Baurnagurteeny

Text - Mary Kyne, Hyperlinks & Maps - Antoinette Lydon

Baurnagurteeny is in the civil parish of Kilcummin. The civil Parish corresponds with the following Church of Ireland parish of Kilcummin, Galway West. In general, the civil parish and the Church of Ireland parish are the same as is the case in the Kilcummin Oughterard area.

The Irish form of the name is Bara na nGuirtínide translated it means –top of the little fields or enclosures.

Barnagorteeny is in the Electoral Division of Letterfore, in Civil Parish of Kilcummin, in the Barony of Moycullen, in the County of Galway

Other forms of name.

Baurnagorteeny [u crossed out – Barnagorteeny]
Barr na n-Guirtínidhe
Barr na guirtín
Baurnagurteeny Boundary Surveyor
Baurnagurteeny Barony Cess Book
Balnaguirteen County Map

Baurnagurteeny Local
Barnagorteeny the high part of the gardens Rector of Kilcummin

This is a list of townlands that share a border with this townland.

 Proprietor:

Thomas B. Martin
Martin (Ross) – The Martin family were established beside Ross Lake in the barony of Moycullen, county Galway, from the late 16th century, where they purchased land from the O’Flahertys. They were Royalist supporters and were dispossessed of their property in the city of Galway by the Cromwellians. Robert Martin received a grant of 2,909 acres in the barony of Moycullen, by patent dated 21 Aug 1677. Jasper Martin of Ross, who died in 1700, had two sons Jasper and Richard, from whom descend the two branches of the family settled at Ross and Ballynahinch. Nicholas Martin, who died in 1811, married Elizabeth O’Hara, daughter of Robert O’Hara of Lenaboy, and according to Burke’s ”Landed Gentry”, a grandniece of James O’Hara, 2nd Baron Tyrawley. Their grandson, James Martin of Ross, had sixteen children from his two marriages. His daughter, Maud, married H. Callwell and they were the parents of the author, J. M. Callwell. The youngest daughter of James Martin was Violet Florence Martin of the well known literary team Somerville and Ross. The Martins of Ross owned 5,767 acres in county Galway in the 1870s. They advertised the sale of their estate in the Landed Estates’ Court in May 1885.

Martin (Ballynahinch) – A branch of the Anglo Norman family of Martin, one of the Tribes of Galway, was granted the O’Flaherty lands in the Connemara region in the mid 17th century. This family were a junior branch of the Martins of Ross and under the Acts of Settlement were granted vast estates in counties Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Clare and Sligo. By a patent dated 1698 they were confirmed in the possession of their Connemara estate known as the Manor of Claremount by King William. The Westport Estate Papers document the sale of over 27,000 acres in the baronies of Moycullen and Ballynahinch by the trustees for the sale of Colonel John Browne’s estate to John Edwards for Richard Martin in 1699. The early generations of Martins lived at Birch Hall and Dangan, in the townland of Oranhill, parish of Rahoon, near Galway city. Richard Martin, better known as ‘Humanity Dick’, was the first member of the family to be reared as a Protestant. He was a famous duellist and founded the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Ballynahinch Castle was built in the centre of his estate. His son Thomas Martin died in 1847 during the Famine and Thomas’s only daughter and heir, Mary Laetita, inherited a heavily encumbered estate. She married her cousin, Arthur Gonne Bell, and died in New York in 1850. The Martin estates were offered for sale in two sections in 1849. Their property close to Galway town included Dangan, Corcullen, Bushypark and Killeen. Their Connemara estate was acquired by the Law Life Assurance Society in 1852, to whom it was heavily mortgaged. In 1853 the estate of almost 200,000 acres was surveyed by Thomas Colville Scott for a prospective buyer. Richard Martin, second son of Richard ‘Humanity Dick’ Martin of Ballynahinch, is recorded as holding five townlands in the parish of Killannin, barony of Moycullen, county Galway, at the time of Griffith’s Valuation although he emigrated to Canada in 1833. He was also recorded as the occupier of Clareville, a Martin home in the village of Oughterard. Many of his descendants still reside in Canada. http://www.martinhistory.net/
Descripition and Area:

Thomas B. Martin, Esq., Ballinahinch, Proprietor. Land good, free from stones it is mountainous but dry. Contains 723½ acres of land about 120 acres of which is under tillage and pasture, 5¼ acres water. The remainder mountain pasture with the exception of a few patches of rough ground towards the N. extremity.

Situation:

Situated in the North extremity of the parish. Bounded on the N. by Ballygally and Currarevagh, E. by Shanballymore and New Village, W. by Letterfore and S. by Lettercroff townlands.

1641 The land was lorded over by a Thady Mc Donagh

Information from the Down Survey Website:

The Down Survey website will tell you who owned this townland in 1641 (pre Cromwell) and in 1671 (post Cromwell).

