Míros

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Míros or Myross is a townland of 96 hectares or 238 acres and in the early part of the 20th century, 150 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.

Míros is bordered by Cuas Chróinín (Cooscroneen) and Baile na Tóna (Ballinatona) to the east.

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

Míros can be interpreted as the middle headland/peninsula. Those at either side are Reen and Carrigillihy. Bruno O'Donoghue interprets it as the middle island and it was often known as Myross Island. . At the time of the Down Survey (1656 - 1658) and also the Tithe Applotments in 1829, this townland was split into West Miros and East Miros. This townland is known locally as Myross Island.

An alternative name was given by Bruno O'Donoghue as An Garraighe (the garden) - however it is thought that this refers to the parish as opposed to the townland

History

Burials: In the past, the Murdraid was a departure point for burials on Low Island. This is an inlet on the southern side of Myross.

Church: The late-medieval church in Myross graveyard was a landmark on early maps. It overlooks the broad Atlantic and contains the tomb of the Clann Cathail O’Donovans – who were for centuries lords of the soil from Castle Donovan near Drimoleauge to the sea. The Church is pre Reformation, after which it passed into the hands of the Protestant Community. The Royal Visitation Book of 1615 describes the church as being in good repair but the chancel decayed. The Protestant bishop Diva Downes visited the parish in 1699 and he notes in his “Journal” “that the church is ruinous and divine service is seldom performed.” Another entry of the same date tells us that the protestant population in the parish consisted of four or five families and the Bishop admonished the incumbent to preach in his own house until a new church was provided. The Catholics once again took possession of the church and graveyard and began burying their dead within the walls of the church.

Castle: According to an article in the Cork Historical and Archaelogical Society by Diarmuid Ó'Murchadha, Myross was the location of a Norman castle, Dún Mhic Oghmainn. It was demolished by the McCarthys following The Battle Of Callann (close to Kilgarvan) and the O'Donovans are believed to have been there with them at the battle.

War of Independence: There was a plan to bring arms into Squince following the burning of Cork city during the War of Independence in 1920. Although extensive plans were made, they did not follow through with the importation. Further detail is given in the article in Volume 1 of the History Journal which is referenced below.

Barracks: There are dwellings near the graveyard that are known as the barracks due to the number of houses here in the 18th century as they seemed to have been formed in the shape of a square on both sides of the road

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: Michael Houlahan, Dan Keating, William Simmons, William Keating, John Brien, Daniel Cronin, John McCarthy

Storms: ** Storms - AG

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, Pg 3) and a guide on how to interpret these can be seen here. These show that 22 of the 27 occupied houses in the townland at this time were Class 3. This means that they were thatched houses with stone walls with mud or puddle mortar. Sixteen of these were described as old (more than 25 years) with three being in repair and thirteen being out of repair. Six more Class 3 houses were described as medium (not old) with five being deteriorated by age and not in perfect repair while the other is slightly decayed, but in good repair. The remaining five houses were Class 1 which means that they were slated dwelling houses built with stone or brick and lime mortar. The condition of all five was described as medium (not new) with four being described as in sound order and good repair while the remaining huse was slightly decayed, but in good repair. All of the class 3 houses in the townland are between 4 foot 9 inches (!) and 7 foot tall which indicates that they were single storey at this time. The class 1 houses vary between 6 feet 6 inches and 16 feet tall.

By the 1901 census (Pg 1, Pg 2), there is a slight drop to 25 occupied houses and all have walls of stone, brick or concrete. Eleven have roofs of slate, iron or tiles while the other fourteen are still thatched. Three of the houses have just one room with zero, one and two windows in front respectively (which indicate that they are probably still single storey at this time. 21 houses have two, three or four rooms with three having just one window in front while another fourteen have two (these are probably also still single storey at this time) while three have three windows in front and another has five. The remaining house in the townland has seven, eight or nine rooms with six windows in front.

When we advance to the 1911 census (Pg 1, Pg 2) there is a slight increase to 26 occupied houses and, not surprisingly, all have walls of stone, brick or concrete. Fifteen now have roofs of slate, iron or tiles while eleven are still thatched. 25 of the houses have two, three or four rooms with one having no window in front, five having just one window in front while another fifteen have two (indicating that these are probably all single storey at this time) while two have three windows in front and one has four while another has five windows in front. The remaining house in the townland has seven, eight or nine rooms with six windows in front.

Places of Interest

Harbour: Squince Harbour is in this townland

Lamb Island: Lamb Island is just off the coast and is part of this townland - is this mapped on OSM?

Church and Graveyard: The old ruined Myross Parish Church and Graveyard are in this townland. It was used in recent times for the filming of the Netflix production, Bodkin.

