No 5 Couraguneen to Clonakenny Heritage Walk = Blue

Scroll down for larger map

No 5 Couraguneen to Clonakenny Heritage Walk = Blue

This walk is over a 4-mile distance from Couraguneen to Clonakenny, taking a look at the 3 churches in the parish, the grave yards and the interesting buildings and features, some of which no longer remain.  We will also talk about the people who went before us, our ancestors who have inhabited this area since who knows when?  And the major historical events which affected the district.

1. We begin with the Churches here although Michael Sheedy has covered them already in a previous walk. St. Patrick’s Church was built in 1812 some 17 years prior to the Emancipation Act of 1829.  It replaced an earlier church most probably a thatched building at Boulabane. The only remains of that church is the Holy Water Font. This church was built in an elegant Hiberno-Romanesque Revival style, not the faux Gothic style so common in may later Irish Roman Catholic churches.  It still looks good today. It was deemed uneconomic to renovate the building in the late 1970’s and was replaced by the modern church beside us in 1982. Unfortunately, all of the building was demolished some years later, except for the façade you see here. You can also see the recently restored front doors, of which we are very PROUD.  Our ancestors worshipped here, many were baptised here, married here, had their funeral services here and innumerable people are buried here in the small churchyard.  What remains today is now a listed and protected structure. The site for the new church was donated by the Buckley family. Right in front of the new church in Carroll’s field was the well where all the water for the church’s needs was drawn including baptismal Easter and all Holy water.

2. As you all well know we are in Couraguneen now, BUT in fact there is no Townland of this name.  We are in Shanballynahagh, the Couraguneen name of this exact district was lost when the Ordnance Survey was done in the 1820s.  That was a wonderful feat of engineering carried out by British Army Ordnance Engineers known as “Sappers” who measured every field, laneway and haggard in the country and noted all built and natural structures and features, ancient and modern (then) and the height over sea level at numerous points in each Townland, always showing the highest and lowest points.  They marked everything on their maps for example lime kilns, even disused ones, ancient ringforts, burial grounds etc. Unfortunately, they also interfered with the naming of those townlands but it is clear that old ways die hard and so the name Couraguneen survives and is still written on the 1904 O.S. map as an alternative name for Shanballynahagh.  It is also clear that names became anglicised as the British authorities wished to have names which were easier to pronounce and spell.

3. Beside us here is a house, one of the few protected structures in the parish and known locally as “Kennedy’s of the College”.  Indeed, it was home to the Kennedy family over generations up to the 1970’s, the last of the family were John and Mick. But what of the mention of the College?  Locally it is believed that the lands hereabouts were owned at one time by Trinity College, Dublin.  It is possible, we cannot confirm that but the term was widely used in the last century at least and it is true that income from rents in various areas of Ireland was used to support TCD, the principal university in the country until the middle of the nineteenth century.

4. The local cemetery you can now see ahead of you, it was opened in 1943? And is under the charge of the County Council.  The field was donated by the owner at the time the late Ben Lawlor who was a Co. Councillor at the time and who is buried just to the left of the main gate.  The walls and entrances were renovated in recent years as the quality and possibly the quantity of the cement used in the original building was insufficient to withstand the local weather.  It was done in the middle of World War II when there was REAL austerity and widespread rationing of even basic foodstuffs. In the middle of the last century there was almost a village of tiny houses by the roadside where the cemetery is now.  The name of the householders were: Catherine McMahon had a house and 1/16th acre of land, Sarah Bergin had a house only, Denis Mara had a house and 1/10th acre of land, Elizabeth Carroll had a house only, these houses etc were all rented from Richard Wallace who lived on the present-day site of the family home.  About 150 yards further up the road was the Post Office operated by Susan Gorman and the field around where her house and P.O. was, is still known by locals as Gorman’s Garden.  To complicate matters further, the P.O. and field are actually in the townland of LORAN? We recently discovered Miss Gorman’s details in the School Register of Boulabane.  Her father was an R.I.C. officer and the family transferred from Dublin, presumably to Gortderrybeg Barracks.  Miss Gorman initially attended school in Dublin? Turning right, we hear west past where there were at least two houses on the left occupied by Edward Madden who also occupied 16 acres jointly with Joseph Middleton.  Mr. Madden then sub-let another house only to Thomas Geoghegan.