The Down Survey is a mapped survey. Using the Civil Survey as a guide, teams of surveyors, mainly former soldiers, were sent out under Petty’s direction to measure every townland to be forfeited to soldiers and adventurers. The resulting maps, made at a scale of 40 perches to one inch (the modern equivalent of 1:50,000), were the first systematic mapping of a large area on such a scale attempted anywhere. The primary purpose of these maps was to record the boundaries of each townland and to calculate their areas with great precision. The maps are also rich in other detail showing churches, roads, rivers, castles, houses and fortifications. Most towns are represented pictorially and the cartouches, the decorative titles, of each map in many cases reflect a specific characteristic of each barony. (http://downsurvey.tcd.ie)

Townland of BARNAGORTEENY

Down Survey Name: Mountain
1670 Owner(s): Martin, Richard (Catholic)Clanrickard, Earl of (Protestant)
County: Galway
Barony: Muckullin
Parish: Killcumyn

The Down Survey website will tell you who owned this townland in 1641 (pre Cromwell) and in 1671 (post Cromwell).

Down Survey website

The Tithe Applotment Books

 About the Records

Tithes were a tax on agricultural produce which was payable by the occupiers of agricultural land. They were the main source of income for the parish clergy of the Church of Ireland (the largest Protestant church and the church established by law). However, in many parishes a large part of the tithes were ‘appropriate’, which meant that they were payable to a bishop, cathedral chapter or other ecclesiastical recipient, or were ‘impropriate’, which generally meant that they were payable to a local landowner. The parishes used in the Tithe Applotment Books are civil or Church of Ireland parishes, which often differ in name and territory from Catholic parishes,

Acts of Parliament of 1823 and 1832 provided for the conversion of tithes into a fixed charge on land, and specified the average price of wheat or oats in the parish in the seven years before 1821 as the basis on which the tithes would be calculated. They also extended the application of tithes to pasture, where previously they had been levied only on tillage.

This change in the law resulted in the valuation of individual holdings in almost all parishes containing agricultural land, in order to assess the portion of the tithes for which each occupier of land would be liable. The apportionment was recorded for each Church of Ireland parish in a Tithe Composition Applotment Book. The information was collected and the amounts were calculated by two Parochial Commissioners, one of whom was appointed by the cess-payers of the parish and the other by the relevant Diocese of the Church of Ireland. This procedure was carried out in over 2,500 parishes between the years 1823 and 1837.

The Tithe Applotment Books are in a variety of formats, from a few pages sewn together to elaborately bound volumes. In most cases they are written in manuscript throughout, although some consist of manuscript entries on printed questionnaires. The information in the books is broadly uniform and generally includes at least the name of occupier; the size of holding, the valuation and the tithe payable. In some cases, more detailed information is provided. Some volumes have maps and most have certificates and correspondence attached.

The sub-divisions of the parish were recorded. Some of these subdivisions, such as ploughlands, ceased to be in official use after the six-inch survey of the Ordnance Survey was completed in the 1840s. Only productive land was subject to tithe, and the books usually distinguish between this tithable land and untithable land such as roads or mountains. Tithable land was in some cases classified by quality, and a money value was given to each class. In some cases, the proportion of tithe payable to the rector, vicar or lay proprietor of the tithes was set out. The column for observations was sometimes completed, with information about commonage, for example.

There are a number of other points that should be noted. The acreages given in the Tithe Applotment Books are in Irish or Plantation measure, which is 1.62 times larger than statute measure. Only occupiers of land at the time of the tithe composition are recorded, so not all heads of households living in a parish at the time are included. Only rural areas are systematically covered, although inhabitants of towns who held plots of cultivable land are included. The equivalent tax in urban areas, Minister’s Money, has left few records.

The Tithe Applotment Books are an important source of information for a wide variety of researchers of pre-Famine Ireland. They provide the first surviving national list of the occupiers of land, and are used by genealogists as a partial substitute for returns of the 1821 and 1831 censuses of population, which were destroyed in 1922. They also record information on the quality of land, and provide information on pre-Ordnance Survey territorial divisions, some of which were not recognised after the 1840s.

The National Archives hold the original Tithe Applotment Books only for the twenty-six counties of the Republic of Ireland. The books for the six counties of Northern Ireland are held in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast. (http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/aboutmore.jsp)

No Information found in the Tithe Applotment Books for Baurnagurtneey. 

Griffith’s Valuation 1850’s

In Griffith’s Valuation the area of Baurnagurteeny is 728 acres 2 roods and 26perches with a land value of £44 14s 0d.  The area of water was 5 acres and 30 perches.

In Griffith’s Valuation the land value was£44 14s 0d. Value of Building wss £2 18s 0d, and the total value is £47 12s 0d.

Occupiers of the Land:

There were 12 families living in the village – Bartholomew Burke, Patrick Clancy, John Clancy, Peter Clancy, WM Clancy, Comyn Mc Donagh, William Kelly, Coleman Mullen, Thomas Coury, James Early, James Mc Donagh and Henry Hodgson.

 Landlord was Henry Hodgson

 Ownership of Land and Property

All of the families owned a house and land. James Mc Donagh owned a house, land and office.

 Annual Valuation

The total annual valuation of rateable property in Baurnagurteeny  came to £47 12s 0d.

