Kilcoran townland in Knockmourne parish, County Cork
Niall C.E.J. O’Brien
The townland of Kilcoran is situated on both sides of the ridge road that divides the watershed of the Rivers Blackwater and Bride. It lies in the civil parish of Knockmourne and in the Catholic parish of Conna. The road divides the townland into two divisions, Kilcoran North (83acres) and Kilcoran South (474acres).
Kilcoran in ancient times
The name Kilcoran is translated as Cil Chuaráin or Cuarán’s church.[1] Cuarán is also known as mo-Chuarán and was a saint of the 7th century. The parish name of Knockmourne, Cnoc mo-Chuarán, means Cuarán’s Hill.[2] It is also possible that the area was called Coill Charáin or Cuarán’s wood as Kilcoran was well known in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries for its extensive woodland. A holy well in Kilcoran South, called Poll Dubh, was located beside a big fir tree on Foote’s farm (late twentieth century Bryan’s farm) but little else is known about the well.[3] Near the centre of a field called Pairc-a-gheata on the farm in Kilcoran South formerly owned by Paddy and Nelly Flynn (early twenty-first century by Liam Leamy), was until recently seen the faint outline of an arc circular fence. This was reputed to be an ancient church site, later called a cillín, which was called Ceall Garbain.[4]
The topographical poem, Crichad an Chaoilli, refers to a region within the Kingdom of Fermoy as the Leathbaile Hi Conchubair. Canon Patrick Power said this region extended eastwards along to south bank of the Blackwater to the present Cork/Waterford border.[5] But other scholars have questioned this and say that Clondulane and Carrigatoortane are the only identifiable places in Leathbaile Hi Conchubair.[6] It is more likely that the area in and around Kilcoran was once part of the Déise Kingdom of Waterford and was until the early twelfth century part of the Diocese of Lismore which extended as far as Cork Harbour. When the McCarthy kings of South Munster (Desmond) created the Diocese of Cloyne in 1123-1138 (possibly 1130) the diocese of Lismore was pushed back eastwards to the present diocesan border. The Deise Kingdom had possibly lost political control before 1130 of that area of County Cork between the Blackwater and the Bride to a mixture of the Uí Meic Caille kingdom south of the Bride and the Eóganacht Glendamnach kingdom north of the Blackwater.[7]
Kilcoran in medieval times
It is difficult to know the history of Kilcoran in medieval times (1200-1600) as so few records exist and it is unclear to which manor the townland of Kilcoran belonged to. The manor of Knockmourne which possibly was coterminous with the parish of Knockmourne, and where Kilcoran is located, was owned by the de la Fryne family in the thirteenth century. They had inherited the manor from Odo de Barry. In 1295 Thomas FitzPhilip Hodgnet was tenant in Knockmourne of 140 acres from Odo de la Freyne. In 1318 Odo de la Freyne still held Knockmourne.[8] By 1356 Maurice Fitzgerald, 1st Earl of Desmond, had acquired control of Knockmourne manor and the nearby manor of Ballynoe.[9]
In 1460 William Barry gave Conna, Ballytrasna, Cooladurragh and Mocollop to Thomas Fitzgerald, son of the Earl of Desmond, on his marriage with Barry’s daughter.[10] This Conna is possibly Conna south of the Bride or it could be Knockmourne manor that was technically still Barry property even if occupied by the Fitzgeralds for over a hundred years.
Meanwhile the Condon family of Kilworth and Ballyderown had expanded their territory along the south bank of the River Blackwater. By the early sixteenth century the Condons held Clondulane, Careysville, Kilbarry, Ballydorgan, Waterpark, Garrynagoul, Marshtown, Modeligo and Kilcoran. Many of these places were former Barry lands with Kilbarry meaning Barry’s wood and were connected with the manors of Mocollop and Knockmourne but how or when these lands came to belong to the Condon family is unknown.[11] In 1573 Peter McRichard McShane Condon and John McRichard Condon were living at Garrynagoul.[12] In the 1560s when the border between Counties Cork and Waterford was been formalised, the border followed the then property ownership desires. The Condons wanted their land in Cork while the Fitzgeralds of Mocollop, The Shane, Lisfinny and Strancally wanted their land in Waterford. The exceptions were the Fitzgeralds of Conna and Kilmacow who wanted to be in Cork.
In 1587 when Sir Walter Raleigh was given a grant of 42,000 acres covering the manors of Inchiquin (Youghal), Ardmore, Templemichael, Ballynatray, Strancally, Lisfinny (Tallow), Kilmacow, Mogeely, Conna, Ballynoe, Lismore, Mocollop and The Shane, he was allowed to take the Condon lands between the Blackwater and the Bride to make up the 42,000 acres if the aforementioned manors were not sufficient enough.[13] In September 1587 Thomas Fleetwood, son and heir of John Fleetwood of Caldwich in Staffordshire, and Marmaduke Redmayne of Thorneton in Yorkshire, were given a substantial part of the Condon estate including the centre at Cloghleigh and other places like one ploughland of Ballegast alias Ballenglasse (Waterpark) and Glenegurtine, one ploughland of Garrangowld alias Garrencowle, Shaghnachara and Kilcoran. In total Fleetwood got 12,000 acres and Redmayne 8,000 acres as two seigniories of 12,667 English acres.[14] But the Condons still retained some ownership rights on the Cork side of the border between the Blackwater and Bride until the middle of the seventeenth century. In about 1605 David Condon leased Ballygomeshy (Marshtown) to Henry Pyne of Mogeely castle.[15]
Kilcoran 1600 to 1640
Sometime before 1606 Henry Pyne of Mogeely castle acquired Kilcoran by title from Sir Walter Raleigh or by lease from David Condon of Kilworth. Sir Richard Boyle had desires o acquire all the townlands held by Henry Pyne and forced Pyne to mortgage Kilcoran to Boyle.[16] Sometime afterwards, the agents of Thomas Fleetwood challenged Pyne’s title to Kilcoran in court. Boyle told Pyne to use the letter of Queen Elizabeth that allowed Raleigh to take Condon lands west of Shane castle but the court rejected the Queen’s letter. Instead the court said the land belonged to David Condon and Pyne should make a lease of Kilcoran from Condon.[17]
Meanwhile Henry Pyne had obtained a lease of Kilbarry wood from David Condon. Afterwards Pyne and Boyle entered a partnership to exploit the woods of Kilcoran and Kilbarry. Starting with Kilcoran the partners cut some 3,000 tons of timber but when they moved onto Kilbarry wood, Boyle claimed it for his own and denied Pyne entry. In 1606 the partners went to court over Kilbarry and the court said Pyne must pay Boyle £150 after Raleigh denied Pyne’s title.[18] In 1616 the court decided in favour of Henry Pyne and David Condon for Kilcoran and Ballydorgan against Sir Richard Boyle.[19] On his death bed Sir Walter Raleigh said that he had wronged Pyne and that Pyne’s lease on Mogeely was sound.[20] About one hundred years later the Boyle and Pyne estates came to two branches of the Cavendish family; such is the circle of history.
In March 1608 Philip Cottingham of London, a carpenter, organised the hewing and carriage of timber and planks from the woods of Kilbarry and Kilcoran for use in the royal service. For this he was paid £71 3s 4¼d in the spring of 1609. Although both townlands are today in County Cork, the royal scribe of 1609 said both were in County Waterford.[21] In 1608 and 1609 Philip Cottingham travelled around the four provinces of Ireland inspecting timber for use in building royal navy ships.[22] In 1617 Mr. Ball paid Sir Richard Boyle £26 5s for three years rent for Kilcoran wood at £8 15s per annum ending on 29th September.[23] This payment was made in good faith because 1614 Sir Richard Boyle claimed to have a lease of Kilcoran from Edmund McShane Condon of Ballydorgan as he informed the Lord Deputy of Ireland.[24] The 1616 court case dismissed this claim.
But Sir Richard Boyle was not for giving up. On 3rd June 1630 Richard FitzEdmond Condon of Ballydorgan, under the seal of his father, Edmund McShane, and in the presence of his brother-in-law, George Moson, said that Boyle was acquitted of all rent for Kilcoran wood and owed no arrears. Richard Condon’s wife had been pressing Boyle to pay rent and arrears for Kilcoran wood.[25] Condon’s wife thought that Boyle owed rent for Kilcoran in 1630 and was for taking him on while her husband just wanted to lie low. By 1641 it was said that Garrett Condon of Ballydorgan held Kilcoran by lease from Boyle; you pay your money and pick which story you think true. Richard Condon’s trouble with his wife was only one of his problems as by February 1632 he was in the debtor’s prison in Dublin. Richard Boyle paid £5 to help release Richard Condon of Balllydorgan.[26] Richard Condon’s brother-in-law, George Mason, or Moson, had a lease on Currabeha and Ballybride from Sir Richard Boyle up until 1635 when Edmund Russell took out a lease of 31 years.[27]
Kilcoran in the 1641-53 war
At the start of the Confederate War (1641-53), also known as the 1641 Rebellion or 1641 Rising, a number of many Protestant English settlers were attached in the Conna area and robbed of a number of their animals and possessions. William Clay and Richard Clay, both yeomen, were robbed in Kilcoran (called Ulconer).[28] William and Richard Clay may not have left much of a mark on Kilcoran but the next cross roads west of Kilcoran cross roads is called Pope’s Cross Roads after the family of William Pope of Coolbaun, who’s wife, Elizabeth Pope also gave evidence in the 1641 Depositions of how she was robbed by Irish rebels.[29]
Kilcoran in the 1640s
In 1656 it was said that Garrett Condon was the proprietor of Kilcoran (298acres) in 1641 and that Garrett also held the townlands of Garrynagoul (bordering Kilcoran to the north) and Ballydorgan (3 miles to the west-north-west). Kilcoran was held from the Earl of Cork and Ballydorgan from Henry Pyne. In the distribution of land after the 1641-53 war Garrynagoul was granted to Roger Carey.[30] It would seem that the Earl of Cork and Henry Pyne did some sort of exchange between Kilcoran and Ballydorgan since the court cases of 1616.