5. Looking ahead you see the high fields and the house occupied by the Wall family.  That is, we now think is the site of the notorious “Fort of Couraguneen”. This “Fort” is marked on early maps of the area drawn in the 17th century but had disappeared by the time of the Ordnance Survey come 160 years later.  We know that Cromwell was here in the 1650’s and took this area from the Meagher clan.  In order to do this, he needed an army and it seems that they set up their H.Q. at this Fort of Couraguneen.  From a military point of view, it is well situated being on high ground with excellent all-round views and near a good supply of water from the river Nore only a quarter mile away.  We think that the Fort also served as a detention centre, possibly for slavery purposes, but really the truth is for the moment lost in the mists of time, as it were.  It all happened more than 350 years ago, after all. For further reading on the Fort of Couraguneen please read Tim Lee’s article on the subject and on that of “The College” we talked of a few minutes ago, in the Bournea Reaching Out 2015 book, a few copies of which are still available!!!

6. The Down Survey carried out after the Cromwellian conquest records that Shanballynahagh was controlled and owned by John Meagher in 1641 but was owned by Sir Martin Noell in 1670.Sir Martin was granted 111 Irish acres and 105 acres was regarded as being unprofitable and probably left to Meagher, for the time being at least.

By the middle of the nineteenth century Shanballynahagh was owned by the Estate of henry Clive’s and when Bord Na Mona moved to take over Cullahill Bog in the 1980’s it was discovered that almost the entire bog was STILL owned by the Clive’s Estate.

7. We pass over the site of the Fort and now are at the site of the last Post Office of Couraguneen.  The Fogarty family lived here and the last member of the family died in 1988.

Malachy Fogarty and his wife Mary took over the Post Office in succession to Susan Gorman.It must have been one of the smallest in the country being only about 60 sq.ft. in size, yet in later years it also housed a very busy telephone exchange.The dwelling house was thatched up to the early 1980’s and all the furniture etc. was still almost exactly as it had been a hundred years before. Malachy Fogarty was a carpenter and constructed the altar, altar rails and confession boxes in the old church where we began our tour.He may even have made the front doors which we recently refurbished and re-hung.His workshop was about the size of a small domestic garage today and was situated at this point.The well from which they got their water supply – in buckets – was just inside the ditch at the low point in the road and accessed from that field which in Springtime was always very colourful having many, at least 30 bunches of daffodils in full bloom over the whole field.Timmy Fogarty was Postmaster from about 1955 and he was joined by his wife Lizzie (nee O’Meara) after they married in 1962.A more entertaining couple would be hard to find, they were wonderful company and could forever tell stories and yarns of local interest.Timmy was born in 1896 and trained for the royal Irish Constabulary Policy in the old Phoenix Park Depot in Dublin but did not ever serve in the force.Neither did he join the newly formed Civic Guards formed after Independence was gained from Great Britain, the reason for which is unknown.He died in 1984.

The telephone exchange closed in 198?? When the system became automated and the P.O. itself closed in 198?? When Lizzie became ill and she died in 1988.  May they rest in peace.

There was a Post Box on THAT pole for a number of years but that too disappeared after a while and so ended the era of Posts and Telegraphs in Couraguneen.  An Post still delivers post in the area but is administered from Roscrea. The box moved to Charlie’s Cross???

For more detailed information on the Post Offices and photographs of the buildings no longer here please read Ed. Madden’s article in the Bournea Reaching Out 2016 Book, copies of which are still available,

8. ‘Fanning’s Lane’ This is the River Nore and on the right are the fields once owned by the Bray family whose thatched house is now gone completely but which was still occupied by the Fitzpatrick family up to the mid 1960’s.

Mrs Maria Bray was a seamstress, made surplus and sutan for Mass servers.Bray’s well is beside the road on the left, a nice stone lined well.

