Clare

Townlands of Oughterard

By Paul Gibbons

Townland of Clare highlighted in yellow

Anglicized from Irish: An Clár

Translates to: “The Level Place”

Etymology:
This placename is fairly straightforward as the townland is a relatively flat area of land with even O’Donovan commenting in his Field Name Book that it is “a level spot of land”. However, it should be noted that this townland’s name may have also influenced or been influenced by the title of ‘Manor of Clare’ which was attached to the lands acquired by the Martin family in the late 17th Century.

Size:78 acres, 2 rods, 10 perchs

Siting:
Situated on the northern extremity of the parish. Bounded on the north and east by Carrowmanagh, on the west by Tonweeroe and Claremount and on the south by the Fough/Owenriff river and Canrawer East.

Description:
Land bad. Contains 78 and a half acres, all arable with the exception of a small patch of rough ground. The centre of the Fough/Owenriff river along with part of the town forms the southern boundary of this townland. Sandymount House is situated near its southern limits.

Placenames within townland:
Sand Mount (house) – A neat two storey stone residence, previously thatched, built in 1851.
Souterrain (arch. remains) – In the centre of a rath. A slight depression contains the remains of the blocked souterrain running NNE/SSW and possibly linked with that in Carrowmanagh.
Ringfort - Poorly preserved subcicular cashel (diameter c. 24m) defined by a much collapsed drystone wall overlain by a modern stone wall. A souterrain and children’s burial ground can be found inside.
Children’s Burial Ground (arch. remains) – According to local tradition the interior of the rath was used as a children’s burial ground “until recently”. No visible surface trace remains.
St Michael’s Well (well) – According to O’Flaherty, this well “was discovered by revelation about the year 1654” (Hardiman, 1846).

Previous proprietor/landlord:
Murragh McBrien O’Flahertye (1641) Donnogh Kelly (1670) Thomas B Martin of Ballinahinch Castle (c. 1850)

Land Value (1857):£39 s.1 d.0

Buildings Value (1857):£44 s.13 d.0

Surnames attached to the townland (1857-1911):
Cottingham, Hynes, Calligan, McDonagh, Bissett, Devine, Maguire, O’Connor, O’Flaherty, Cummins, Walsh, Stenson, St. George, Burke, Connor, Willis, Moran, Roy, Carmody, Doig, Fahy, Peirce, Darcy, Robb, Finnerty, Dunne, Leech, Lambert, Maloney, Faherty, Healy, Joyce, Melia, Conneely, O’Brien, Duddy, Waly, Byrne, Halloran, Murray, Woods, Mulkerns, Dunne, Gallagher, Treacy, Clancy, Laidley, Osmund, O’Malley

This page was added on 24/03/2014.

No Comments

Start the ball rolling by posting a comment on this page!

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.