Kilcoran in 1660
In 1660 a poll tax was taken across most of Ireland that is commonly referred to as the ‘census of 1659’. Kilcoran was recorded in the barony of Condons and Clangibbon as having 29 tax payers. The neighbouring townlands had more tax payers; Curribehy, alias Currabeha (35), Garrynagoul (41) and Modeligo (40).[31]
The Pyne family and Kilcoran
At the end of the sixteenth century Henry Pyne from Devonshire came to Ireland and took a lease of Mogeely castle and its surrounding estate. In the 1660s, under the Act of Settlement, Henry’s grandson, also called Henry Pyne, was given the land of Ballyneglass (known as Waterpark since at least 1712) on the south bank of the River Blackwater. The second Henry left no children and was succeeded by his brother Sir Richard Pyne, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in Ireland. Sir Richard Pyne died in 1709 and his son Henry was killed in 1713 in a duel. Sir Richard had previously purchased Ballyvolane house near Britway and property in England. By his will these passed to his nephew Robert Wakeham who took the name of Pyne and was ancestors of the Pyne family of Ballyvolane.[32] Sir Richard Pyne was briefly the owner of Blarney castle which he purchased for £3,800, but fearing its restoration to the ousted Earl of Clancarthy, he sold it at a loss to Sir James Jeffreys.[33]
In court documents from 1674 it was said that the Pyne family of Henry Pyne of Ballyneglass had a lease on the lands of Kilcoran that would become active on the expiration of a previous interest on Kilcoran held by Sir Henry Tynte. In 1634 Jane Tynte, daughter of Sir Robert Tynte had married Nicholas Pyne (father of Henry of Ballyneglass) and thus Kilcoran was a marriage provision. In 1659 Henry Pyne (died June 1673) made a lease of Kilcoran to Sir Boyle Maynard for 31 years. In 1674 Elizabeth Pyne, widow of Henry Pyne (married secondly to Hugh Massey), claimed Kilcoran and other lands as her widow’s entitlement. She further claimed £150 rent to Richard Wakeman (son-in-law of Nicholas Pyne) and further rent to Captain John Wakeman (another son-in-law of Nicholas). Jane Pyne, widow of Nicholas, was still alive in 1674 but an old lady. It is not known if Elizabeth Pyne got Kilcoran or was retain as a shared property of the Wakeman brothers.[34]
In 1694 Sir Richard Pyne petitioned the government for a confirmation grant of Ballynaglass (Waterpark), Glenagurteen, Ballydorgan and other lands, possibly including Kilcoran. He also desired to create the estate into a manor with liberty to hold a court baron (a justice court for cases up to 40s). In 1697 the petition was successfully granted. Sir Richard married three times and by his third wife, Catherine, daughter of Sir Christopher Wandesford, he had an only son, Henry Pyne, born circa 1688. Young Henry Pyne married on 22nd June 1705 to Margaret, daughter of Sir Richard Edgecombe. On 28th February 1713 Henry Pyne fought a duel in Chelsea Fields against Theophilus Biddulph and was killed. Henry was succeeded by his two daughters, Anne and Catherine (both born previous to 1709 as mention in Sir Richard’s will). The 1712 will of their father said the daughters were to have a division of the estate of Waterpark, Kilcoran, and Glenagurteen in Co. Cork along with Little Burgess in Co. Tipperary by way of a previous family deed that hasn’t survived.[35] We don’t know who got which townlands but as Anne’s descendants became Lords Waterpark, she received that townland. One could speculate that Garrynagoul and Kilcoran North belonged to Catherine Maynwaring but there are no documents as yet found to confirm this.
In June 1730 Anne married Sir Henry Cavendish, eldest son of Henry Cavendish of Doveridge, Derbyshire, descendant of an illegitimate son the brother of the 1st Earl of Devonshire.[36] In June 1739 Catherine married Arthur Maynwaring of St. Paul’s parish, London, the illegitimate son of an actress, Anne Oldfield, and Arthur Maynwaring senior. In 1739 Arthur inherited his mother’s legacy of £5,000.[37] In December 1764 Catherine Maynwaring made her will giving all her property in England and land in County Cork, along with £6,000 in share stocks, to her only child, Margaret Maynwaring. If Margaret died unmarried the estate would revert to the Cavendish family of Anne Pyne. Captain Arthur Maynwaring was killed in 1741 at the siege of Carthagena.[38]
In the 1760s Catherine Maynwaring (nee Pyne) said she earned £700 from her part of the Irish estates.[39] In April 1764 Catherine Maynwaring made a lease of three lives to the Beere family for £120 18s per annum of 118 acres at Ballynemassingbeg, 124 acres at Tubrid, 88 acres at Ballyhostibeg, 7 acres at Ballyvorassy, all in the barony of Iffa and Offa in County Tipperary.[40] This was the Little Burgess of 1712. Viscount Lismore held Ballynemassingbeg and Ballyvorassy in 1850 while Lord Waterpark held Burgess New and Burgess West and Crannavone, Derravoher, Knockannaniska and Tubbrid, all in Tubbrid parish. Interestingly in 1850 the Earl of Glengal held a townland called Kilcoran in Tubbrid parish.[41] In early 1767 Margaret Maynwaring died and on 14th August 1780 Catherine Maynwaring died in Sussex.[42] Her land in County Cork reverted to Henry Cavendish of Waterpark.
Meanwhile Sir Henry Cavendish (1707-1776) came to Ireland in 1737 when his cousin the 3rd Duke of Devonshire was Lord Lieutenant. Sir Henry was MP for Tallow (1756-60) and later MP for Lismore (1761-66 & 1768-76). Sir Henry’s eldest son was Sir Henry Cavendish (1732-1804) MP for Lismore (1766-8 & 1776-90 & 1798-1800) and MP for Killybegs (1790-7). Sir Henry, using his skill at shorthand, made notes on the proceedings of the Irish Parliament when no official transcripts were published. In August 1757 Sir Henry married Sarah, daughter of Richard Bradshaw, merchant of Cork, and on 15th June 1792 she was created Baroness Waterpark with remainder to her sons by Sir Henry.[43] This Waterpark is the Waterpark formerly known as Ballynaglass, on the south bank of the Blackwater, and not the Waterpark near Carrigaline as is sometimes reported.
When Sir Henry’s father died in 1776 he left a debt of over £67,000 from his time as teller of the Irish exchequer. Sir Henry junior mortgaged his estates in Sligo, Monaghan and Dublin to pay off the debt.[44] Sir Henry’s Waterpark property was thus not encumbered by this debt. It is not clear who first built the dwelling house at Waterpark known as Old Court. The building was a ruin by the 1830s and a later Lord Waterpark said it had burnt down previous to that time with the lost of all the family papers. The high chimneys described in 1837 and the ground plan shown in the first Ordnance Survey map of 1840 would suggest a building constructed in the 1660s with possible reconstructed or additions in the 1690s.
Sir Henry Cavendish junior died on 3rd August 1804 and was succeeded by his son Sir Richard Cavendish, who became 2nd Baron Waterpark in 1807 on the death of his mother. The 2nd Baron died in 1830 when he was succeeded by his son, Henry Manners Cavendish (1793-1863), as the 3rd Baron.[45]
Kilcoran to Walker and Briscoe
Sometime between 1810 and 1819 Henry Walker of Fermoy purchased Waterpark, Glenagurteen, Ballydorgan, and Kilcoran from Lord Waterpark. It is not clear if Robert Briscoe of Fermoy purchased Garrynagoul and Kilcoran North directly from Lord Waterpark or of he brought them from Walker. Henry Walker operated a brewery business in Fermoy and was a property developer in the town. In 1846 Thomas Walker was owner of Waterpark when he got approval from the Cork Grand Jury to spend £240 on drainage works on 48 acres at Waterpark.[46] By 1850 George Walker was owner of Waterpark, Kilcoran South and a number of other townlands.
