Ballycahane/Baile Uí Chatháin

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This townland information is currently under construction and is unfinished. Any information that you have would be gratefully accepted at [email protected]

Baile Uí Chatháin or Ballycahane is a townland of 50 hectares or 124 acres and in the early part of the 20th century, 57 individual fields were mapped in this townland.

It is in the Electoral Division of Castlehaven North, in Civil Parish of Castlehaven and the Roman Catholic Parish of Castlehaven and Myross.

Baile Uí Chatháin is bordered by An Glaisín Álainn (Glasheenaulin) to the east, An Gort Breac (Gortbrack) to the north and An Scoth Bhán (Scobaun) to the west.

OpenStreetmap contributors, with input from the Castlehaven & Myross History Society, have created a detailed townland map including all its minor placenames. Zoom in for further detail.

Etymology

Baile Uí Chatháin was interpreted by Bruno O'Donoghue as O'Kane's land/town or Keane's land/town.

History

Housing

As part of Griffiths Valuation in 1853, a survey of house quality was carried out to calculate what rates were due by each household. These were issued in 1850 in the form of house books and a guide on how to interpret these can be seen here. These show that all 7 houses in the townland at that time were class 3. This means that they were thatched houses with stone walls with mud or puddle mortar. Six are described as being old (more than 25 years) with four being in repair, one out of repair while the other is dilapidated and scarcely habitable. The other house is described as medium (not old), deteriorated by age and not in perfect repair. All of the houses in the townland at this time are between 5 foot (!) and 7 foot 6 inches tall which indicates that they are probably single storey at this time.

By the 1901 census, there were still seven occupied houses and all had walls of stone, brick or concrete with one having a roof of slate, iron or tiles while the other six were thatched. All seven houses had two, three or four rooms with two windows in front (which indicates that they were probably still single storey).

When we advance to the 1911 census there are just five occupied houses in this townland and, not surprisingly, all still have walls of stone, brick or concrete. Four now have roofs of slate, iron or tiles while the other is still thatched. Four houses have two, three or four rooms with two having two windows in front (which indicates that they were probably still single storey) and te other two having five windows. The final house has five or six rooms with five windows in front.

Places of Interest

Sandy Cove:

There are no sites listed in this townland listed in the Historic Environment Viewer.

Interesting Placenames

A placename of interest is Poll a' Choire which is the cove that sits on the boundary between Glasheenaulin and Ballycahane. There are two local interpretations. One is that it is the pool of the cauldron/ amphitheatre, deep mountain hollow/whirlpool (given as Poll a' Choire) while the other is that it is the sheep's hole (Poll a' Chaora) as there was a local story of sheep being washed here. There is another cove that sits on the boder between Ballycahane and Scobaun. This is known as Cuas an tSrutháin which can be interpreted as the cove of the stream

Two roads that run through this townland are known as Johnny Mickey's and Bóthar an Gleanna (the glen road)

Field names in this townlnd have been captured as follows: Barna Deoite (burnt gap), The Middle Chlais (middle field), Cra-Vat Filed (?), Gairdín Sheila (Sheila's garden - not known who Sheila was), Commonage, Lochán Mór?

If you want to see the actual locations of any of these, go to detailed townland map on Open Street Maps. If you know any other field names or placenames in this townland (or if you need to correct any or give further background information), please contact us at [email protected]

Folklore

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Families and Notable Residents

The Tithe Applotment books of 1825 list the following family names: Leary & Keohane (?), Counihan(?), Conna, Connolly & Sullivan

Griffiths Valuation of 1853 lists the following family names: Sullivan, Daly, Mahony, Taylor, Leary, Leary, Leary

The Census of Ireland of 1901 lists the following family names: Leary, Leary, Sullivan, Sullivan, Dwyer, Driscoll, Taylor

The Census of Ireland of 1911 lists the following family names: Driscoll, Barry, Dwyer, Sullivan (with Hourihane (mother-in-law)),

Note: the term 'with' refers to a person or persons of a different family name staying in the house. This may have been an in-law or other relative, a guest, or a farm labourer/housekeeper or domestic servant.

Demographics and Landholding

		*Occupiers	Population	Change	Link to record
1825	Tithe Applotment	6	48 (est)		1825
1841	Census of Ireland	11	81
1851	Census of Ireland	8	45
1853	Griffith's Valuation	7	42 (est)		1853
1861	Census of Ireland	9	49
1871	Census of Ireland	9	51
1881	Census of Ireland	9	47
1891	Census of Ireland	7	34
1901	Census of Ireland	7	32		1901
1911	Census of Ireland	5	26		1911

*Occupiers generally equate to households having a house and land but may also include households having houses but no land.

Between 1656 and 1658 the Down Survey mapped all areas of the country to track ownership of land after much had been granted to followers of Cromwell after the war of the 1650's..The most prominent proprietor (titulado) of this townland at that time was Daniel O'Donovane and also O'Donovane. This townland was part of Gortbrack & Ballycahen at that time.

The proprietor of this townland in 1841 was Colonel John Townsend of Castletownshend and his agent was Charles Clarke of Skibbereen. One half was sub-let to John Attridge of Glasheenaulin and Phillip Attridge of Carrigfadda, Skibbereen and sub-let to tenants without a lease while the other half was also held by tenants without a lease.

In 1841 the soil was described coarse, rocky and half middling arable, producing light crops of wheat, oats and potatoes.