The laneway to the left is still in use of course and leads to the Hartigan and Abbott homes in addition to some farmyards.Residents during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries included Fanning’s and Spooners.Beyond the turn in the lane is the boundary of the Townland, Parish and Diocese.Fanning’s and Spooners both lived in Gortnagowna.In here also is a townland known as Oldtown where there are many ruins of old house. On the right-hand side of the road the river here is the boundary between the two townlands’ of Shanballynahagh and Behaghglass which stretches all the way to Lismackin Hall. On our left the boundary is the hedge at the top of the field beside the laneway. Prior to Cromwell’s arrival Behaghglass was controlled by Edward Butler, of the Ormond dynasty who was Catholic.Sir Martin Noell was granted all 221 Plantation Acres of this townland in the Cromwellian settlement.But the mid nineteenth century it was owned by Frederick A. Jackson of Inane, Joseph Griffith of Aghsmear and Henry Minchin. The Ordnance Survey Maps used by the Griffith’s Valuation teams in the late 1840’s show that there was NO BRIDGE here over the Nore but marks a FOOTSTICK instead.So, although we don’t know when the bridge was built, it was certainly later than 1850.The fields here at both sides of the road are subject to flooding and in the Spring of 2016 the river spread out across them to cover a wide area.

9. This means that there is a good flow of water here and in ancient times this meant that local entrepreneurs were attracted to build MILLS, of all sorts, all over the country, using the power of that water. There was great mill building activity in Ireland during the latter decades of the eighteenth century, during the period of Grattan’s Parliament.  This continued until the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 or so and sadly a depression then ensued.  Wars are good for economic activity, the idea being that a war must be worn at any cost and armies must be fed and supplied. We can see here, on the right the outline of the ruins of such a mill but we have no record of when and by whom it was built.  Recent research on it has told us that the Griffith’s Valuation team of ‘Valuators’, as they were called paid several visits here during 1847 and 1848.  Luckily, they also made copious notes on their findings but as they are written in longhand, in note books that are 170 years old, with quill pens, it isn’t easy to read precisely what is written. However, we have discovered the following: The operators of what was a GRIST mill, i.e. a grinding mil, were James Maher and John Madden.  There was also a dwelling, an out-office and a kiln. The mill dimensions were: 54 ft. 6 in. long; 22ft. 6in. wide and 18 ft. high, in condition 1 A, i.e. a slated building built with stone or brick with lime mortar being a very substantial building and finished without cut stone ornament.  They valued it alone at £4.19s. 3d. Of more interest to mill enthusiasts is the Water Wheel: It was 14ft. 6in. in diameter; the breadth of the face was 1 ft. 8in. and the depth of the shrouding was 1 ft. It was an overshot wheel with a fall of water of 11ft. and the number of buckets was 42. It was a big powerful wheel. The mill had one pair of mill-stones, 4ft. in diameter and worked for 12 hours per day for 7 months of the year. It appears however, that differences arose between the valuators and the mill operators because the final valuation of the various buildings, the water wheel itself and the water power was substantially reduced from an initial valuation of £9. 14s. 10d. to a final figure of £6. 0s. 0d. These mill operators also occupied 19 ½ acres of land at a valuation of £10. 5s. 0d. The entire property was rented from Joseph Griffith, Esq. at an annual rent of £20 per annum. It is difficult to understand all the factors at work in these cases.  We are looking at the introduction of a radical new form of taxation, intended to replace the TITHES, in the middle of the worst of the many famines which affected an already impoverished population.  But for the time being, Maher and Madden were relatively wealthy, it is an interesting subject. The laneway to the mill continued to the main N62 road but fell into disuse and is not impassable.  Beyond the mill it disappears for some distance until near the main road when it again reappears.  However, the part we see here is still, technically, in the charge of the County Council.

10. STOP at the field Roe’s Garden which was sold for two ounces of tobacco, 50 grams in modern measure. After the mill Occupiers in the mid nineteenth century were: First field on left and several on right (almost to Dwyer’s house jointly occupied by William Jiles and Thomas Parr who had a farm of 23 acres. On left 2nd field onwards: Jeremiah Wall.  Anne Scott and Robert Dillon also lived there in houses sublet by J. Wall who had a farm of more than 36 acres.