The landlord of Garrynagoul and Kilcoran North in 1840 was Robert Briscoe of Artillery Quay, Fermoy (now called O’Neill Crowley Quay).[47] In 1844 he gave a lease on his house to the Provincial Bank. The building in 2022 was the Fermoy Garda Station. Robert Briscoe was a member of the first town commission in Fermoy and operated the Clondulane flour mills by lease from the Earl of Mountcashell in the 1820s until his death in October 1846. In 1824 he rented 11 acres in Kill Saint Anne townland, Castlelyons parish.[48] His wife Elizabeth Reade (married 1800) had died in September 1834.[49] Robert Briscoe was succeeded at Kilcoran South by his son, also called Robert Briscoe who died on 29th May 1890 leaving effects worth £5,833.[50] His first wife, Louise Ann Stokes died on 13th April 1844 and his second wife is simply known as Catherine with no known surname as yet.[51] It would appear that Robert Briscoe lived at Bank Lane, Fermoy in 1850 (house worth £10) while his cousin, Captain Edward Briscoe (son-in-law of Robert Briscoe senior) lived at Abercrombie Place, Fermoy (house worth £40).[52] In 1875 Captain Briscoe was living at Forglen Terrace,[53] Fermoy. Robert Briscoe died at Lapp’s Quay in Cork and was buried in Fermoy.[54]
Kilcoran in the mid eighteenth century
In the 1760s a religious census was taken to see how many households in Ireland were Protestant and how many Roman Catholic. In 1766 the two parishes of Knockmourne and Ballynoe were joined for the survey. The combined parishes had 11 Protestant households (2.6%) and 420 Roman Catholic households (97.4%).[55] A second survey was done in 1764 of those parts of the parishes of Castlelyons, Knockmourne, and Lismore/Mocollop that were located within the barony of Condons and Clangibbon. This found 12 Protestant households (8.1%) and 137 Roman Catholic households (91.9%). There was a mass house in Modeligo townland.[56] Kilcoran was part of this Condons and Clangibbon area. It is not known if there was any Protestant house in Kilcoran townland but the Catholics of the area were at lease served by the local mass house at Modeligo.
Kilcoran in early maps
The first Ordnance Survey maps were published in 1841 that recording the topography of the country in fine detail for the first time. Before 1841 local maps were produced that gave varying details. The 1598 map of the Mogeely estate shows Kilcoran as a large area of woodland north of what we would now call the Tallow to Fermoy road. The 1685 Petty map just shows Kilcoran as a townland north of the River Bride and bounded on the north by Glenagurteen and Ballygomeshy (later called Marshtown). The 1811 Grand Jury map shows Kilcoran townland as starting about a mile north of the River Bride and bounded on the north by Garrynagoul and Marshtown.[57]
Kilcoran North in 1833
The 1833 Tithe Applotment book records three tenant farmers in Kilcoran North but does not name the landlord. In plot one was John Flynn and Michael Flynn with a joint tenancy on 22acres of arable land and a further 7acres of arable land for which they paid £30 12s in rent for the whole plot. Timothy Cremin held plot two with two divisions of 14acres and 13acres, both good arable land, for which he paid £21 in rent. The third plot was held by John Cremin and consisted of three divisions; two 10acres divisions of good arable land and one division of 3acres that was wetland. John Cremin paid £21 for his whole farm. All three farms had road frontage.[58] The size of Kilcoran North was 79acres 3roots and 37perches plus extra for roads (1851 size 83acres and 8perches) on which £72 12s of rent was paid.
Kilcoran South in 1833
In contrast to Kilcoran North which had very little waste land in 1833, Kilcoran South was a mixture of good arable land with bog, furze and heath land. The landlord is not named but the various tenants and their varied properties are. They included Barry Griffith who had 10 acres of furze while Alexander Griffith had 46 acres of furze and 22 acres of good arable land. Together they paid £16 12s 3d in rent for the whole property. John Toomey had 7 good acres and 13 acres of furze and paid £7 rent for the whole. Thomas Foley paid £7 rent for 5 acres of arable land and 8 acres of furze and heath. John Kirby paid £4 rent for 6 arable acres and one acre of bog. John Morrison paid £3 rent for 4acres of good land and 3 acres of bog. The Widow O’Keeffe paid £28 8s in rent for a sizeable property of 49 arable acres in two divisions of 23 and 26 acres along with 27 acres of furze and heath.
William Guiry had one acre of good land and 16 acres of good land in another division for which he paid £6 9s 3d in rent. Edmond Thornhill had just over 3 acres of arable land and paid £3 in rent. Con Donovan and Partner had three divisions of land of 2 acres arable, 7 acres arable and 2 acres of bog and paid £3 3s rent in total. It is not clear who was Donovan’s partner; a female partner or may be just an unnamed business partner. Meanwhile Henry Sullivan had 2 acres and 8 acres of good arable land and paid £5 5s in rent. Dan McCarthy had 2acres and 6 acres of good land along with one acre of bog and paid a total rent of £6 9s 2d.
Along the road was John Griffith senior paid £15 13s 10d in rent for 6 acres of good and a further 12 acres of good land with 23 acres of heath and furze ground. John Griffith junior paid the same rent of £15 13s 10d for 6 acres and 14 acres of good land with 26 acres of heath and furze. James O’Brien had three divisions of 4 acres and 20 acres of good land with 3 acres of furze at a rent of £21 4s 7d. The Widow Nagle had 58 acres of good land, 17 acres of furze/heath and 5 acres of bog for which she paid £73 10s in rent. The total area of Kilcoran South was 412acres 3roots and 26perches with a rental income of £218 11s 9d to which needs to be added about £3 for houses and small gardens.[59] The rental income for Kilcoran South of about £221 compares with the rental of 1841 at £258 15s and that of 1859 when it was £188 2s. The Great Famine cut short the raise in rental incomes up to the 1840s and the fall contributed to the bankruptcy of George Walker in the 1850s such that he had to sell the estate.
In Griffith’s Valuation (circa 1851) Kilcoran South was 474acres 1root and 35perches. The difference may be because the first Ordnance Survey map of 1840 set the boundary of each townland and townland size previous to 1840 may have been judge different. The difference in area (62acres) could also be that the landlord of Kilcoran South, presumingly the Walker family of Fermoy, held grazing land in Kilcoran South and this was excluded from the payment of tithes and so not recorded in the tithe book. In 1851 Rev. Robert Campion rented 62acres from George Walker with £3 5s worth of buildings.[60]
Kilcoran in 1837
In 1837 Samuel Lewis described Knockmourne parish, in which lies Kilcoran, as comprising 7,514 statute acres of which 250 acres was bog and 75 acres of woodland. The soil was good and was mostly limestone. Much of the soil under Kilcoran would be Old Red Sandstone. The entire parish had a population of 3,144 people.[61]
Kilcoran in the 1841 census
The 1841 census recorded 24 males and 24 females in Kilcoran North living in seven houses. The townland of Kilcoran South had 110 males and 122 females living in thirty five houses with another house uninhabited.[62]
Kilcoran in 1841 Poor Rates
In 1841 a parliamentary report on the poor rates levied in Ireland made a comparison between the rents paid by various tenants and the valuation for poor rate on their property. Kilcoran was situated in the electoral division of Knockmourne for this report. The findings were Mary Nagle £64 rent and £51 9s valuation; John Quirke (£43 10s rent & £36 16s valuation) and John Flynn (£23 rent & £8 71s valuation). The other tenants were Edmond Griffin (£7 10s rent and £11 3s valuation), Laurence Geery (£8 16s & £7 6s), John Griffin (£19 & £22), John Griffin junior (£19 & £22), Michael Flynn (£23 & £15 8s), Tim Cunningham (£21 & £15) and John Cunningham (£21 & £15).[63]
Among the tenants who paid rent below £5 in Kilcoran were James Troy (£1 10s on value of 10s), Tom Murphy (£1 10s on value of 10s), Barry Mills (£1 15s on a value of £ 3 12s) and John Hyde (£4 4s on value of £2 15s). The total rent was £258 15s as estimated by the valuators and not the actual amount of rent collected by the landlord.[64] It would appear that Kilcoran North was not included in the report. In 1841 there were ten or fourteen persons who were registered as electors with rents and valuations more than £10 in the Knockmourne Electoral Division but none of these came from Kilcoran.[65]
Kilcoran in the Great Famine
Like in most parts of the country the Great Famine stopped the rise in population experience since the 1750s. In that part of Knockmourne parish within the barony of Condons and Clangibbon (including Kilcoran townland) the population fell from 997 people in 1841 to 449 people in 1851.[66] This large fall was possibly bigger than that as the population would have continued to increase between 1841 and the start of the famine in 1845. Yet even in times of war or famine when death is everywhere new life is also present like in March 1846 when Patrick Barry and Brigitte Flynn had a son baptized, Patrick, which was looked on by Daniel Connell and Ellen Flynn.[67]
Kilcoran South June to December 1848
The year 1847 is often spoken of as Black ’47 when the worst of the Famine gripped the land but the Valuation Office Books suggested that many in Kilcoran South survived in some form until after June 1848, even with a number of widows among the labourer community, but that by December 1848 great changes had occurred. Many labourer cottages were occupied by new people or simply knocked down. Even a number of farmers had disappeared with their farms going to new people or taken over by neighbouring farmers. In June 1848 the following people had houses in Kilcoran South: Henry Vaughan (took over the house of a widow, Mary Cahill with Mary Nagle as landlord), Robert Prendergast (labourer, tenant of Mary Nagle), Robert Prendergast (blacksmith, house down by Dec 1848), B. Smith, Patrick Miller (took house of Thomas Riordan, labourer), Mary Nagle, John Cahill (farmer/grocer, took farm of Dan McCarthy, house of Mary Cahill, widow and farm/house of George Harrowhill, farmer), John Flynn (farmer), David O’Keeffe (labourer, took house of Edmund Griffin), Johanna Fitzgerald (widow), John Caples (labourer), John Hennery (took over house of Patrick Kearney, labourer), John Griffin senior, John Griffin junior, William Hynes (labourer, house down by Dec 1848), Patrick Keaton (labourer, house down by Dec 1848), Catherine Connell (widow, house down by Dec 1848), Rev. Robert Campion, Michael Morrissey (farmer, house down by Dec 1848), Barry Griffin (farmer), John Tooney (Toomey, house down by Dec 1848), Alice Murray (took house of Matt Morrissey, labourer), Henry Sullivan, Abigail Joyce (widow), Elinor Fitzgerald (widow), John Shanahan (labourer, house down by Dec 1848), James O’Brien (farmer, house down by Dec 1848), Patrick Murray (labourer), John Geary (farmer, gone by December 1848), Patrick Byrne (labourer), Edmund Murphy (labourer, house down by Dec 1848) and Patrick Barry (labourer, house down by Dec 1848).[68]
The National Archives of Ireland has the 1848 Valuation Office House Books online which give the dimensions of each dwelling house and the measurements of each outbuilding with usually a description of the building such as cow house, stable, fowl house, etc. the 1848 House Books say if a dwelling house or outbuilding was knocked down between June 1848 and a later survey done in December 1848. It is also recorded where a house acquired a new tenant in those six months or was just knocked down and who left. Bartholomew Cahill, tailor, was gone by December 1848 and his house was knocked down. Patrick Miller, labourer, had his old house knocked down by December 1848 as he had moved into the house previously occupied by Thomas Riordan, another labourer. People with empty houses during the Great Famine cannot always be assumed dead; they may have just moved to another house in the townland or a neighbouring place.
