Derradda

Townlands of Oughterard

By Paul Gibbons

Townland of Derradda highlighted in yellow

Anglicized from Irish: Doire Fhada

Translates to: “Long Oak Wood”

Etymology:

Ireland was once covered with forests and the tree which most commonly dominated these forests was the oak. However, from the neolithic period right up to the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Ireland was becoming an open, grassy almost treeless landscape as a result of clearances for agricultural land and the harvesting of timber for fuel. In areas with heavy rainfall which are devoid of trees to absorb the water, the soil becomes vulnerable to leaching (the washing away of nutrients). This causes the soil to become more acidic and the leached minerals are deposited in a ‘hard pan’ at a lower depth further impeding drainage and causing the land to become waterlogged hence transformed into blanket bog. This explains why no oak woodland still exists in the area and also why the current land quality would be no longer suitable for their growth. The fact that this townland was referred to as the ‘long oak wood’ corresponds to the fact that the townland is large and stretches for a long distance up the face of a mountain.

Size: 1506 acres, 0 rods, 17 perchs

Siting:

In the north-eastern extremity of Kilcummin parish. Bounded on the west by Shannadullaghaun and Derreighter, on the north by Glengowla West, on the east by Rusheeny and on the south by Lettercraffroe and Killannin parish (Seecon).

Description:

Land very bad and mountainous. Contains 1486 and a half acres of land about 50 acres of which are under tillage and 19 and a half acres of water, the remainder is mountain pasture. There is nothing remarkable in this townland.

Placenames within townland:

Derradda (hill) – A high hill with a triangulation station on it.

Loughnagilky (lake) – Translates to ‘lake of the reeds’. A small lough near the south of the townland.

Loughnamordereen (lake) – Translates to ‘lake of the large oak grove’. A medium sized lough near the south of the townland.

Previous proprietor/landlord:

Francis Kelly (1641)

Frederick Trench (1670)

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

Land Value (1857): £ 16 s.0 d. 0

Buildings Value (1857): £ 1 s.5 d. 0

Surnames attached to the townland (1857-1911):

O’Brien, Cottingham, Walsh, Gibbons, Whitaker, Thoronton

 

This page was added on 25/04/2014.

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