For land and buildings Bartholomew Burke, Patrick Clancy, Peter Clancy, WM Clancy, James Early and Comyn Mc Donagh were rated at £4 10s each while John Clancy was rated at £4 15s 0d, William Kelly £5 8s, Coleman Mullen £4 6s, Thomas Coury £4 8s, James McDonagh £1 5s, Henry Hodgson £10.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=doNameSearch&PlaceID=559084

Out Offices and Land

The out office was a farm building, a cow house, piggery or barn. The land was very poor and sterile and people were always poverty-stricken. At this time most tenants were trying to eke out a living on 5 acres or less and a farmers needed at least 15.3 acres to survive.

Lessor of the land was Henry Hodgson

 Clachan:

The Irish is ‘Clochán’. The houses in Baurnagurteeney formed a Clachan. A clachan was a small traditional settlement common in Ireland until the middle of the 20th century. They usually lacked a church, post office or other formal building. The origin is unknown but it is likely that they are of ancient root most likely dating to medieval times.

The Baurnagurteeney clachan was a cluster of small single storey farmers’ cottages built on poor land. They were related to the rundale system of farming. According to David Lloyd, The Great Famine 1845–1849 caused such disruption to the social system that the clachans virtually disappeared.

People living in Clachans had the support of a tight knit community.

In some cases, the clachans have evolved into holiday villages or one or two houses have been taken over turning smaller houses into agricultural outhouses.

Poor Law Union Ireland

In Ireland the Poor Relief Act of 1838 divided into districts or “unions” in which the local taxable inhabitants were to be financially responsible for all paupers in the area. In 1898 the Poor Law Union was adopted as the basic administrative division in place of the civil parish and barony. Further subdivision into 828 registration districts and 3,751 district electoral divisions followed. Townlands were not arranged according to these divisions with parish and barony retained as a means to make comparisons with records gathered before 1898.

The 1838 Act

The main provisions of the 1838 Act were:

  • The extension of the existing Poor Law Commissioners’ powers to Ireland, with the appointment of Assistant Commissioners who were to implement the Act in Ireland.
  • The division of the country into Poor Law Unions based on Irish electoral divisions which were themselves made up from townlands.
  • The creation of a Board of Guardians for each Union, two-thirds of whom were to be elected, the other third to be appointed ex officio.
  • The setting up of a workhouse in each Union.
  • The collection of a local poor-rate to finance the system.
  • Assistance for emigration.

Initially, 130 Unions were created, based upon 2,049 electoral divisions. The divisions were composed of townlands, a peculiarly Irish unit, traditionally of 120 Irish acres in area. (Between 1848 and 1850, an additional 33 Unions were created by subdividing and reorganizing the boundaries of some existing Unions, particularly in the west of the country.

Boards of Guardians were elected annually on 25th March. Only rate-payers were eligible for election, which effectively disenfranchised most of the native Irish who were usually tenants at this time. Rate-payers were allowed between one and six votes depending on the size of a valuation of their property.

Townlands

A town land is one of the smallest land divisions in Ireland. They range in size from a few acres to thousands of acres. Many are Gaelic in origin, but some came into existence after the Norman invasion 1169. Baurnagurteeney is a townland and other place names in or near this townland are:

Some other placenames in or near this townland are …

There is a Triangulation Station at Knockaunanilra (Crucaunurla) –Hill of the Eagle. So there were eagles in Glann. Edmund of Farravaun (Eamon’s grandfather) used to say that he saw an eagle, describing it as ‘the size of an ass.” Lochseecon (Loch suidh Con) –Lake of the seat of Con is a small lake 61/2 acres on the hill on the south side of Baurnaturteeny. The area called Largaree (Learg a Righ) – The King’s Hillside is near by..

Population & Census Information

You can retrieve a list of people who lived in this townland from 1827 to 1911. This list is compiled from the following resources.

  • The Tithe Applotment Books
  • Griffith’s Valuation
  • 1901 Census
  • 1911 Census

List of nineteenth century and early twentieth century inhabitants.

1901 Census Baurnagurteeney

This is a return of the members of the family, visitors, boarders or servants who slept or abode in their house on the night of Sunday March 31st 1901 in Baurnaturteeny

There were11 houses listed in the Townland of Baurnagurteeny – 26 males and 28 females 54 persons in total. The people were all Roman Catholics and they were born in County Galway except for one family Masons who were Church of Ireland and were born in Co. Cork. There were 26 in total of farm buildings and out offices which included, cow houses, piggeries, laundry house and a fowl house.

Class of House: The class of house depended on the materials used in the roof, walls, number of rooms and number of front windows. A 1st class house was considered the highest standard. The majority belonged to category 2&3.

Walls of the houses: The walls were of stone, brick, concrete or of mud, wood or other perishable material. The houses in Baurnagurteeny were built of stone, brick or concrete. There were no mud cabins.

Landholder of the property unless otherwise stated was the lawful owner. The landholder of the Mason property was Mr Henry Hodgson.

Roofs were of slate, iron, tiles, thatch, wood or other perishable material. The roofs of houses were of thatch, wood or perishable material. Most likely they were thatched as there was ample reeds for thatching in the lakes.