Rev. Robert Campion took the former house of John Geary while Mary Nagle took the former house of Catherine Quirke, a widow. Rev. Robert Campion also took the house and farm of Edmund Griffin between June and December 1848 and added a piggery to the previous barn and fowl house. Rev. Campion also took the house of James Mills, a farmer and the house/farm buildings of Barry Mills, farmer. Barry’s house (51 X 18 X 7feet) and stable (12.6 X 16 X 5feet) were still standing by December 1848 but the cow house was in ruins.[69]
The House Books also give the occupation of the householder. John Cahill was a farmer and grocer. The knowledge that Kilcoran South was not just a farming community but had a grocer shop in 1848 as Kilcoran North did in the twentieth century adds a nice social history to the place. John Cahill’s dwelling house measured 30.6 feet long by 16.6 feet wide by 7 feet in height with an extension measuring 14 feet by 16.6 feet by 6 feet. John had a barn measuring 16 feet by 13.6 feet by 6 feet, a stable measuring 32.6 feet by 10.5 feet by 6 feet and a turf house measuring 10.6 feet by 9 feet by 5 feet.[70] Mary Nagle, a widow and substantial farmer in Kilcoran with tenants under her, lived in a house that measured 58 feet by 20.6 feet by 7.6 feet. She had a cow house (30.6 X 14 X 7.6feet), a turf house (18 X 14 X 6feet), a stable (18.6 X 14 X 6feet), a piggery (22 X 13 X 5.6feet), and a barn (47.6 X 21.6 X 8feet).[71]
The property of John Griffin More, or senior, consisted of a dwelling house (30 X 18X 7feet) with extension (22 X 16 X 5.6feet), a stable (14.6 X 11.6 X 5.6feet), a cow house (18 X 8 X 4.6feet) and a barn (29.6 X 19.6 X 7.6feet). John Griffin Beg, or junior, had a dwelling house measuring 44.6 by 16 by 6feet with a barn (27.6 X 14.6 X 6.6feet) and a stable (27.6 X 15 X 5feet).[72]
Kilcoran North June to December 1848
Much the same happened in Kilcoran North as in Kilcoran South in the last six months of 1848 although on a smaller scale as the base line was smaller. In June 1848 there was Michael Daly (labourer), Michael Morrison (farmer), Michael Morrissey (labourer), Eugene Creamer (farmer), James Cangley (carpenter, house down by December 1848), and William Griffin (blacksmith). But even by June 1848 people were under pressure with the cow house of John Creamer being in such a ruined condition as not worth measuring for the purposes of rates. By December 1848 Thomas Ducey had Michael Morrison’s farm, Michael Morrissey’s house was vacant and the farm of Eugene Creamer was take over by his landlord, Robert Briscoe. Thomas Ducy had in December 1848 a dwelling house which measured 52 feet by 18 feet by 6 feet along with a cow house measuring 30.6ft by 14ft by 5.6ft and a barn measuring 30.6ft by 18.6ft by 7ft with a garden, all of which he rented from John Morrison who held it from Robert Briscoe. Michael Daly rented his house from Morrison who held from Briscoe and the house measured 22ft by 14fy by 5feet. Most farmer dwelling houses were 50 feet long while the houses of labourers, blacksmith or carpenters were only about 22 to 28 feet long. All were about 14 to 18 feet wide with 5 feet high for labourer cottages and 6 to 7 feet high for farmer houses.[73]
Kilcoran in the 1851 census
The 1851 census recorded 14 males and 14 females in Kilcoran North living in four houses. This was down 20 people and three houses from the 1841 census. In Kilcoran South there were 60 males and 59 females living in nineteen houses and one unoccupied house. This was down 113 people and fifteen less houses since the 1841 census.[74]
Kilcoran North in the 1850s
The rate books of Griffith’s Valuation composed to set a rate upon land and buildings in a district to financially support the local Poor Law Union give us a view into life in Kilcoran North in the 1850s. Robert Briscoe of Fermoy was the landlord of the townland and directly held 28acres of land (worth £15 10s) with a house and outbuildings, called offices, worth £1 5s. He also had an uninhabited house and garden worth 6s and 2s respectively. John Morrison rented 30acres from Robert Briscoe, worth £20 10s and in turn let a house to Michael Daly worth 5s, along with a house, offices and garden to Thomas Ducie, worth £1 10s and 5s for the garden (35 perches). John Morrison himself lived in the neighbouring townland of Garrynagoul where he rented 75acres from Robert Briscoe. Elsewhere in Kilcoran North John Creamer rented 23acres from Robert Briscoe worth £14 with a house and offices worth 15s. In turn John Creamer let a house to William Griffith worth 5s. In total the townland of Kilcoran North had 83acres and 8 perches, worth £50 7s and buildings worth £4 6s.[75]
Kilcoran South in the 1850s
In the 1850s George Walker was the landlord of Kilcoran South. He held no land directly unlike Robert Briscoe in Kilcoran North. Instead George Walker let out ten farms to nine different tenants, namely; Mary Nagle (82acres and 95acres), John Cahill (28acres), Henry Sullivan (12acres), Denis Spillane (13acres), Rev. Robert Campion (62acres), John Flynn (72acres), Barry Griffith (11acres), John Griffith Beg (50acres) and John Griffith More (43acres). Henry Sullivan and Denis Spillane only rented land as they lived outside the townland. The other farmers had dwelling houses with outbuildings. In turn many of the farmers let houses to labourers; Mary Nagle let four houses (one unoccupied and another with a garden), Henry Sullivan let three houses with small gardens, John Flynn let two houses of which one had a garden and John Griffith More let three houses of which two had gardens. One of the house and gardens let by John Griffith More was to David O’Keeffe who in turn let a house to John Kenry. In total the townland of Kilcoran South had 474acres 1root and 35perches worth £210 7s and buildings worth £20 15s.[76] George Walker was also the landlord of the townlands of Glenagurteen and Waterpark, on the south bank of the River Blackwater, about two miles to the north-west of Kilcoran South.[77]
The farm of Rev. Robert Campion was later held by the Foote family and was acquired in the mid twentieth century by Fred Bryan and his son Cecil Bryan. The four cross roads where the Fermoy to Tallow road joins the road south to Conna and north to O’Donoghue’s Cross is now known as Bryan’s Cross and was formerly called Daly’s Cross.[78]
Kilcoran South sold in 1859
The Great Famine caused no only the death of over a million people and the forced emigration of another million people but it also left the people still living struggling to get back on their feet. For some landlords the Famine turned their struggling estates into debt and bankruptcy while other landlords seem to have come out of the Famine in a stronger financial situation. The Encumbered Estates Court was established in 1849 to facilitate the sale of these bankrupt estates and clear their debt for the new owners. George Walker of Fermoy was one such bankrupt estate and in December 1859 his property in Waterpark, Glenagurteen, Ballydorgan, Pellick, and Kilcoran South, and elsewhere, was sold. The man who purchased most of the estate was Robert Briscoe of Fermoy and owner of Kilcoran North and Garrynagoul.