11. Dwyer’s’ house, now Cantwell’s farmyard.  In 186-51 they occupied 7 1/8th acres here, rented from Joseph Griffith.  Very neat and well kept, won prize, harrow found. After Dwyer’s on both sides of road – occupied by Bridget Moylan who had a farm of 54 ¾ acres in 1851, rented from Frederick Jackson.  She in turn also sublet houses to two others.

12. Wall’s Lane, part of the old road which joined the Mill Lane.  This lane takes you out at Harry Parrs and continues on to the N62. The NEW TOWNSLAND: LISMAKIN, which is also in the Civil Parish of Corbally but still in the R.C. Parish of Bournea. Road is the boundary.  Left is Behaghglass, on right is Lismakin. We don’t know, as yet, what the position was pre and post Cromwell, the Down Survey is rather vague on this area and give no definite result.  However, by 1851 it was all owned by Joseph Griffith, Henry Minchin and Frederick A. Jackson. In 1851 there were 39 separate occupied households in the townsland.  On this laneway alone, which then extended to the bigger road from Patterson’s Nursing Home towards Boulabane and Couraguneen there were at least 8 houses.  Hanell, Cashin, Hendy, Lahy, Cody are names that appear in the records in the 1850’s.

13. FORGE CROSS: There seems to have been a house at all 4 corners in 1851, not all occupied though.  The Forge was on the left owned by Dan Maher in 1851 but had moved to the present premises marked clearly on the O.S. map from about 1904. In 1911, William Monaghan is working this forge, he is 40 yrs. old, single, a blacksmith and is a boarder with the Harold sisters Margaret and Hanora.  He died in 1917. Andy Bergin seem to have taken over that forge afterwards, Andy, passed it to his son Dan and in turn passed it to his son Donal who is working from the building today. There was another one up the main N62 looking due north operated by Kirwans.

14. CROSS N62, this is a new road built in 1818. This road is a new road in Irish terms.  The road South from Roscrea traversed high ground through Camblin and this new and more direct route was only made possible when the water levels in the bogs at Monahincha and Derrymore were lowered around 1818ish.  This also lowered the level of the Nore and made all this area passable.  A Road Atlas of Ireland dating from 1777 clearly shows the routes available at that time. Across N62. The O.S. sappers left a benchmark at the N.W. corner, it marks that we are not 402 ft above sea level.

15. Reid’s well and handpump. First? laneway on left Bill Smith’s. From here originated a University Professor, a Government Minister, A Grade One Racecourse Manager plus more….

16. The present day Parochial House as not here in 1850.  In its place was a thatched farmhouse owned by Frederick Jackson with a valuation of £1. 10s. but vacant.  There was also a smaller thatched house here occupied by Andrew Hamon.  The site was donated by the Corcoran family who also purchased substantial properties at Lloydsboro, Curraghduff and Hneymount in the middle of the nineteenth century, some at least through sales by the Encumbered Estates Court.  It seems that some of the family had emigrated to foreign lands and struck rich, as it were in various mining enterprises. The site of the present day Lismackin School and Parochial Hall although they are both in the Townsland of Behaghglass was also owned by Frederick A. Jackson of Inane in 1851 and was rented to Stephen Hendy.  There was no house on the site at that time.  Across the road, in Lismakin is a neat old farmstead occupied, we think by the Connors family in 1850 and owned by Joseph Griffith.  Between the school and Tim Ryan’s house this ditch is border between Clonakenny and Couraguneen.

17. NEW TOWNSLAND BALLYHENRY Both sides of the road.  AND we are back in the Civil Parish of Bourney again. Pre-Cromwell, John Meagher was in charge here. Post Cromwell, Sir Martin Noell was granted all 99 Plantation or Irish Acres, as distance from Statute Acres.  Incidentally an Irish Acre is 7,840 sq. yards, a Statute Acre is only 4, 840 sq. yards. The titulado here in 1659 was named Robert Clapham. This may be a smallish townsland, it was finalised at just under 234 statute acres but it has great historical significance.