House Occupancy: Each of the 11 houses was occupied by one family.

The people listed as Head of the Family were also listed as the lawful Landholder of the property except in the case of the Mason property.

 Enumerators Extract

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000840265/

 House & Building Returns

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000840266/

 Out Offices & Farm Steadings

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000840267/

House 1: Charlie Mason aged 34, head of the family lived with his wife Gertrude 23 and their baby son Robert 7 months old who was born in Co. Galway while his parents were from Co Cork. Charlie was a game keeper perhaps for the Hodgson’s who owned the property. The family belonged to the Church of Ireland and they spoke English. They could read and write. Three persons occupied three rooms and they lived in a Class 2 house with 4 front windows. They had a cow house and a fowl house.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/1394431/

House 2: James Kelly aged 60 a gardener was head of the family. He lived with his wife Bridget 48 and daughter Mary 28 a laundry maid, Thomas 24 and William 18 both labourers, John Joseph 11 a scholar. The family could read and write and they spoke English and Irish. 6 persons occupied 2 rooms and they lived in a class 2 house with 3 front windows. They had a cow house, piggery and a laundry house.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/1394432/

House 3; Michael Mullen aged 40, a widower was head of the family. He lived with his twin children Patrick and Mary aged 5. He was a farmer and the family spoke Irish and English but he didn’t read or write. He lived in a class 3 house with one front window. 3 persons occupied 2 rooms. He had a cow house.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/1394433/

House 4: Patrick Feeney aged 70 a farmer was head of the family. He lived with his wife Bridget 48 and children Sarah 19, Michael 14, Margaret 13, Patrick 9, Bridget and Honor 8, John 5 and baby Barbara 7 months. The older children were listed as farmer’s sons and daughters while the younger children were listed as scholars. The family spoke Irish and English but they didn’t read or write. They lived in a class 3 house with no front window. 10 persons occupied 2 rooms. They had a cow house and a piggery.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/1394434/

House 5: John Feeney aged 60 was head of the family. He was a farmer and lived with his wife Bridget 46 and children John 19, Martin 16, and Margaret 14 listed as farmer’s sons and daughter. John didn’t read but the family could read and write and they spoke Irish and English. 5 persons occupied 2 rooms. They lived in a class 2 house with 3 front windows. They had 2 cow houses.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/1394435/

House 6: Michael Clancy 38 a farmer and head of the family lived with his brother John aged 36, sister Sarah 49 and Margaret 34. John was a farmer and the two sisters were farmer’s servants. They spoke Irish and English and of the four only John could read and write. 4 persons occupied 2 rooms. They lived in a class 2 house with 3 front windows. They had a cow house, calf house, piggery and a fowl house.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/1394436/

House 7: Martin Connor aged 60 a farmer was head of the family. He lived with his wife Mary 60. They spoke Irish and English but they didn’t read or write. They lived in a class 3 house with no front window. 2 persons occupied 2 rooms. They had a cow house and a piggery.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/1394437/

House 8: James McDonagh a farmer aged 40 was head of the family. A widower he lived with his son Pat 20, James 25 and daughter Mary 23 who were single. They could read and write and they spoke Irish and English. They were listed as farmer’s sons and daughter. They lived in a class 3 house with 1 front window. 4 persons occupied 2 rooms. They had a cow house, calf house and a piggery.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/1394438/

House 9: John McDonagh aged 64 a farmer was head of the family. He lived with his wife Mary aged 60, Patrick 26 his son who was married to Bridget 20 and baby daughter Mary 2. The family spoke Irish and English. Patrick could read and write but his parents didn’t read or write. 5 persons occupied 2 rooms. They lived in a class 3 house with 2 front windows. They had 2 cow houses and a piggery.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/1394439/

House 10: William Clancy aged 88 a farmer was head of the family.

Living with him was his son John 36 who was married to Margaret 30 and their children – Mary 16, Margaret 9, Ellen 8, Bridget 6, Barbara 4, Kate 3 and Ann 2. They all could read and write and they spoke Irish and English. They were farmers. They lived in a class 3 house with 2 front windows. 10 persons occupied 2 rooms. They had a cow house.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/1394440/

House 11: Michael Clancy a widower and a farmer aged 77 was head of the family. He lived with his sister Barbara Molloy aged 79 a widow. They spoke Irish and English and they couldn’t read or write. 2 persons occupied 2 rooms. They lived in a class 3 house with 2 front windows. They had no out houses.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/1394441/

House 12: Cummin McDonagh a farmer aged 72 lived with his wife Bridget 70 and daughter Anne 30 who was single and a farmer’s daughter. They spoke Irish and English and they could read and write. They lived in a class 3 house with 3 front windows. 3 persons occupied 2 rooms. They had a cow house, piggery and a fowl house.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/1394442/

 

Baurnagurteeny Census 1911

This is a return of the Members of families in Baurnagurteeny, their visitors, boarders and servants who slept or abode in the house on the night of Sunday the 2nd of April 1911.