Robert Briscoe purchased 397 acres of Waterpark for £8,590, 150 acres of Ballydorgan for £2,220, 155 acres of Glenagurteen for £3,862, and 60 acres of Losnanhane for £1,210. Kilcoran South was sold in three lots with Mr. Henry L. Young purchasing 239 acres (rental income of £133 13s and rate value £118) for £2,770. The two other lots were both purchased by Mr. Francis Kearney comprising of 164 acres (rental income of £21 19s and rate value £64 10s) for £1,150 and 71 acres (rental income of £32 10s and rate value £38 10s) for £760. The 474 acres of Kilcoran South had a total rental income of £188 2s (down from £258 15s rental income in 1841) and a rateable valuation of £221 (down from £231 2s in 1851).
Francis Kearney came from Limerick and in 1871 held 236acres 1root and 20perches in Co. Cork with a rate valuation of £93 which corresponds to his property in Kilcoran South. It would appear that Francis Kearney, landlord of Kilcoran, was the same Francis Kearney of Limerick, a solicitor in that place who married Ellie, daughter of Thomas Keane of Prospecthill, Co. Limerick, and was the father of Captain Francis Kearney, a Limerick solicitor, who in 1910 married Claire, daughter of Dr. M.J. Malone of Pery Square, Limerick, with a son and two daughters.[79] Ellie Kearney died on 26th January 1909 in the North Circular Road and was predeceased by Francis Kearney, solicitor, who had died in 1892[80].
In 1871 Henry Lindsey Young of Leemount, west of Cork City, held 3,625 acres in Co. Cork which included the 239 acres in Kilcoran South.[81] Other sources say that Henry Young had 5,500 acres in Co. Cork and 2,300 acres in Co. Waterford.[82] In 1853 Henry Young built a large mill at Carrigrohane for which he paid Eugene McSwiney a rent of £475 a year for the site.[83] In 1868 and 1848-1881 Henry Lindsay Young was owner of the Lolly of Cork, a sailing schooner of 70 net tons.[84] At Graigue in Kildorrery Henry Young was considered a good landlord and was never known to evict a tenant. He is said to have given assistance to tenants to improve their farms.[85] On 19th August 1848 Henry Young married Margaret Thornhill, daughter of William B. Swan of Cork.[86] His eldest son, Goodwin Young was a barrister-at-law in the 1880s. In 1903 Reginald Young lived at Leemount, Carrigrohane.
Kilcoran in the 1861 census
The 1861 census saw just one dwelling house in Kilcoran North where there were four in 1851 and a population declined from twenty-eight to just eight people. In Kilcoran South the population fell from one hundred and nineteen to ninety-five while the housing stock fell from twenty (one unoccupied) to sixteen.[87]
Kilcoran people 1861 to 1871
After the big survey of Griffith’s Valuation in the 1850s records giving a survey of each townland do not appear again until the census returns of 1901 and 1911. The intervening years are thus more a collection of news items that give us some information and add to our store of knowledge but without the vision of an overall picture. In April 1861 Thomas Daly and Anne Sullivan of Kilcoran had a son Martin. In August 1861 John Collins and Maria Burn of Kilcoran had a son Cornelius. In June 1863 Thomas Heffernan and Mary Keeffe had a son Michael.[88] On 19th March 1866 Mary Griffin of Kilcoran died aged 11 weeks as a child of a labourer. On 21st June 1866 Bridget Harty, a widow of a labourer, died at Kilcoran aged 80 years. On 13th November 1866 Patrick Heffernan, a child of a labourer in Kilcoran, died after just nine days of life.[89]
In May 1867 Michael Caples and Marguerite Fouhy of Kilcoran had a daughter Marie with John Caples and Catherine Gallagher as sponsors.[90] On 24th September 1867 John Waters, the child of a Kilcoran farmer, died aged sixteen months. On 22nd March 1868 Michael Riordan, a married farmer from Kilcoran, died aged 70 years.[91] The names of Waters or Riordan do not appear in Griffith’s Valuation and thus were new comers to the area or married into existing farming families.
In November 1868 John Heffernan and Catherine McGrath of Kilcoran had a son William. In February 1869 Martin Coughlan and Ellen Shanrahan of Kilcoran had a daughter Abigail with John Coughlan and Kate Ryan as sponsors. In March 1869 Michael Waters and Margarita Cahill of Kilcoran had a daughter Hanoria.[92] On 4th November 1869 died Patrick Murray of Kilcoran, a married labourer aged 60 years. On 24th December 1870 Mary Fitzgerald, the widow of a labourer, died at Kilcoran aged 68 years.[93]
Kilcoran in the 1871 census
In the census of 1871 there were seventy-five people living fifteen houses with another house unoccupied in Kilcoran South with fifteen outbuildings. The townland of Kilcoran North had no residents in 1871 and no recorded dwelling houses. The rateable valuation of Kilcoran North was £53 5 (£54 13s in 1851) and £223 in Kilcoran South (£231 2s in 1851).[94]
Kilcoran people 1871-1881
On 21st November 1871 Mary Caples, the daughter of a labourer, died aged 4 years to be followed on 13th March 1872 by her possible grandmother, Mary Caples, the wife of a labourer, aged 75 years. On 16th February 1873 they were followed by Mary Caples of Kilcoran, a labourer’s daughter, after just 12 hours of life.[95]
In December 1871 Michael Leahy and Marie Donovan of Kilcoran had a daughter Margarita. In February 1872 Patrick Connell and Hanora Morrissey of Kilcoran had a daughter Honora.[96] On 28th December 1872 John Griffin, a married labourer in Kilcoran, died aged 84 years. On 28th November 1875 Catherine Griffin, a labourer’s widow, died aged 90 years. These deaths were followed in 1876 with a possible connected double loss. On 29th August 1876 John Griffin of Kilcoran died after just 5 hours of life and on 1st September 1876 his mother, Hanora Griffin died aged 38 years, the wife of a labourer.[97]
In December 1874 Michael Colbert and Margarita Prendergast had a daughter, Catherine. In January 1875 Andrew Reardon and Mary Cartney of Kilcoran had a daughter, Elena.[98] On 6th February 1875 Kate Colebert, the daughter of a labourer, died aged just 6 weeks.[99] In March 1875 John Caples and Mary Broderick of Kilcoran had a son, John. In May 1875 Peter Myles and Catherine Panchane of Kilcoran had a son, John Myles. In August 1875 Michael Caples and Margarita Fouhy of Kilcoran had a daughter, Marie. In January 1876 James Fleming and Brigide Donnell of Kilcoran had a son, James Fleming. In June 1876 Michael Waters and Margarita Cahill had a daughter, Brigide.[100]
On 23rd June 1877 Bridget Waters died as a farmer’s daughter, aged just 12 months. On 23rd March 1879 her brother, John Waters died aged 10 months. On 5th March 1880 John Griffin, a farmer’s son from Kilcoran, died aged 11 months. On 21st May 1880 Alice Flynn, a farmer’s wife, died aged 65 years. On 2nd April 1881 Ellen Griffin, a labourer’s daughter, died aged just 10 months.[101]
Kilcoran in the 1881 census
Between 1871 and 1881 Kilcoran North got three new dwelling houses with two outbuildings. The population of the townland was sixteen people (11 male and 5 female). Meanwhile in Kilcoran South the population had increased from seventy-five people to ninety-five people (51 male and 44 female) while the number of dwelling houses remained at sixteen houses. These houses had twenty-two outbuildings between them. The rateable valuation of Kilcoran North was £51 5s (down from £54 13s in 1851) and £224 for Kilcoran South (down from £231 2s in 1851 but up £1 since 1871).[102]
Further personalities of Kilcoran 1881-1891
On 6th April 1882 Michael Cashman of Garrynagoul died as reported by the Cork Examiner. The Cashman family would later live in Kilcoran North in the twentieth century. On 22nd March 1882 Thomas Caples of Kilcoran, a farmer’s son, died aged 9 months. He was followed on 6th April 1882 by Edmond Caples of Kilcoran, a labourer’s son, aged just 6 months.[103] The late 1870s was a period of bad weather and a mini famine while the early 1880s was the start of the land war. It is possible that many families were short of food and clothing which helped contribute to a number of early deaths in Kilcoran. Yet as in all periods of stress and sadness new life comes along. In November 1880 Michael Stapleton and Bridgid Fitzgerald of Kilcoran had a son, James.[104]
On 3rd March 1883 Catherine Connell, a labourer’s widow, died aged 90 years. On 25th March 1883 Margaret Murray, a labourer’s widow, died at Kilcoran aged 70 years. On 9th September 1883 Eliza Shanahan died at Kilcoran as a labourer’s widow, aged 70 years.[105] On 30th July 1884 John Caples, a widowed labourer, died aged 96 years. He was possibly the John Caples who held a house and garden at Kilcoran from John Griffin More in the 1850s.[106]
On 1st January 1885 Robert Prendergast, a married labourer in Kilcoran, died aged 87 years. On 15th February 1885 John Flynn, a widowed farmer from Kilcoran, died aged 82 years. On 14th April 1887 Daniel Daly, a widowed farmer of Kilcoran, died aged 95 years.[107] Born about 1792 Daniel Daly would possibly have heard stories of the 1798 Rebellion, the 1801 Act of Union, the 1815 defeat of Napoleon, followed the monster meeting of Daniel O’Connell, experience the Great Famine, heard of the 1867 Fenian uprising and wonder what Charles Parnell could do for Ireland.