18. WELL at Kealy’s Cross has several steps ascending to it.  Martin Maher’s house in Lewis’s field, from here they left for Westpoint Army Training Academy of America.

19. BOURNEA CHURCH St. Burchin’s Church is a rather beautiful building and dates from 1814, two years after the old church in Couraguneen.  It was built on the site of an earlier church which dates from 1778. Earliest tombstone in Churchyard believed to be from 1772.  Both R.C.’s and Protestants buried here. St. Burchin had a monastery here in the sixth century.  St. Burchin also known as St. Movey.  An Clairbhanach (Flat Face).  Many legends are told about him showing his importance, one was that his mother was dead 3 months before he was born. We think St. Canice possibly brought St. Burchin to Bournea, they were both very learned men having studies in France and Italy. They would have studied Astronomy, Latin, Maths, languages and many other subjects. They were known as two of the 12 apostles of Ireland. It was St. Canice gave Clonakenny its name Cluain an Chaonaigh – the Meadow of St. Canice.  Bourney remained a monastery of timber huts with thatched roofs until the Reformation of 1536.  After this The Church of Ireland was the true Church and this church was built in 1778 along with the rectory.  If a pauper was found dead on the road and this was common at that time the church body would have to bury it in their grounds. Every church had a gallery which was used solely by the Military and R.I.C.  This door is now built up but can be seen in the stonework. On the 8th Dec 1943 the Church was burned to the ground.  The beautiful East window memorial tablets to the Floyds Griffiths and Roes were totally destroyed.  The Baptismal records in the rectory were saved. Services were held in the school and there was 1 baptism.  The church was reopened in 1945 without the gallery.

20. Directly across the road is a former entrance to the Glebe House, the main entrance is now at the house itself.  This also dates from 1814 and was built as a residence for the Vicar, Curate, Rector, depending on his status, of St. Burchin’s Church. The rectory built in 1778 £800.  The main grant for both was from The Board of the First Fruits Church.  It remained a rectory until 1933.  Mr Stephenson being the last minister.  At this time Cecelia Griffith unmarried and last heir to Joseph Griffith Ashmere donated Ashmere House to the Church of Ireland as a rectory.

21. Glebe House was sold in the 70’s.  Bournea amalgamated with Dunkerrin in 1903 and Corbally in 1948. According to Lewis’s Topographical Directory of 1837 this house was built at a cost of £800, a not insignificant figure.  It is obviously a well-built structure, see how well it still looks some 203 years later. Griffith’s Valuators visited here on 2nd May 1848 and measured both the Glebe House and the Church.  The incumbent clergyman at that date was Reverend A. Fallon.  The church measurements were: 55ft long, 21ft 6 in wide and 18 ft high.  The porch was 11ft 6in x 9ft x 18ft.  A valuation of £11.12 s. 6 d was assessed but when the valuation was published in November 1851 this had reduced to £7.  Churches and graveyards were deemed exempt from Poor Law Rates anyway but the figures are there in case a so called Socially Liberal government should change that law. Similarly, the Glebe house and outbuildings were measure, even the basement. A valuation of £12. 18s. 7d. was assessed but again this was reduced to £7. 10 s. By November 1851 the incumbent clergyman had changed and Revd. Henry Tuthill was living and ministering here.  Rev. Jane Galbraith is the present rector. There appeared to be 17 households in Ballyhenry in 1851.  The following song was written about an event which took place here in 1875.

You farmers and freeholders and countrymen serene

Come rally round till I relate the scenery that we seen

The day we brought the horsepower from the top of sweet Gurteen

We left our homes that morning before the break of day and

We would arrive in proper time had we made no delay.

Burt in front of Montore Castle for 3 long hurs we stood

And that lies quiet convenient to the cross of Longfordwood.

When we arrived in Crimblin boys 5 minutes twas after 9.

The bell had rung for breakfast and the men had gone to dine

And from the top of Crimblin we had a splendid view.

We saw the spires of Nenagh town and next saw Killaloe

Small boats were on the Shannon on by Banagher were flowing

And to the right was shining bright the town of sweet Shinrone.