Description of the Houses

All the houses in Baurnagurteeny were listed as private dwellings and were built of concrete or stone.  The roofs of the houses were of wood, thatch or other perishable material. Most likely they were thatched. Two houses were slated that of James Kelly and Peter Jordan.  Henry Hodgson leased them to the occupants. The head of the family was listed as the landholders. One family lived in each property. The Class of the house depended on the material used in the roof, walls, number of rooms and number of front windows. Most of the houses came under “2’ in the census form meaning that there could be 2, 3, or 4, rooms in the house.

10 families lived in the village – 28 females and 20 males a total of 48 persons. They were all Roman Catholics and they lived in private dwellings.

Enumerators Extract

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002434702/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002434703/

House & Building Returns

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002434704/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002434705/

 Out Offices & Farm Steadings

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002434706/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002434707/

A Valley Remembers Glann” I gleaned additional information form this book to add to the information I took from the 1911 Census concerning each of the household.

House 1: Cummin Mc Donagh a farmer aged 89 was head of the family. He was married to Bridget aged 80 for 45 years.  Michael aged 43 their son who was married to Mary aged 40 lived with them together with their baby daughter Mary B. They were 4years married and had one child born alive and one still living. Mary 37, Cummin’s daughter, was a school teacher and single. The family spoke Irish and English and they could read and write. They lived in a class 3 house with 2 front windows. 6 persons occupied 2 rooms. They had two cow houses.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/912131/

‘This house is now where Nancy and Bill Kilbane’s is. To distinguish them from the other Mc Donagh family they were known as the ‘Cuimmins’s.’ They had three children as far as we are aware. Mary Michael and Ann. Mary Cummins was a National School teacher and taught at Gleannicmurrin, Connemara and in Collinamuc. She was a cousin of Martin Mc Donagh (Seán) and was cared for by Nellie and Martin Mc Donagh in her final years. Michael Cummins married Tom Kelly’s sister Mary from Baurnagurteeny. They had two children Nonnie and Mary Bridget. Nonnie married Eddie Murray from Ardnasilla and died in childbirth. As far as we are aware Ann Cummins lived in Derrymoyle. They are all buried in Glann cemetery.

Michael Cummins sold his residence to Joe Grealish from Rosmuc. He kept Connemara ponies on his farm. In 1948 he sold the farm to the Joyce family and moved to America. Paddy Joyce lived in Baurnagurteeny. He sold this farm to Mary Maughan from Mayo.’ Glann Book.

HOUSE 2: John McDonagh a widower and a farmer aged 79 was head of the family. He lived with his son Patrick aged 40 who was married to Sarah aged 20. They were two years married and had two children born alive and still living.  Living in the house too were John 9, Mary 8, Patrick 7 and two younger children Margaret 2 and baby Bridget 1 month old. John McDonagh didn’t read or write but the rest of the family could read and write. They spoke Irish and English.  They lived in a class 2 house with 3 front windows. 8 persons occupied 2 rooms. They had a cow house and a barn.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/912132/

“This house was situated in the woods between John Clancy’s sheds and Nellie Mc Donagh’s house. The same gate was used to enter both houses Clancy’s and Mc Donagh’s. This branch of the family was known as the ‘Seáns” as John and Cummin aforementioned were. Brothers Pat Mc Donagh (Sean) was one of the eight residents in the house. He like Johnny Billy was married twice. His first wife was Bridget Waters from Lochaen Beag, Spiddal. They married in 1901 and had three children Mary, John and Pat who like many more of the time later immigrated to America. John never returned and never knew his step brothers or sisters but many of his children visited the village over the years.

Pat’s second wife was Sarah Conneely from Derrynea. They had 10 children. Three of his children Bridget, Sarah and Nancy died shortly after birth. The rest of the family except Martin emigrated. Pete and Peg went to America whilst Joe, Mick, Jane and Cummin went to England. The first McDonagh of this family was Michael McDonagh who was on the run from the British Army in Sligo during the uprising of 1798. He was hidden by a widow in Clareville, Oughterard whose daughter he married. Pat Seán had a sister Anne who married Matt Mullins from Shanavaugh Glann. Descendants of this family have also returned over the years.’ Glann Book

House 3: John Clancy aged 47 was head of the family and a farmer. He was married to Margaret aged 44 and lived with his children Ellen 19, Bridget 17, Barbara 15, Kate 13, Anne 11, Nora 9, and Teresa 7. They were married 23 years. 11 children were born alive and 9 were still living. They could read and write and they spoke Irish and English. They lived in a class 2 house with 3 front windows. 9 persons occupied 3 rooms. They had a cow house, calf house and a piggery.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/912130/

John Clancy was known as John Billy and was married to Margaret Burke from Drimnahoon. They had 11 daughters and one son.  William, Julia and Sabina died shortly after birth. The remaining 9 daughters immigrated to America. Some of them never returned to their home again but their children and grandchildren came to visit their many relations in Baurnagurteeny and Baurisheen. Teresa’s only son Lutz built and still operates a private hospital in New Jersey.

