Rushveala

 

Townland of Rushveala highlighted in yellow

Anglicized from Irish: Rois Bhéala / Rois Bhíle

Translates to: “Mouth of the woods” or “Woods of the Sacred Tree”

Etymology:

The official name of the townland signifies that this area was the ‘mouth’ or opening/entrance to woods. This is very possibly a reference to the distinction between the agricultural plains of Moyvoon and Maghera compared to the townlands to the north-west whose names are often from some reference to trees (Billymore, Lemonfield). However, another likely description could be ‘woods of the sacred tree’. Rushveala borders the townland of Billymore which we have already discussed is from the Irish Bíle Mór meaning ‘the large sacred tree’. It is most likely that these holy trees were also surrounded by a sacred woods and this could have been located to the south-east of modern day Billymore spilling over into the area of Rushveala.

Size: 151 acres, 3 rods, 27 perchs

Siting:

Situated in the northern extremity of Kilcummin parish bounded on the north by Portacarronbeg and Lemonfield, on the east by Portacarron and Gortrevagh, on the west by Glebe and Billymore and on the south by Magheramore townland.

Description:

Contains 169 and a quarter acres about 80 acres is under tillage and pasture the remainder is bog and rough pasture. There are two quarries, one of which is marble, situated on its south-eastern boundary and on its northern extremity.

Placenames within townland:

Chapel – At south end of a now deserted house cluster called Oldchapel. No surface trace remains. Its absence from the 1st edition of the OSI 6-inch map suggests that it may have been a 19th century Roman Catholic chapel.

Previous proprietor/landlord:

Richard Martin (1670)

Earl of Clanrickard (1670)

Thomas B. Martin of Ballinahinch Castle (c. 1850)

Land Value (1857): £ 36 s.10 d. 0 

Buildings Value (1857): £ 4 s.10 d. 0

Surnames attached to the townland (1857-1911):

Maxwell, Staunton, Gregg, Walsh, Kavanagh, Osborne, Craig, Kelly, Logan, McDonagh, Lambert, Dixon, Kinneavy, King, McMahon, Joyce, Welby, Logan, Faherty, Stewart