We next saw Knockshegowna boys and Balllingarry too

The Brona Plain and Borisokane appeared all in our view

Cloughjordan shades and Parsonstown did far excel them all

And in yonder vale there lay concealed the town of Moneygall.

Rathnavogue it fears no plaque her mines with copper flowing

Dunkerrin so grand it fronts the land of lovely Castleroan

The horsepower it was loaded and homewards we did steer.

Although we had been far from home no danger did we fear.

Down through Lisduff and Ballinamore we viewed each plain and lawn.

Until we arrived in splendour at Mick Cramp’s of Danganbawn.

The man that does get Hogan I think he will do right.

He will have his corn all in and thrashed before the dark of night;

His straw it will be headed off to guard each winters day

And his grain will get the highest price at the Malthouse in Roscrea.

Composed by Michael Doolan, Boola around 1875.  He died in 1914

22. Lodge to Dangan House, George Nethercott tenant 1901 census, in later years John and dick Winterbottom. 2nd May 1848 Griffiths valuers noted a slated Police Barack, thatched stable and thatched outhouse. Council Pump water supply.

23. DANGANSALLAGH: On our left is a fine example of a ringfort. A new townland which was controlled by Darby O’Meagher since ancient times.  It was largely granted to James; Duke of York in the Cromwellian Settlements and we know little from 1670 until 1st August 1847 when Griffith’s valuators arrived. The found the following family heads: Daniel Treacy; Thomas Cramprton; John Crampton; Patrick Carroll; Mary Tracy; James Middleton Esq; William Fox; Patrick Burke Snr; Denis Quinlan and John Martin. The entire townland area of 331 statute acres was owned outright by James Middleton.  He farmed 269 acres and rented the remaining 62 acres to his tenants mostly in very small holdings.  John Martin held 37 acres, the others had holdings of from 1 ½ to 5 ½ acres. BUT, it was common that the labour force of the Big House would be drawn from the locality so we assume that some at least also worked for Mr. Middleton who lived at DANGAN LODGE. This was a fine house with extensive outbuildings nearby. The valuators paid several visits the last being on 2nd May 1848 when they noted the following:

Length

Breadth

Height

Slated House

41 ft.

22ft 6 in

17ft

Slated House

16ft.

8ft.

6ft.

Slated Stable

76ft.6in.

21ft.6in.

5ft.6in.

Slated Dairy

22ft.

10ft.6in.

5ft.6in.

Slated Piggery

15ft.6in.

8ft.

4ft.3in.

Slated Cattle House

18ft.

16ft.

6ft.6in

Thatched Mangle Hse

18ft.

16ft.

6ft.6in.

Slated Piggery

5ft.

5ft.6in.

3ft.

Slated Cow House

83ft.

18ft.6in.

9ft.9in.

Thatched Sheep House

70ft.

12ft.

6ft.6in.

Haybarn

60ft.9in.

15ft

6ft.6in.

GateLodge was occupied by William Guest and measured

17ft.3in

37ft.

7ft.6in.

Slated Police Barrack

36ft.6in.

19ft.

14ft.6in.

Thatched Stable

10ft.6in

12ft.

5ft5.6in.

Thatched Outhouse

12ft.

8ft. 6in.

5ft.

24. The final P.L.V. published in November 1851 was £10.15s. for the house and buildings. Obviously, the emphasis here was on agriculture rather than a gracious lifestyle given the extent of the farm buildings.  The farmyard extended across the road and some of the buildings are still in use.  Note the BELL, used to signal the start and end of the working day. We don’t at present know when James Middleton came to Dangan Lodge or from where, the name also appears at Elm Hill Ballymackey where William Middleton held an estate from William Poe and may have been of the same family. By 1901 the Middleton’s had left and George Mitchell, Mount Butler. The 1901 Census tells us that the families headed by the following lived in Dangansallagh. George Nethercott; John H. Hodgins; Mary Gunnell; Fr. Michael Murray; Michael Treacy and Mary Crampton. By 1911 the names had changed little: George Nethercott; Charles Roe; Thomas Hodgins; Michael Treacy; Michael Crampton and Thomas Crampton