One of John Billy’s great grandsons lost his life in the 1911 World Trade Centre disaster New York. Margaret Burke died in 1911 and John Billy married Bridget Lydon from Curraduff in 1912/1913. They had four daughters and two sons who live locally.

John married Bridie Mc Donagh from Gurthrulla in Glann and she still lives in the home house. Rita Mc Gauley, Baurisheen and Julia Carrol, Derrymoyle, Paddy and Marion moved to England and Christina to America. Bridie’s grandfather Paddy Mc Donagh (Dick) married Mary Burke, Johnny Billy’s sister-in-law from his first marriage. So when John’s step-sisters and families returned to visit John they were also related to Bridie but John and Bridie were only related through marriage. The old Clancy home is now where John Clancy’s sheds are to day (2014).” Glann Book

Bridie McDonagh Clancy mentioned above passed away 16th January 2016. May she rest in peace.

House 4: Martin Connor a farmer aged 68 lived with his wife Mary 75 and daughter Mary 33 who was single. They were married 40 years and had one child born alive and one still living who was listed as a farmer’s daughter. The couple didn’t read or write but Mary was literate. They spoke Irish and English. They lived in a class 3 house with one front window. 3 persons occupied 2 rooms. They had a cow house and a calf house.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/912133/

“All that is known of this family is that a man called Jamsey O’Connor sold his land for £100 to Stephen Molloy in 1945. Stephen Molloy came from Inish Treabhair and his wife Bridget Nee was from Rosmuc. They had 7 children Mary Ann went to America and Bridget, Margaret and Tommy went to England. Stephen and Gerry live in Killannin and Paddy still farms the land and has built a second house on the holding.” Glann Book

House 5: James Mc Donagh a farmer aged 36 lived with his sister Mary 31. They were both single and they could read and write and they spoke Irish and English. They lived in a class 3 house with 2 front windows. 2 persons occupied 1 room. They had a cow house.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/912134/

Unfortunately, no one to day 2014 has any recollection of the family or where their house was situated.

House 6:  Michael Clancy a farmer aged 50 was head of the family and lived with his sisters Sarah 69, Margaret 36 and brother John 35. They spoke Irish and English. Michael and Sarah didn’t read or write but Margaret and John did. They lived a Class 3 house with 2 front windows. 4 Persons occupied 3 rooms. They had three cow houses.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/912135/

‘One of the people in the house was referred to as ‘Mickeleen’. Their house was back from where Paddy Molloy’s sheds are today. They sold the land to Michael Feeney who then sold it to Stephen Molloy and his son Paddy Molloy now farms the land.’ Glann Book

House 7: Bridget Feeney a widow aged 68 was head of the family and lived with her sons John aged 28 and Martin 26. The family spoke Irish and English. The sons could read and write while Bridget didn’t. They lived in a Class 2 house with 3 front windows. 3 persons occupied 2 rooms. They had 2 cow houses.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/912136/

“Their house was situated where Paddy Joyce’s sheds are. Jack married Margaret – Tommy Holloran’s sister from of Ballygally Glann. They had five children. Josephine one of the children still lives in Barna. Jack Feeney’s son John sold the farm in 1950’s to Paddy Joyce.” Glann Book

House 8: Patrick Feeney a farmer aged 70 was married to Bridget 55. Living with them were his children Patrick 22, twins Bridget and Honor 19, John 17 and Barbara 10. They were married 32 years and 9 children were born alive and 9 were still living. The children could read and write while their parents didn’t read or write. They spoke Irish and English. They lived in a class 2 house with 3 front windows. 7 persons occupied 3 rooms. They had a cow house, piggery and a barn.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/912137/

‘One of their sons John Joseph left for the USA aged 20 in 1914 on the boat ‘Cymric’. He was in the American Navy from 1917-1919. Their daughter born in 1888 went to Boston in 1907. Margaret went to America too and she married Michael Molloy (Pa) Baurisheen and lived in Baurisheen. Bridget and Patrick’s daughter Bridget never married and lived on the farm now owned by her niece Nora who married Stephen John Tierney from Derrymoyle. They have five children in family: Tony, Mary, Peter, John and Patti. The old house is now in ruins beside Tierney’s sheds. Stephen John was a great historian and story teller and loved to engage in conversation with neighbours and passing visitors to the area as he daily wandered over the road to herd his cattle on the farm. He was a very well read man and a tidy farmer with a great sense of pride and passion for the old farming traditions, many of which he felt would be lost forever. His great gift was for water divining and he worked for a period for a company from Limerick locating wells. He had great power in his left hand but could never explain where this gift came form. He used sally or hazel rods which would point to the location of a well as he walked over the ground. Many of the wells divined by Stephen John are still used to day.”  Glann Book

Interview – Stephen John Tierney 2012                                                           

Stephen John was born December 1935 in Derrymoyle. His parents were Peter Tierney, a native of Derrymoyle and Babara Walsh from Camus. He attended the local convent school. “A big Mayo nun took me by the hand to the Boy’s school in Tonwee, gave me two kisses and sent me in to further my education with Mrs Flanagan and Master Gerard Lee”, he chuckled.  He hadn’t a word of English until he was ten years old as Gaeilge was the spoken word at home and in school. When the old Irish lettering and the “seimhiú” was dropped and replaced with a “h” in 1955 he found it difficult to continue reading Irish and from then on his use of the language declined.

