Cuas Chróinín

Cuas Chróinín or Cooscroneen or Cos Chróinín as it was called by the locals for centuries is a townland of 50 hectares / 124 acres and in the early part of the 20th century, 92 individual fields were mapped in this townland.

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

Cuas Chróinín is bordered by Ardráth (Ardra) to the east, Baile na Tóna (Ballinatona) and An Chathair Gheal (Cahergal) to the west and Míros (Myross) to the south.

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

Cuas Chróinín can be interpreted as Cronin’s creek or cove. This is the interpretation given by Bruno O'Donoghue who mentions that O'Cróinín was an old Corcalee surname An alternative interpretation by older people was Cos Chróinín which translates as Cronin's leg. The northern side of this townland is a narrow strip of land, resembling a foot, wedged in between Cahergal and Ballinatona and extending into Loch Cluichir. At the time of the Down Survey (1656-1658), the name of this townland was given as Carrigeronin which might be interpreted as Cronin's rock (or maybe the rock of the small seal). At that time it was a sub-townland of a bigger townland called Knocknahilly. O' Donoghue also mentions a sub-townland called Méadal, which means a paunch or stomach. The name is based on the topography of the area - hilly and rocky and protruding like a belly - overlooking the bog and the road to Squince. The Méadal encompasses parts of Ballinatona and Cooscroneen.

History

Bishop's Grave: In this townland stands a stone which is said to mark a bishop's grave. The stone is approximately 2' x 1.25' and is about 1.25 feet tall. it is set in a mound which measures 11' x 3'. There are two crosses inscribed on the stone. The cross on the western face of the stone lies within a circle of 8 inches diameter, and has its shaft and cross piece of the same dimensions. The cross has expanded ends, reminiscent of a Maltese cross. The site is known as the "Bishop's Grave" but nothing is known of the bishop. People used to go to pray at the site within living memory, but this practice has now died out.

School: Cooscroneen National School was a two-storey school and was built circa 1840, on the shores of Loch Cluichir at a cost of £175 - 10s. It had two rooms measuring 34 feet by 40 feet and was meant to accommodate 200 pupils. Well-known local Fenian, Bartholomew O' Brien, taught there before being incarcerated in Cork Gaol. It was replaced by a newer and larger school in Cahergal in 1885.. Soon after its closure the building disappeared overnight and all that remains now is the boundary wall.

Shop: There was also a shop in this townland but this has been closed for many years.

Coastguard Station: In the 19th century there was a coastguard station perched on the hillside overlooking Squince Harbour with commanding views over Rabbit Island and the surrounding seas.

Famine: The book, The Famine Story" lists the men from this townland that were working on the Myross Relief Scheme on 28th August 1846 during the Great Famine. These were public works that involved hard labour for a low wage for a workforce that were already weak and starving. The names were as follows: Denis Collins, Cornelius McSweeney, Daniel Burke, Laurence Daly

Copper: Explorations in search of copper took place along the cliffs in the past but nothing of significance was found. There were said to be underground passges in this townland and these were possibly used for this exploration of copper.

Storms: In 1942, around Christmas time, a freak wave flooded the houses in Squince. A low sea wall was built after this incident in 1943.

Children used to play in a tunnel which went from Cuas Dubh to under Nagle’s house. This was blocked up in the 1962 storm. The wall which currently stands in Squince was built as a response to this storm. It was completed in 1969.

Lough Cluhir: There are a number of stories in relation to Lough Cluhir. It is said that it was created by St. Bridget after she was refused milk by a local chieftain. It was also said that there was an ollphéíst (monster) that lived in the lake. Click here for further information

Magical Ship: It is said that a magical ship is seen on Lough Cluichir every seven years. It was also said that Íomhar O'Donnabháin (from Castle Ivor) rode a white horse around the lake on every full moon.

Enchanted Palace It is said that Ivor O'Donovan still lives in Lough Cluhir in an enchanted palace deep beneath the lake

Housing

As part of Griffiths Valuation in 1852, a survey of house quality was carried out to calculate what rates were due by each household. These were issued 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 six of the twelve occupied 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. All six of these were described as old (more than 25 years) with one being in repair and five being out of repair. The remaining six houses were class 1 which meant that they were built with stone or brick and lime mortar. All of these were described as medium (not new) with three being in sound order and good repair, two being slightly decayed, but in good repair while the other was deteriorated by age and not in perfect repair. All of the class 3 houses in the townland at this time are between 5 foot 9 inches (!) and 6 foot 9 inches tall which indicates that they are single storey at this time. The class 1 houses are between 7 foot and 16 foot inches tall. There was also a Coast Guard Watch station in Cahergal at this time

By the 1901 census there are now just 10 occupied houses and all have walls of stone, brick or concrete. Five have a roof of slate, iron or tiles while the other five are still thatched. Eight houses have two, three or four rooms with six having just two windows in front (which indicate that they are probably still single storey at this time) while the other two have three and five windows in front respectively. The other two houses have five or six rooms with one having five windows in front while the other has six.