25. Two NEW TOWNSLANDS, BONAGORTBAUN on our RIGHT and CORRIGA on our LEFT, strangely enough the roadway is the boundary. First, Bonagortbaun: Whitefield Howard 3 acres and less but subject to the estate of James Middleton. 15 families here in 1851, 4 today, 3 of them new houses. This is another townland which was controlled by John Meagher until Cromwell arrived and again it’s then area of 125 Irish acres was granted to Sir Martin Noell. By the mid nineteenth century the area had been measured at 179 acres, 1 rood, 34 perch. Statue measure. In 1851 Griffith’s valuators found that apart from 17 acres owned by William Mason, it was all owned outright by Peter David La Touche. The La Touche family were very wealthy, originating in France and coming to Ireland via Holland and William of Orange’s army.  David Digues La Touche was a Hugenot, a Protestant who left France following religious persecution.  The family was originally in the cloth trade, later became bankers and were co-founders of the Bank of Ireland.  The La Touche Bank was taken over by the Munster Bank in 1870.  The Mason estate at Derrylahan was held under a 999-year lease from La Touches from 1776.  This was normal for them, much of their wealth was accumulated by property development (Yes, even then!!) and dealing in property.  One 750-acre estate the family once owned is currently on sale – Harristown, near Kilcullen at a price of €25 million.  They also built Luggala in Co. Wicklow, now home to the Hon. Garech Browne and also on sale. Peter David, who owned most of Bonagortbaun died in 1857. This was an area of very small holdings and also densely populated, most of the buildings are gone but I will show you what still remains and where others once lived.

26. CORRIGA on our left: We don’t know who controlled Corriga in ancient times but Sir Martin Noell was granted the whole 212 Irish acre area in the Cromwellian settlements. The area was finalised at 2781/2 statute acres of which 157 acres were owned by William Mason of Derrylahan and the remaining 121 acres owned by Peter David La Touche.

27. Immediately on our left is St. Burchin’s, as the plaque states.  Now a private house, it was until 1943? the church of Ireland National School of Bourney Parish. St. Burchin’s, Parish school since 1800, standing on 1 ½ acres, it consisted of school, porch and stable.  Teachers residence and 1 class room.  When visited by Griffiths valuers on 9th June 1847 Issac Wall was school master. In 1885 Miss Martha Cross Clonakilty married Hewston and immigrated to Australia and their grandson became M.P.  1913 Miss Harriett married Parr who had a P.O in Knock and cycled to Bournea every night.  Miss Williams father was a Coxwaine on a life boat in Dunlaoire, Xmas Eve1895 the life boat was called out and all souls were lost at sea.  There is a commeration ceremony to them on the pier every year.  School closed in 1943, it was rented to Herb Hewson and it was sold in 1965 to a clergyman Berty Hodgins.  He rented it out as a holiday home.  Mrs McKindly Miss Pepper.  Berty Hodgins sold it in 1976 to present owner Robert Pearson. It was held at will from La Touche in 1851 at an annual rent of £3 p.a. and stood on 1½ acres.  It had a P.L.V. of £3 on the buildings which consisted of a Schoolhouse, Porch and Stable but was exempt from rates because it was a school.  The schoolmaster was Issac Wall wen visited by Griffith’s valuators on 9th June 1847, 13th July 1847 and 15th March 1848. For a most interesting article on the school, please read Adrian Hewson’s article in the 2015 Bournea Reaching Out BOOK, a limited number of copies of which are STILL available.

28. Road to left, on the left ruins??  Of what was the R.C. Parochial House, occupied by Fr. Andrew Scanlon in 1851.  He also occupied 32½ acres of land at an annual rent to La Touche of £9. 4s. 2d.  It provided a living for him one supposes, the collections being small enough in the middle of a famine, one might think.  There is a valuator’s note in the Tenure Book dated 9th June 1847 that “this man also has 20 acres in Bonagortbaun”.  We can’t confirm this but there is some reason for the note.