On 9th February 1888 Maurice Shea, a married Kilcoran farmer, died aged 79 years. On 3rd March 1888 Eliza Griffin, a labourer’s daughter, died aged 2 years. On 5th March 1880 Margaret Prendergast, a labourer’s widow, died aged 80 years. On 23rd March 1889 Catherine Byrne, a labourer’s daughter, died aged 8 years. On 25th July 1890 Anne Fouhy, a labourer’s widow, died aged 72 years. On 13th June 1891 Patrick Flynn, a farmer’s son of Kilcoran, died aged just 2 months. On 9th November 1891 Mary Howe, a tailor’s wife, died aged 80 years.[108] This is the first time we notice a family in Kilcoran who were not farmers or labourers.
Kilcoran in the 1891 census
In the 1891 census there were thirteen people living in Kilcoran North in three houses. In Kilcoran South there were eighty-six people living in sixteen houses.[109]
People of Kilcoran 1891-1901
On 24th May 1895 Martin Coughlan, a Kilcoran married labourer, died aged 65 years. On 16th October 1895 John Burns of Kilcoran, an unmarried caretaker, died aged 22 years. It is not known what he was caring for. On 13th November 1896 a young daughter of Mr. Waters, a Kilcoran farmer, died after only a few seconds of life. On 24th November 1896 Michael Griffin, a labourer’s son, died aged 4 years. On 29th March 1898 Patrick Flynn, a Kilcoran married farmer, died aged 52 years. On 13th March 1899 Thomas Flynn, an unmarried farmer’s son, died aged 16 years. On 15th March 1899 Hannah Cotter, a farmer’s widow, died aged 58 years. On 29th July 1900 Mary Riordan, a farmer’s widow, died aged 62 years.[110]
Kilcoran in the 1901 census
In the 1901 census there were six people living in two houses in Kilcoran North while in Kilcoran South there were fifty-three people living in fourteen houses.[111] At Kilcoran North lived Margaret Carlington (widow) who rented a house of thatch and mud walls with two rooms from James Morrison and John Prendergast (unemployed blacksmith) had a house of mud walls with a slate roof with two rooms which he rented from Katie Cashman. Neither house reported having any outbuildings. John Prendergast had 5 in family while Margaret lived alone.[112]
In Kilcoran South all the householders said they owned their own houses except Michael Colbert who rented from Andrew Reardan. The householders and building data for Kilcoran South was: Bartholomew Murphy (3 rooms in the house, 4 in the family & 2 outbuildings), Kate Flynn (3 rooms, 6 in family & 3 outbuildings), Patrick Gallagher (4 rooms, 3 in family & 4 outbuildings), John Foote (house unoccupied and no recorded outbuildings), Bartholomew Prendergast (3 rooms, 5 in family & 2 outbuildings), Michael Waters (3 rooms, 7 in family & 7 outbuildings), William Cotter (5 rooms, 1 in family & 5 outbuildings), Patrick Barry (3 rooms, 6 in family & 3 outbuildings), Michael Colbert (1 room, 2 in family & 2 outbuildings), Andrew Reardan (2 rooms, 5 in family & 2 outbuildings), Michael Caples (3 rooms, 4 in family & 2 outbuildings), Charles Bryan (5 rooms, 5 in family & 4 outbuildings), John Griffin (3 rooms, 7 in family & 3 outbuildings), and Thomas Caples (2 rooms, 4 in family & 2 outbuildings).[113] John Griffin said he was a farmer and a shopkeeper.
Kilcoran personalities between 1901 and 1911
On 21st January 1905 Bartholomew Prendergast, an unmarried labourer of Kilcoran, died aged 70 years. On 18th February 1906 Michael Colbert, a married labourer, died aged 60 years. On 14th July 1907 John Prendergast, a Kilcoran blacksmith, died aged 62 years. On 11th January 1910 Mary Anne Cotter died aged 8 months, a farmer’s daughter.[114]
Kilcoran in the 1911 census
In the 1911 census there were fifty-two people (30 male and 22 female) living in thirteen houses with 39 outbuildings. There was nobody living in Kilcoran North. The rateable valuation was £50 10s for Kilcoran North and £222 10s for Kilcoran South, both down since the 1881 census.[115] Thomas Caples had two rooms in his house, four in his family and one outbuilding. John Griffin (3 rooms, 5 in family & 4 outbuildings), Charles Bryan (5 rooms, 5 in family & 4 outbuildings), Michael Caples (3 rooms, 4 in family & 2 outbuildings), John Flynn (3 rooms, 2 in family & 3 outbuildings), Patrick Gallagher (3 rooms, 4 in family & 4 outbuildings), Eliza McGrath (4 rooms, 4 in family & 2 outbuildings), Mary Prendergast (4 rooms, 4 in family & 1 outbuilding), Bartholomew Murphy (4 rooms, 3 in family & 3 outbuildings), Michael Waters (3 rooms, 5 in family & 5 outbuildings), Margaret Colbert (2 rooms, I in family & 1 outbuilding), Patrick Barry (3 rooms, 5 in family & 5 outbuildings) and William Cotter (4 rooms, 6 in family & 4 outbuildings). All the householders said they owned their own houses.[116]
Kilcoran people after 1911
On 11th June 1911 John Griffin, a married farmer, died aged 81 years. On 23rd December 1913 Patrick Griffin, an unmarried labourer, died aged 30 years. On 26th November 1914 Hannah Cotter, a farmer’s daughter, died aged 10 years. On 30th March 1915 Katherine Gallagher, a farmer’s wife, died aged 55 years. On 3rd June 1919 Margaret Colbert, a labourer’s widow, died aged 85 years. On 2nd May 1922 Michael Caples, a Kilcoran labourer, died aged 84 years. On 27th April 1923 Margaret Caples, his widow, died aged 82 years.[117]
After the Dáil approved of the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, a large part of the army broke away with the beginning of a civil war in June 1922. The Free State forces quickly pushed the Anti-Treaty forces into Munster where they had declared as the Munster Republic (that area south-west of the Limerick/Waterford line). The Free State organised a series of sea borne landings which in quick time retook most of the towns in Munster and forced the Anti-Treaty forces into the countryside by the end of August 1922. Yet there was still unrest and lawless across the land. On 6th September 1922 persons unknown stole ten cattle from Charles Bryan of Kilcoran. In August 1923 Charles filed a petition for compensation with the Department of Finance (the result is unknown).[118] On 6th September 1925 Thomas Bryan, an unmarried farmer’s son of Kilcoran South, died aged 26 years. On 2nd March 1926 Sarah Bryan, a farmer’s wife, died aged 63 years.[119] On 19th January 1927 Cecil Bryan was born at Kilcoran and lived until his ninetieth year.[120]
On 4th March 1928 William Cotter, an unmarried farmer’s son, died aged 13 years. On 29th April 1928 Hannah McGrath, an unmarried labourer’s daughter, died aged 45 years. On 3rd February 1930 Mary Prendergast, a labourer’s widow, died aged 76 years. On 8th February 1930 Michael Barry, an unmarried farmer’s son, died aged just 32 days. On 4th August 1930 Nora Griffin, an unmarried farmer’s sister, died aged 33 years. On 27th December 1930 Margaret Murphy, a labourer’s widow, died aged 94 years. On 15th January 1931 Johannah Griffin, an unmarried farmer’s daughter, died aged 7 years. On 26th October 1931 Mary Caples, a farmer’s wife, died aged 88 years. On 9th May 1938 Thomas Caples, a widowed labourer, died aged 94 years. On 16th January 1939 Nora Griffin, a farmer’s widow, died aged 88 years. On 23rd March 1939 Patrick Gallagher, a widowed farmer, died aged 77 years.[121]
In April 1943 there was a double tragedy in Kilcoran when Michael Kenneally, a labourer, died on the 19th, aged 78 years and the next day his wife, Margaret, died aged 73 years. On 9th May 1947 Bartholomew Kenneally, a farmer’s son, died aged just 4 weeks. On 1st August 1947 Cornelius Barry, a married farmer in Kilcoran South, died aged 61 years. He was originally from Bartlemy.[122] Also in Kilcoran South was an unrelated Barry family that had two priests among its members: Fr. Patrick Barry and Fr. John Barry, sons of Michael Barry and Hannah Brackett. Both served as priests in South Africa before John went in 1968 to serve in parishes in California, USA.[123]
On 1st July 1960 Bridget Beecher, widow of a farm labourer, died aged 77 years. On 3rd May 1968 John O’Flynn of Kilcoran died aged 87 years as a widowed farmer. On 1st May 1975 Martin Coughlan, a married labourer, died aged 62 years. On 13th August 1984 Nora Hannon, a butcher’s widow, died aged 77 years. On 4th April 1985 William Cashman of Kilcoran died aged 66 years as a married farmer.[124]