Stephen John was a learned man, having read “every sort of book that ever existed.” He enjoyed school and was reluctant to leave but teachers were not paid to teach children under six years of age or over 14years of age, “so out the door you went once you’re fourteen”. He was the only child in 8th class during the last four months of his education. He effectively became a servant to the teacher. “I have no business teaching you anything as you know as much as myself”, the teacher said so all “I did was to go down and post letters, get the paper, pay bills and get his shopping”.  He remembered the inspector coming into the classroom one day and the master was playing the fiddle. The inspector asked Stephen John what were the two best tunes. “Friars Britches and Off to California”, he replied but you would want to have a good dancer to dance to them with you”.

The eldest of 10 children Stephen John ran a fifty-acre cattle farm for most of his life. He married into his wife’s place Nora Molloy. The old road to new village used to rundown where his new bungalow is today crossed over the Glann road and down into the Glann woods where New Village school once stood.

Stephen John showed us traces of this old road. There is a child’s, well preserved, open stone grave in the wood; built by the Jones of Inishshambo. There are traces of fossils on the stones. Jones lived in Gortdrishagh for a time but died in a sking accident in Austria. The child’s coffin was made of lead and in hard times it was stolen and brought to Oughterard with the intention of selling the lead. No one would have anything to do with it and the thief threw it into the river where it remained for some time.

The main road to Glann was the “High Road” or as it is known today as the Tonwee road; the low road was “middling up to Mikie Mc Gauley’s at Drumnakill, after that is was full of potholes, only fit for horse and cart”. In the 1800s large boats took goods from Galway to the villages along the Corrib. Goods were landed for Oughterard at Derymoyle and in 1854 Bóthar na Míne was built- it leads from Derrymoyle up to the “High Road”.  In the mid 1800s there were up to 70 families living in Glann in New Village. During the famine they all emigrated, as there is no trace of their burials. All of the names were listed on the school roll books. The old school once stood at the left of the gate leading into Glann woods. It was built with blue cliff limestone. There is no trace of this building or of other old buildings as the stone was used in building the road to Glann.

The old graveyard in New Village holds up to 200 graves but there are no stones to mark their existence, a priest did not attend the burials at the time -“When you are dead you are dead” Tom Kelly used to say. Tom lived where the Mayfly Cottage is to day; it was the laundry house for Currarevagh House. Tom was a bachelor. He had a “cleithín” a slipped disc. He died in 1961 and was buried in Oughterard. Tom remembered when Hughie Clancy from Ballygally died. It took four days for his body to stiffen.  His corpse was wrapped in a canvas bag tied with a sugán – straw rope, carried over the mountain and buried in New Village.  Bríd Ní Fhátharta, who lived alone, was the last woman of New Village.

Stephen John believed that a troubled soul – a ghost walks on the Glann road below his house. He had seen the ghostly figure on several occasions. His first encounter with the “Spirit of Glann” or the “Lady on the Road” as he called her was in 1961 when TV first came to Ireland. He was visiting Paddy Mons and at 20 to 12 at night as he was walking home he heard what he described as – “A walk came out behind me – a walk of high heels. I thought it was someone going on a date; she was 5ft 10 inches in height, long sad face, very white with sunken eyes, jet black hair pulled straight back and tied in a bun. She frightened me. I think she is a lost soul who didn’t get into heaven for some reason,” he said.

1910-1912 an old man used to live in the harness shed attached to Mr Oliver’s property. Men used to card play there. One night while they were playing a spirit came and sat between them. The world is full of spirits Stephen John maintained, they will not appear to you unless you do something about their cause.

Stephen John was a great storyteller and an interview with Stephen John by Turtle Bunbury featured in his book “Vanishing Ireland” in 2006. Stephen John had the special gift for divining water. He used two to three sally or hazel rods; he walked over an area searching for water; “the rods shake and bend when I detect under ground water,” he said.  He had tremendous power in his left hand but could not explain where his gift of divining water came from.  Years ago he worked with Lynches from Limerick who used to bore wells in the area.

Stephen John took us through the majestic Glann wood. He wheezed as we went up a hill.  Stephen John, “Goldflake” is killing you, they are the cause of that cough you have”, I said.  As quick as lightening he replied, “I once knew a man who rolled his own cigarettes. He too had a cough and I remarked on it. He answered, “There’s many a man in the graveyard that would be happy to have that cough”.

Stephen John has now passed on and as the old Irish saying says.

Ni bheidh a leiteid ann aris.

Mary Kyne

House 9: James Kelly a gardener aged 73 was head of the family and lived with his wife Bridget aged 68, his sons Thomas 30 and Joe 22 both farm labourers and single. They were married 45 years. 10 children were born alive and 8 were still living. They all could read and write and they spoke Irish and English.