29. BARRACK: In 1910 RIC lists Police Protection huts and temporary stations.  Clonakenny was listed as one.  These were galvanised huts used during the first world war in France and then brought to Ireland.  At max there were 6 guards here, a lot of their work was dealing with land agitation. Guards left around 1940 and the parish used it as a Parish Hall.  Many a good night was had and many a romance blossomed.

30. The Dispensary in Corriga was situated just after where Derrylahan ends and Kyleannagh begins – near the present-day Cody’s sawmill. It was a thatched structure, of fair quality, rented from La Touche via Mason and measured 26ft. 6in x 15ft. 9in x 6ft. high.  The public calculation was 15s. Close by the dispensary a family headed by Andrew Cody lived in the 1840’s but they had left there by the time the valuations were published in 1851, Other names which arise in Corriga are England, Madden, Purcell, Lloyd, Maher, Lahy, Carthy, Moten and Nicholas Fannon. The latter occupied a house valued at 15s and 31/4 acres of land in the late 1840’s.  Some remains of the house survives and Liam Fanning still has land there.

31. SHANACLOON: The Down Survey of 1670 may have been extensive and is accessible on line to view but is liable to show errors.  Where there is a townland of the same name in another district it often gives incorrect information, confusing one with the other.  This is a modern day I.T. error, not the fault of the surveyors of 347 years ago. Such an error has occurred in the case of Shanacloon and we haven’t ascertained who controlled it pre and post Cromwell but it was probably also O’Meagher territory. By the middle of the nineteenth century it was controlled by Richard Mason – 320 acres and Peter David La Touche 17 acres. Residents names in 1851 included Leahy, Kennedy, Mullally, Maher, Gorman and Hamon.

32. At the south eastern boundary was a residence marked on the 1842 O.S. map as “Sarah Ville” It is not marked so in the 1904 map.  It was not occupied in November 1851.  This was a residence owned by Richard Mason and owned today by Seamus Treacy.

33. There was also another police barracks noted in the Griffith valuation books.  It was located in Shanacloon. On the 10th April 1920 throughout the country 153 barracks were attacked and some burned to the ground.  9 in Tipperary, Clonakenny, Dunkerrin, Moneygall, Dolla, Ballymackey, Ballinderry, Moyne. Clonolough. On the 18th May 1918 Michael Maher Curaheen Moneygall was charged with assaulting a sergeant Haslam Clonakenny by the Crown at Templemore sessions. District inspector Wilson Templemore and District Inspector Hunt Thurles appeared to prosecute. Sgt. Haslam was the last Sgt. To serve in Clonakenny and his children Issac and Fanny went to St. Cronan’s National School. This property was passed onto the Corby family Pat and Mary Corby around 1923 and bequeath to Kathleen Delaney who is Michael Costigan’s mother who inherited this house in 1982 and has lived there since.

34. CLONAKENNY Now reaching the end of our journey. Clonakenny is an extensive townland of 812 statute acres, which was controlled by John Meagher in pre-Cromwellian times from his castle to our left.  It was granted to Sir Theopgilus Jones; John Moland, Samuel Eames; Joseph Ruthorne; Katherine Boate and John Crew. 220 Irish acres was deemed unprofitable and 1094 Irish acres was confiscated.  Again, the boundaries have changed somewhat since that survey. By the middle of the 19th Century there were 54 separate holdings noted by Griffith’s valuators and Clonakenny was owned in it’s entirely by La Touche. 1901 census: 104 persons here, 1911 census: 99 persons here.

35. Church: St. Bridgids Catholic Church build in 1895 on the site of an older thatched church on same site. Around the corner from the church in the car park was the site of the first Post Office in Clonakenny owned by Sarah Kennedy and her brother Tommy who delivered the post. Jim Costigan took it over in 1949 and ran the post office, telephone exchange and postal delivery with his wife until it closed in 2004, to be no more.

36. 100 yards further up the road is the forge lane where my grandfather Mick Costigan operated his forge from the turn of the last century right up to his death and was carried on by my uncle Matt until the mid-1950’s when mechanisation took over from the horse resulting in the widespread closure of forges throughout the country.

37.