving players and officials and wove a story full of the lore and legend of a most famous club. The book is also a wonderful social history of bygone days.
All Saints
Deep in the mists of time, the story begins with the pre-reformation church which stood on Drumgoon Hill, followed by the building of St.James, the first Church of Ireland place of worship in Cootehill, after which the present day church on Market Street was opened in 1819. This book shines a light on community relations during the nineteenth ccentury, recalling forgotten friendship of the Rev. Archibald Douglas with Bishop James Browne, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Kilmore. Both men co-operated on important projects for the betterment of life in Cootehill. Also discussed, are the charitable labours of Bishop John Richard Darley, who established the Darley School. Each chapter contains many interesting tales, such as the draining of the lake at Killyrue, the rent reductions provided during ‘An Gorta Mor’, Lady Wyndham’s humorous encounter with a donkey, and a Rector’s time as the chairman of Cootehill’s Boxing club. This book is a must for anyone with an interest in Ireland’s local, social and cross-community history.