Cill Achaidh Aingle

Cill Achaidh Aingle or Killangal is a townland of 137 hectares or 340 acres and in the early part of the 20th century, 108 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.

Cill Achaidh Aingle is bordered by Carraig Tí Seáin (Carrigtishane) and Baile an Chaisleáin (Castletownshend) to the east, Faiche Úrach (Fahouragh) and Na Garráin (Gurranes) to the south, An Currach Beag (Currabeg) and An Ráithín (Raheen) to the west and Fornocht (Forenaght) to the north.

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

Cill Achaidh Aingle can be interpreted as the church of the angel's field. Local pronunciation is Cill a Cheangail and Bruno O'Donoghue interpreted this as the church of the covenant/binding. Another interpretation is Cill Aingil (church of the angel) or Cill Cheangail (Ceangal's church).

It should be noted that Langley's height in the adjoining townland of Gurranes is thought to be named after an Angley (Aingle) family that is now extinct. Thus it is possible that Cill Achaidh Aingle might be interpreted as the church of Aingle's field

History

Linen Factory: According to Bruno O'Donoghue, there was a linen factory in this townland at one time. It is also referenced in the Schools Collection where an article mentions that traces of the old houses that were thought to house the linen workers could still be seen. It also mentions that there was no trace of the factory but it was thought to be in Killangal

Forge:

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 (Pg 1, Pg 2) and a guide on how to interpret these can be seen here. These show that 11 of the 15 houses in the townland at that time were class 3. This means that they were thatched with stone walls with mud or puddle mortar. Ten of the eleven were described as old (more than 25 years) with six being in repair and four being out of repair while the other class 3 house was described as medium (not new), deteriorated by age and not in perfect repair. The other four houses in the townland were class 1. This means that they were slated and built with stone or brick and lime mortar. Three of the class 1 houses are described as medium (not new) with one being in sound order and in good repair while the other two are slightly decayed but in good repair. The final class 1 house is decribed as old, dilapidated, and scarcely habitable.. The class 3 houses are between 5 foot and 8 foot tall while the class 1 houses are between 5 foot 6 inches and 8 foot tall at the time. This indicates that most houses, if not all, were single storey at this time.

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

When we advance to the 1911 census there was a slight increase to seven occupied houses in this townland and all have walls of stone, brick or concrete with roofs of slate, iron or tiles. Four houses were now listed as having two, three or four rooms with two having two windows in front (which indicates that they were probably still single storey) while the other two had three and five windows respectively. The other three houses had five or six rooms with five windows in front.

Places of Interest

Keeladagneeve Stream: This is a stream that forms the boundary between Killangal and Forenaght. Its name comes from Caol a dá Ghníomh (stream of two gneeves)

Mill Race:

Old Road from Castletownshend to Skibbereen

Old Chapel and Graveyard

Killangal Cross

Polroideen Stream

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

Interesting Placenames

Besides the places mentioned above, we have also mapped the following field names in this townland: The Pony Field, The Bog Field, The Mountain Field, The White Field

Some raods that run through this townland are known as Castletownshend Road, Brown's Railway, Factory Hill (on way to Rineen) and Fitz's Boreen. Some of the crossroads in this townland are River's Cross, Brien's Cross and Bleaches Cross.

There is a well known as Lil Daly's well - as she used to draw water from here

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

Waterfall: It is said that when the sound of the waterfall in Currabeg (Poll Radairí) can be heard in Killahangil, it is a sure sign of frost.

Peig's Pot: In the old days a great many people could tell the time by the sun. Watches and clocks were not very plentiful and people knew the time by the position of the shadows. In the morning the sun's rays fell on a certain mark on the floor or wall, and the shadow of the chimney on some place outside showed midday. In the evening the shadow of the chimney on some part of the roof told the old people the time.An old woman in Kilaingil was called Peig na Corcán because she had a broken pot with three legs on top of a stick in the haggard. She could tell the time very correctly from the way the sun made shadows with the broken edges of the pot. The shadows thrown by the legs of the pot also helped her to get the time.

Families and Notable Residents

The Tithe Applotment books of 1825 list the following family names: Blackstaff & Fitzgerald, Driscoll, Fitzgerald, Mahoney, Brown, Mahoney & Sullivan, Keohane, Carthy

Griffiths Valuation of 1853 lists the following family names: McCarthy, Brown, Brown, Hennessy, Byrnes, Brown, Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald, Mahony, Mahony, Sullivan, Driscoll, Swanton, Carthy. In addition, the following families leased land only: Townsend, Swanton, Chambers. Also Jeremiah Hennessy had a smithy in this townland.

The Census of Ireland of 1901 lists the following family names: Donovan (with Regan (step-son and wife's niece)), Hennessy, Browne, Browne, Mahony, Fitzgerald

The Census of Ireland of 1911 lists the following family names: Donovan, Hennessy, Browne, Browne, Mahony, Fitzgerald, Scully

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	8	45 (est)		1825
1841	Census of Ireland	0	0
1851	Census of Ireland	16 (Incl. 1 unoccupied)	90
1853	Griffith's Valuation	15 (Incl. 1 unoccupied)	85 (est)		1853
1861	Census of Ireland	10	64
1871	Census of Ireland	9	64
1881	Census of Ireland	9	77
1891	Census of Ireland	8 (Incl. 1 unoccupied)	56
1901	Census of Ireland	7 (Incl. 1 unoccupied)	36		1901
1911	Census of Ireland	7	42		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 Donnall Callahane. This townland was know as Sleughteige & Kiltangly at that time .

The proprietor of this townland in 1841 was Colonel John Townsend of Castletownshend and his agent was Charles Clarke of Skibbereen. It was all held by tenants wthout a lease.

In 1841 the soil was described as part coarse, with the arable part producing middling crops of potatoes, wheat and oats.