They lived in a class 2 house with 3 front windows. 4 persons occupied 4 rooms. The had a cow house, piggery and a potato house.  Their house was slated.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/912138/

‘Mary another daughter was believed to be married up the village to Michael Cummins. Joe immigrated to America and Thomas known as Tom sold the house to Mattie Mons. This is the location of the well known landmark “Mayfly Cottage” also known as ‘Toms’. Mattie sold it to a Dutch couple Joseph and Rita Kentigen in the 1960’s. During the time they lived in the cottage they won many all Ireland prizes for their beautiful garden. This property has been sold on numerous occasions and the present owners are John and Olive O Neill. It was once the “Wash House” of Currarevagh where all the laundry was done.’ Glann Book

House 10: Peter Jordan from Co Galway a caretaker aged 54 was head of the family. He lived with his wife Anne who came from Co. Westmeath. They were married 29 years but they had no family. Peter spoke English and Irish while Mary spoke only English. They could read and write. They lived in a slated house, a class 1 house with 9 front windows. 2 persons occupied 4 rooms. They had a stable, coach house, cow house and a workshop.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Galway/Letterfore/Barnagorteeny/912139/

‘They were caretakers for Henry Dudley Hodgson (Grandfather of Henry Hodgson Currareveagh)who built the house. Walter Macken the well known author bought the house in 1951 from Countess Metaxa.  She was of Anglo Irish descent a sister of Anketel Jones, of the Jones family who lived on Jones Island Lough Corrib. She married a Polish Count. Her name was Ruth. The house was then known as Gortnaganiv (sand field). It is believed that Walter Macken paid £3000 for the house. He lived with his family here from 1951–1966. In that house he wrote many of his plays, novels and short stories. Such as The Bogman, Sullivan, Sunset on the Windowpanes, and his last novel Brown Lord of the Mountain. In this novel he describes a wedding that fits the description of Martin and Nellie Mc Donagh’s wedding which he attended in 1962. Walter Macken died in 1967 aged 51. In 1969 the property was sold to Michael and Della Callaghan. It was used as a summer house and they returned to it for 5-6 months every year from the Bronx New York. In 1993 the present owners John and Bridget Morley bought the house on their return from New York and they still live there with their family Shane, Sinead, Anna and Devin.

The house next door, to the north – ‘Coirin Cottage’ was built by Tommy Halloron in 1959 for Countess Metaxa too. Finances ran out and it was sold to a man named Kidd.

Mullins Family: they were not mentioned in the 1911 Census. They lived in Baurnagurteeny. They lived where Eamon’s Kings land is now. Edward King married Margaret Mullins. Margaret’s brother married Tom Joyce’s sister from Shanavaugh.

Note: There were 48 persons living in Baurnagurteeny in 1911 and in 2010 there are 20 houses and 28 people living there on a permanent basis. That tells a story!

Church records of births, deaths and marriages:

Church records of births, deaths and marriages are available online at http://www.rootsireland.ie. To search these records, you will need to know the ‘church parish’ rather than the ‘civil parish’. (The civil parish is the pre-reformation parish and was frequently used as a unit of administration in the past.)

Baurnagurteeny is in the civil parish of Kilcummin.

Catholic parish:

This civil parish corresponds with the following Roman Catholic parish or parishes.

  • Clonbern & Kilkerrin in Galway East.
  • Carraroe in Galway West.
  • Kilannin in Galway West.
  • Kilcummin/Oughterard in Galway West.
  • Rosmuc in Galway West.

Church of Ireland parish:

This civil parish corresponds with the following Church of Ireland parish.

  • Kilcummin in Galway West.

In general, the civil parish and the Church of Ireland parish are the same, but, this is not always the case.

Maps:

It is located at 53° 27′ 8″ N, 9° 23′ 5″ W.

Original OS map of this area

Ireland was first mapped in the 1840s. These original maps are available online.

Baurnagorteeny [u crossed out – Barnagorteeny]

Original OS maps at the Ordnance Survey of Ireland website

Below is a link to the Ordnance Survey of Ireland website. It displays the original OS map that was created in the 1840s.

Baurnagorteeny [u crossed out – Barnagorteeny]

Information from Google Maps:

You can use this link to find this townland on Google Maps.

Google Maps
Information from the National Monuments Service:

You can use this link to view a map of archaeological features. This link brings you to a website wherein you will have to search for your townland.

Archaeological map from the National Monuments Service

 

Townlands.ie Website

http://www.townlands.ie/galway/moycullen/kilcummin/letterfore/barnagorteeny/

Galway Library Website

http://places.galwaylibrary.ie/asp/fullresult.asp?id=51935

 

This page was added on 13/02/2015.

Comments about this page

  • John Billy Clancy is my husband second great uncle !
    Thanks for your research , now I can add more names to the family tree 🙂

    By A. Byrne (10/11/2017)
  • These are wonderful stories and they bring me closer to my 2nd gr. grandmother, who was a Mary Cummins but clearly not the one mentioned. Mine married a John Wallace and they lived Oughterard surrounds. Their son Henry seems to have come to Australia with a regiment. Thanks for your research and the very engaging report, greatly enjoyed.

    By Gloria Wallace (09/01/2016)

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