Gortrevagh

 

Townland of Gortrevagh highlighted in yellow

Anglicized from Irish: An Gort Riabhach

Translates to: “The streaked field”

Etymology:

Although there is no clear indication of how this townland got its name it may very well be connected to the fact that the large majority of the land was of good quality. This would most likely mean that the area was ploughed and tilled for the cultivation of crops. This in itself would have left an obvious streaked appearance in the landscape possibly leading to the name.

Size: 222 acres, 0 rods, 8 perchs

Siting:

In the northern extremity of Kilcummin parish. Bounded on the north by Portacarron and Annaghkeelaun, on the west by Rushveala, on the east by Moyvoon East, Moyvoon West and Knockillaree and on the south by Magheramore and Magherabeg.

Description:

Contains 222 acres of land about 60 acres of which is bog with a few patches of brushwood and rocks, the remainder is good arable land. There was a village called after the townland situated in the easterly part of the townland and an old fort near its northern boundary. The road from Galway to Oughterard passes through it.

Placenames within townland:

Ringfort – In a golf course formerly an area of rough grassland. Marked on 1st edition of OSI 6 inch map as a cicular enclosure (diameter c. 30m). No visible surface trace remains.

Gortrevagh Village – A village is marked at Gortrevagh on the first Ordnance Survey map but on the revised edition of 1898-1899 the village is gone and a substanial building is marked instead. This may have been the residence of Edmund O’Flaherty. Some older buildings are included in what is now the golf club complex.

Previous proprietor/landlord:

Earl of Clanrickard (1641)

Earl of Clanrickard (1670)

Arthur French St. George of Tyrone House (c. 1850)

Land Value (1857): £ 78 s.5 d. 0

Buildings Value (1857): £ 5 s.10 d. 0

Surnames attached to the townland (1857-1911):

Barrett, Tierney, O’Flaherty, O’Brien, Gill, Furdon, Conneely, Finnerty, Willis, Hardiman, Walsh, O’Connor, Earnor, Molloy, Harris, Sullivan, Clancy, Lydon, Moloney