Kilcoran G.A.A. in 1927
In 1927 a hurling team was formed in Kilcoran from local residents and surrounding areas which competed in games against a team from Currabeha called the John Mitchell’s and teams from Glencairn and Conna. The Kilcoran team was called the ‘Kill-me-Deads’ and they met in a field to the east of Beecher’s shop at Donoghue’s Cross, now called Kenneally’s Cross, where the road from the south met the ridgeway road running east-west. Frank Daly of Ballyduff made the hurleys and the sliotars or hurling balls, were made by Hallys of Monagown or Johnny Crowley. The team consisted of Denis Canning, Joe Canning, Bill Canning, Dan Caples, Micky Caples, Martin Coughlan, Michael Coughlan, Tommy Feeney, Edward Flynn, Paddy Flynn, Tom Flynn, Michael Hickey, Jim Kenneally, Dave Pearse, Joe Pearse, Mike Pearse and Pierrie Walsh.[125]
Kilcoran in 1935 and 1945
In 1935 Michael Beecher had a shop while Fred Bryan operated a threshing machine as well as being a farmer. Both appear to have entered their respective businesses since 1925 as they were not recorded in that year.[126] In 1945 the principal farmers of Kilcoran were given as F. Bryan, C. Barry, M. Barry, and James Kenneally. Michael Beecher had a shop in Kilcoran North, in the house later lived in by Mr. King (former proprietor of Glencairn Inn), and second (from the east) of a row of five houses.[127]
Near the shop of Mick and Bridgie Beecher dances were held at Kilcoran Cross, also known as O’Donoghue’s Cross and Kenneally’s Cross. A temporary stage was erected on Sunday nights with Jim O’Sullivan from Ballyduff providing the music. On the road south of Kilcoran Cross lived Nelly Flynn who rode race horses one of whom was called ‘Merry Boy’.[128]
Kilcoran in the mid twentieth century
One of the houses in Kilcoran South, occupied in the late twentieth century by Dave Feeney, was previously the home of Bill Murphy. He was a carman by trade and worked mainly at Bride Valley Stores in Tallow transporting coal and timber between Janeville Quay and Tallow. Elsewhere Jim Kenneally, a farmer in Kilcoran South, would supplement his income by carting milk from the local farmers to Conna creamery. Among the staff at Conna creamery was Jimmy Barry from Kilcoran South. One of the early shareholders of Conna creamery was John Flynn of Kilcoran South.[129]
In 1972 the Conna Guild of Muintir na Tire decided to changed the organisational structure to that of an elected Community Council with members elected from the different areas in the parish and representing Kilcoran were Christopher Kenneally and Paddy Barry.[130]
Kilcoran in late twentieth century
In the late twentieth century the land of Kilcoran North and South was owned by various farmers and householders with attached gardens. Kilcoran South had eight farms of varied size, mostly with a southern aspect along with ten dwelling houses with attached gardens. Kilcoran North had two farms and six dwelling houses with attached gardens.
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[1] Anon, Conna in History and Tradition (Conna, 1998), p. 397
[2] Anon, St. Catherine Parish: Conna, Ballynoe, Glengoura; A Christian Heritage (Conna, 2000), pp. 26, 27
[3] Anon, St. Catherine Parish, p. 48
[4] Patrick Power, Crichad an Chaoilli being the topography of ancient Fermoy (Cork, 1932), p. 68; Anon, Conna in History and Tradition, p. 370
[5] Power, Crichad an Chaoilli being the topography of ancient Fermoy, p. 68
[6] Paul MacCotter, Medieval Ireland: Territorial, Political and Economic Divisions (Dublin, 2008), p. 266
[7] Paul MacCotter, A history of the medieval diocese of Cloyne (Blackrock, Dublin, 2013), p. 42
[8] Paul MacCotter & Kenneth Nicholls (eds.), Richard Caulfield, The Pipe Roll of Cloyne (Cloyne, 1996), pp. 161, 162
[9] Kenneth Nicholls, ‘The development of lordship in County Cork, 1300-1600’, in P. O’Flanagan & C. Buttimer (eds.), Cork History and Society (Dublin, 1993), pp. 157-211, at pp. 176, 204, note 133
[10] Nicholls, ‘The development of lordship in County Cork, 1300-1600’, pp. 157-211, at p. 204, note 134
[11] Nicholls, ‘The development of lordship in County Cork, 1300-1600’, pp. 157-211, at p. 186
[12] John T. Collins, ‘Fiants of Queen Elizabeth relating to the City and County of Cork’, in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, Vol. XLI (1936), pp. 29-36, at p. 31
[13] Rev. Alexander Grosart (ed.), The Lismore Papers (second series), viz. selections from the private and public (or state) correspondence of Sir Richard Boyle, First and ‘Great’ Earl of Cork (4 vols. London, 1887), vol. II, p. 42
[14] John T. Collins, ‘Fiants of Queen Elizabeth relating to the City and County of Cork’, in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, Vol. XLV (1940), pp. 127-135, at p. 130
[15] Grosart (ed.), The Lismore Papers (2nd series), viz. private and public (or state) letters, vol. II, p. 40
[16] Grosart (ed.), The Lismore Papers (2nd series), viz. private and public (or state) letters, vol. II, p. 41
[17] Grosart (ed.), The Lismore Papers (2nd series), viz. private and public (or state) letter, vol. II, p. 43
[18] Grosart (ed.), The Lismore Papers (2nd series), viz. private and public (or state) letters, vol. II, p. 47
[19] Albert Eugene Casey & Thomas O’Dowling (eds.), OKief, Coshe Many, Slieve Loughter and Upper Blackwater (15 vols. Wisconsin, 1964), vol. 6, p. 360
[20] Collins, ‘Fiants of Queen Elizabeth of Cork’, in the J.C.H.A.S., Vol. XLV (1940), pp. 127-135, at p. 134
[21] Rev. C.W. Russell & John Prendergast (eds.), Calendar of State Papers, Ireland, James 1, 1608-1610 (London, 1874, reprint Liechtenstein, 1974), p. 225
[22] Russell & Prendergast (eds.), Calendar of State Papers, Ireland, James 1, 1608-1610, pp. 21, 70, 114, 126
[23] Grosart (ed.), The Lismore Papers (2nd series), viz. private and public (or state) letters, vol. II, p. 102
[24] Rev. Alexander Grosart (ed.), The Lismore Papers (second series), viz. selections from the private and public (or state) correspondence of Sir Richard Boyle, First and ‘Great’ Earl of Cork (4 vols. London, 1887), vol. 1, p. 223
[25] Rev. Alexander Grosart (ed.), The Lismore Papers (first series), viz. autobiographical notes, remembrances and diaries of Sir Richard Boyle, First and ‘Great’ Earl of Cork (5 vols. London, 1886), vol. III, p. 36
[26] Grosart (ed.), The Lismore Papers (1st series), viz. autobiographical notes, vol. III, p. 130
[27] Casey & O’Dowling (eds.), OKief, Coshe Many, Slieve Loughter and Upper Blackwater, vol. 6, p. 498
[28] Anon, Conna in History and Tradition, p. 400
[29] Nicholas Canny, ‘The 1641 Depositions as a source for the writing of social history: County Cork as a case study’, in P. O’Flanagan & C. Buttimer (eds.), Cork History and Society (Dublin, 1993), pp. 249-308, at p. 298
[30] Albert Eugene Casey & Thomas O’Dowling (eds.), OKief, Coshe Many, Slieve Loughter and Upper Blackwater (15 vols. Wisconsin, 1964), vol. 11, p. 935
[31] Anon, Conna in History and Tradition, p. 403
[32] H.F. Morris, ‘The Pynes of Co. Cork revisited’, in The Irish Genealogist, Vol. 9, No. 4 (1997), pp. 494-529, at p. 494
[33] Edith Johnston, History of the Irish Parliament, 1692-1800: Commons, Constituencies and Statutes (6 vols. Belfast, 2002), vol. VI, p. 136
[34] Raymond Refaussé & Heather Smith, ‘W.H. Welply’s Abstracts of Irish Chancery Bills, 1601-1801’, in The Irish Genealogist, Vol. 7, No. 2 (1987), pp. 166-185, at p. 168, numbers 25, 26, 28
[35] Joanna Lafter, ‘The Will of Katherine Maynwaring: An Autobiographical Reading’, in Biography, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Spring 1997), pp. 156-180, at p. 176, note 17
[36] Johnston, History of the Irish Parliament, 1692-1800, vol. VI, p. 136
[37] Lafter, ‘The Will of Katherine Maynwaring’, pp. 156-180, at pp. 159, 160
[38] Lafter, ‘The Will of Katherine Maynwaring’, pp. 156-180, at pp. 156, 177, note 24
[39] Lafter, ‘The Will of Katherine Maynwaring’, pp. 156-180, at p. 157
[40] Registry of Deeds, Ireland, Vol. 229, Page 286,Memorial 150414, dated 23rd April 1764
[41] Griffith’s Valuation, Co. Tipperary, South Riding, Tubbrid parish
[42] Lafter, ‘The Will of Katherine Maynwaring’, pp. 156-180, at pp. 161, 171