Bridge: Myross Bridge is in this townland

Currach na Meaise and Myross Bridge: These are good places to observe the Síle na Portach (heron). The area of water here is also known locally as The Bog

An Bothar Mór: This is the name of a road that crosses this townland - does it cross others? **

Ceann an Tí: It is the junction just after you cross Myross Bridge.This was a meeting place for fishermen who would meet here and walk up An Bothar Mór to survey the weather

Malachy Stack: This is a prominent sea-stack that can be seen from the hill above the beach at Squince.

The Barracks: Area close to the church that got its name due to the number of houses here in the 18th century

Besides the church and gravetard mentioned above, the Historic Environment Viewer also maps a promontory fort on the left side of this townland

Interesting Placenames

Other old field names in this townland have been captured as follows: Páirc Bán (probably white field), The Paddock Field, Murdraid (meaning unknown), Gort na Geata (field of the gate), The Comhar Leaca (meaning unknown - leaca is a slope), Colochan Field (meaning unknown), Poll Talún (meaning unknown), The Cloch Fhada (long stone - should this be field - maybe Clais Fhada), Páircín Truise (meaning unknown - páircín is a small field), Clais na Bró (meaning unknown - clais is a field), Rónseach (field and the rock south of it are both known as 'The Rónseach' - not sure of meaning but rón is a seal)

There are two coves that are known as Cuaisín an Ghainimh (cove of the sand) and Cuas an Fhiaidh (deer's cove - a deer is said to have jumped across it). There are cliffs known as Faill a' Trahane and Faill na gCapall (cliff of the horse) - not mapped on OSM***,

If you want to see the actual locations of any of these, go to detailed townland map on Open Street Maps. If you knw 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

Hurling Match: An annual hurling match between "na daoine maithe" (good people) with the help of a few locals has been held for thousands of years in Páirc na Síofraí next to Myross graveyard every Halloween. It starts at the Witching Hour.

Impending Death: There was a story that should a crow appear on the gable end of the church ruins (known locally as the cabhlach) in Myross graveyard , it was the sign of the upcoming death of a "big noise" in the neighbourhood.

Candle: In the past there were a number of houses on both sides of Currach na Meaise (the bog). There was consternation one clear night when it was thought that a candle was lit in the window of a deserted house. It turned that it was reflection from the window of a house on the other side of Currach na Meaise

Families and Notable Residents

The Tithe Applotment books of 1829 list the following family names:

West Myross: Sweeny, Down, Shea, Shea, Greany, Shea, Donovan, Donovan, Greany, Hegarty, Driscoll, Donovan, Donovan, Bryan, Donovan

East: Myross: McCarthy, McCarthy, Nowen, Cahalane, Nagle, Dawley (possibly Daly),Dawley ,Dawley , Crone, McCarthy, Supple

Griffiths Valuation of 1853 lists the following family names:

Myross: Donovan Greany, Sullivan, Kelly, Neale, Neale, Neale, Townsend (land only), McCarthy, Donovan, Coghlan, Nagle, Houlihan, Daly, Murray, Daly, Sullivan, Daly, Daly, Hurley, Connell, Connell

The Census of Ireland of 1901 lists the following family names: Browne, Daly, Nagle, Driscoll, Murray, Donovan, Daly, Nagle, Connell, Connell (with Neil - servant), Sullivan, Kelly, Donovan, Neill, Neill, Neill, Deasy, Deasy, Kelly (with Hegarty - boarder), Neill, Donovan, Neill, McKennedy, Donovan, Kelly (with Connell - wife)

The Census of Ireland of 1911 lists the following family names: Sullivan (with Donovan - niece and Brien- servant), Driscoll, Connell, Daly, Connell, Kelly, Connell, Neill, McKennedy, Murray, Daly, Nagle, Kelly, Kelly, Donovan (with Barry - daughter, granddaughter and 2 grandsons), Nagle, Browne, Donovan, Neill, Donovan (with Cotter - son-in-law, daughter and 2 grandsons), Neill (with Burns - grandson), Deasy, Neill, Deasy, Donovan, Neill

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	26	150 (est)		West Myross East Myross
1841	Census of Ireland	53	292
1851	Census of Ireland	24 (Incl 1 unoccupied)	123
1853	Griffith's Valuation	26 (Incl 5 unoccupied)	105 (est)		1853
1861	Census of Ireland	24	126
1871	Census of Ireland	27	141
1881	Census of Ireland	24	145
1891	Census of Ireland	28 (Incl 2 unoccupied)	172
1901	Census of Ireland	25	153		1901
1911	Census of Ireland	26	168		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. This townland was split into West Miros and East Miros at that time. The most prominent proprietor (titulado) in West Miros was Daniell Oge O'Donovan while Edmund Fitzgerald held the same position in East Miros.

It was also split into East Myross and West Myross at the time of the Tithe Applotments in 1829

The proprietor of this townland in 1841 was Henry Townsend of Castletownshend and his agent was David Clarke of Skibbereen. It was let to Daniel Dononvan of Squince, Rosscarbery who occupied a part and sub-let the remainder 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 Donovan and Nagle.