When we advance to the 1911 census there are just nine occupied houses and all still have walls of stone, brick or concrete. Five still have a roof of slate, iron or tiles while the other four are thatched. Seven houses have two, three or four rooms with five having just two windows in front (which indicate that they are probably still single storey at this time) while the other two have three and five windows in front respectively. The other two houses have five or six rooms with both having six windows in front.

Places of Interest

Harbour: Squince Harbour is in this townland

Lake: There is a Lake called Lough Cluichir in this townland. It is said that a magical ship is seen on this lake every seven years. It was also said that a man rode a white horse around the lake on every full moon.

Lios: There is a ringfort (lios) in this townland.. A ringfort is a circular fortified settlement that were mainly built during the Bronze age up to about the year 1000.

Boundary: A stream flowing into Loch Cluichir forms the boundary between the townlands of Cahergal and Cooscroneen. In the early 20th century this stream was used for soaking flax.

Interesting Placenames

Other old field names in this townland have been captured as follows: Páirc na h-Uladh (field of the pilgrims - the Bishop's Grave is in this field), Siolán, The Croc, An Chlais Fhada (long field), Cathair na Saighdiúr (soldier's chair), Carraig Mhór, (big rock), Páirc na Coille (described by Lankford as the field of the ruin), Garraidhe Han, Garrán West, Garrán East, The Leaca (slope, Páirc na Coise (described by Lankford as the field at the foot of the hill), Cúilín Cann (described by Lankford as a small bit of ground), The Leaca Mhór (big sloping field), An Bán Garbh (Lankford logged this as an Tharn Garbh but the adjoining house is called the Bán Garbh (rough pasture))

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 place names in this townland (or if you need to correct any or give further background information), please contact us at [email protected]

Folklore

School: Local legend states that the school in Cooscroneen had to be closed as the fairies occupied the building the minute the pupils left and it was not safe for anyone to be in it as chairs and desks were thrown around the room.

Families and Notable Residents

The Tithe Applotment books of 1829 list the following family names: Donovan, Casey, Sullivan, Browne, Glaveen (alternate/sept name for O' Donoghue, Burke, Howen, Donovan Reagh, Sullivan, Bawn ( alternate/sept name for Donovan or Driscoll) Sullivan, Collins

Griffiths Valuation of 1853 lists the following family names: Donegan, Connolly, Donovan (land only), Donoghue, Sullivan, Browne, Nagle (land only), Donovan (office and land only), Stafford, Tindal, Dodge, Sullivan, Dineen (land only). There was also a national school-house (Rev. Timothy Carthy) and a coastguard watch-house

The Census of Ireland of 1901 lists the following family names: Driscoll, Driscoll, Driscoll, Nagle, Driscoll, Dineen, Sullivan, Donegan (with Sweeney (daughter, son-in-law, grand-daughter and 3 x grandsons)), Donegan with Wholy (visitor), Driscoll

The Census of Ireland of 1911 lists the following family names: , Dineen (with Murray (grand-daughter)), Nagle, Driscoll, Donegan (with Mahony (grandson)), Sullivan (with Hayes (daughter)), Driscoll, Donegan (with Sweeney (grandson and grand-daughter), Driscoll, Driscoll

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
1829	Tithe Applotment	12	60 (est)		1829
1841	Census of Ireland	32 (Incl 1 unoccupied)	161
1851	Census of Ireland	14 (Incl 2 unoccupied)	73
1853	Griffith's Valuation	11 (Incl 1 unoccupied) Also school and coastguard	60 (est)		1853 Pg2
1861	Census of Ireland	15 (Incl 2 unoccupied)	79
1871	Census of Ireland	12	69
1881	Census of Ireland	14 (Incl 3 unoccupied)	78
1891	Census of Ireland	9	52
1901	Census of Ireland	9	74		1911
1911	Census of Ireland	10	49		1901

*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 Knogher McDermodd. This townland was spelt as Carigecronin at this time.and it was a part of Knocknahilly. There was another sub-townland called Hannelohee and the main proprietor of this was Daniell O'Donovan. Part of this sub-townland is in Cooscroneen today.

The proprietor of this townland in 1841 was Richard Townsend of Castletownshend. It was let to tenants, one of whom sub-let to tenants at will at lump rents.

In 1841 the soil was described as light, producing wheat, oats and potatoes. Fuel was described as scarce and the prevailing names were Bourke, Driscoll and Neill.