[43] Edith Johnston, History of the Irish Parliament, 1692-1800: Commons, Constituencies and Statutes (6 vols. Belfast, 2002), vol. III, p. 395, 399
[44] www.dib.ie/biography/cavendish-sir-henry-a1574 (accessed on 6th September 2022)
[45] Debrett’s Peerage, 1901, p. 810
[46] T.A. Barry, ‘The Famine, No. 68, December 1846’, in The Avondhu Newspaper, December 1998
[47] Pigot’s Directory, 1824, Fermoy
[48] National Archives of Ireland, Genealogy online, Tithe Applotment Books, Briscoe, County Cork
[49] Fermoy parish, Church of Ireland Registry
[50] Casey & O’Dowling (eds.), OKief, Coshe Many, Slieve Loughter and Upper Blackwater, vol. 6, p. 1728
[51] Fermoy parish, Church of Ireland Registry
[52] Griffith’s Valuation, Fermoy, Co. Cork; Memorial Fiddown Church, Co. Kilkenny
[53] Guy’s Postal Directory, 1875, Fermoy
[54] Casey & O’Dowling (eds.), OKief, Coshe Many, Slieve Loughter and Upper Blackwater, vol. 6, p. 1728
[55] Brian Gurrin, Kerby Miller & Liam Kennedy (eds.), The Irish Religious Censuses of the 1760s: Catholics and Protestants in Eighteenth-Century Ireland (Dublin, 2022), p. 268
[56] Gurrin, Miller & Kennedy (eds.), The Irish Religious Censuses of the 1760s, p. 58
[57] Anon, Conna in History and Tradition, pp. 26, 54 and back-piece
[58] National Archives of Ireland, Tithe Applotment Books, Kilcoran, Knockmourne parish, PDF 004625689_00198
[59] National Archives of Ireland, Genealogy Online, Tithe Applotment Books, Co. Cork, Knockmourne, Kilcoran
[60] Griffith’s Valuation, Kilcoran South, Knockmourne parish, Condons & Clangibbon barony, Co. Cork
[61] Tim Cadogan (ed.), Lewis’ Cork: a topographical dictionary of the parishes, towns and villages of Cork City and County (Wilton, 1998), p. 327
[62] British Parliamentary Papers, Vol. XCI, 1851 census, Leinster & Munster, p. 446
[63] British Parliamentary Papers, Reports relative to the Valuations for Poor Rates and to the Registered Elective Franchise in Ireland (London, 1841), pp. 111, 112
[64] British Parliamentary Papers, Reports relative to the Valuations for Poor Rates, pp. 82, 94
[65] British Parliamentary Papers, Reports relative to the Valuations for Poor Rates, pp. 134 (says ten), 137 (says fourteen)
[66] Anon, Conna in History and Tradition, p. 88
[67] www.registers.nil.ie Catholic Parish registers, Conna, microfilm 04996/05, 16th December 1845 to 16th January 1889, March 1846
[68] National Archives of Ireland, Genealogy online, Valuation Office Books, Kilcoran South
[69] National Archives of Ireland, Genealogy online, Valuation Office Books, Kilcoran South, John Griffin, PDF IRE_Cenusu_1821_51_007246790_01051
[70] National Archives of Ireland, Genealogy online, Valuation Office Books, Kilcoran South, John Cahill, PDF IRE_Cenusu_1821_51_007246790_01054
[71] National Archives of Ireland, Genealogy online, Valuation Office Books, Kilcoran South, Mary Nagle, PDF IRE_Cenusu_1821_51_007246790_01049
[72] National Archives of Ireland, Genealogy online, Valuation Office Books, Kilcoran South, John Griffin, PDF IRE_Cenusu_1821_51_007246790_01051
[73] National Archives of Ireland, Genealogy online, Valuation Office Books, Kilcoran North, Michael Daly, PDF IRE_Cenusu_1821_51_007246790_01046
[74] British Parliamentary Papers, Vol. XCI, 1851 census, Leinster & Munster, p. 446
[75] Griffith’s Valuation, Kilcoran North, Knockmourne parish, Condons & Clangibbon barony, Co. Cork
[76] Griffith’s Valuation, Kilcoran South, Knockmourne parish, Condons & Clangibbon barony, Co. Cork
[77] Griffith’s Valuation, Glenagurteen and Waterpark, Lismore & Mocollop parish, Condons & Clangibbon barony, Co. Cork
[78] Anon, Conna in History and Tradition, p. 338
[79] Thom’s Irish Who’s Who (Dublin, 1923), Captain Francis Kearney
[80] Perrymead Cemetery, Row A, C1, grave of Captain Francis Kearney, www.batharchives.co.uk PDF of section C of Perrymead with notes, Bath Record office
[81] British Parliamentary Papers, Owners of one acres and upwards, 1871, p. 127
[82] www.landedestates.ie/Young(Leemount) (accessed on 5th September 2022)
[83] Irish Chancery Reports, Volume 16 (Dublin, 1866), p. 3
[84] Mercantile Navy List, 1868, p. 233
[85] Duchas, Schools Folklore Commission, www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4921828/4909843/5182 (accessed 5th September 2022)
[86] Faulkiner’s Journal, 25th August 1848
[87] British Parliamentary Papers, Census of Ireland for the year 1881, Munster, Cork, p. 155
[88] www.registers.nil.ie Catholic Parish registers, Conna, microfilm 04996/05, 16th December 1845 to 16th January 1881, April, 1861; August 1861; June 1863
[89] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records (Conna, 2005), pp. 237, 238
[90] www.registers.nil.ie Catholic Parish registers, Conna, microfilm 04996/05, 16th December 1845 to 16th January 1881, May 1867
[91] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 239, 240
[92] www.registers.nil.ie Catholic Parish registers, Conna, microfilm 04996/05, 16th December 1845 to 16th January 1881, November 1868, February 1869, March 1869
[93] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 241, 242
[94] British Parliamentary Papers, Census of Ireland for the year 1871, Munster, Cork, p. 155
[95] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 243, 244
[96] www.registers.nil.ie Catholic Parish registers, Conna, microfilm 04996/05, 16th December 1845 to16th January 1881, December 1871, February 1872
[97] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, p. 244, 246, 247
[98] www.registers.nil.ie Catholic Parish registers, Conna, microfilm 04996/05, 16th December 1845 to16th January 1881, December 1874
[99] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, p. 245
[100] www.registers.nil.ie Catholic Parish registers, Conna, microfilm 04996/05, 16th December 1845 to16th January 1881, March 1875, May 1875, August 1875, January 1876, June 1876
[101] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 248, 251, 252, 253
[102] British Parliamentary Papers, Census of Ireland for the year 1881, Munster, Cork, p. 155
[103] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, p. 254
[104] www.registers.nil.ie Catholic Parish registers, Conna, microfilm 04996/05, 16th December 1845 to16th January 1881, November 1880
[105] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 255, 256
[106] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, p. 257; Griffith’s Valuation, Kilcoran South, Knockmourne parish, Condons and Clangibbon barony, Co. Cork
[107] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 257, 260
[108] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 261, 262, 263, 264
[109] British Parliamentary Papers, Census of Ireland for the year 1911, Munster, Cork, p. 53
[110] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 268, 269, 270, 271, 272
[111] British Parliamentary Papers, Census of Ireland for the year 1911, Munster, Cork, p. 53
[112] National Archives of Ireland, Census 1901 online, Kilcoran North, Form B: house and building return
[113] National Archives of Ireland, Census 1901 online, Kilcoran South, Form B: house and building return
[114] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 276, 277, 279
[115] British Parliamentary Papers, Census of Ireland for the year 1911, Munster, Cork, p. 53
[116] National Archives of Ireland, Census 1911 online, Kilcoran South, Form B: house and building return
[117] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 280, 281, 282, 285, 286, 287
[118] National archives of Ireland, FIN/COMP/2/4/2123, Charles Bryan, Kilcoran, County Cork
[119] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, p. 288
[120] The Avondhu Newspaper, 25th October 1927
[121] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 289, 290, 291, 294
[122] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 296, 298
[123] Anon, St. Catherine Parish, p. 67
[124] Anon, Conna Parish Death Records, pp. 302, 304, 306, 308
[125] Anon, Conna in History and Tradition, p. 347
[126] Anon, Conna in History and Tradition, pp. 388, 390
[127] Anon, Conna in History and Tradition, pp. 391, 392, 393
[128] Anon, Conna in History and Tradition, p. 337
[129] Anon, Conna in History and Tradition, pp. 153, 167, 168, 339
[130] Anon, Conna in History and Tradition, p. 141
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