Kilmore

Translation:  Great Wood

The Down Survey of Ireland is the first ever detailed land survey on a national scale anywhere in the world.  The survey is a cadastral survey of Ireland and was so called simply by its topographic details all laid down by admeasurements on maps.  It was carried out by William Petty an English scientist in 1655 and 1656.   The survey sought to measure all the land to be forfeited by the Catholic Irish, in order to facilitate it’s redistribution to merchant adventurers and English officers and soldiers in Oliver Cromwell’s army. It was to repay them and the many English politicians and adventurers who had funded Cromwell’s military campaign in Ireland.

The Down Survey name for this townland is Urlare.  In 1641 (pre Cromwell) the land was in protestant ownership of the Crown.  In 1670 (post Cromwell) the owner was Viscount Thomas Dillon of Costello Gallen and he was catholic.  It is in the barony of Gallen, in the parish of Towmore Co. Mayo.

O’Donovan’s Field Name Books 1838:  The standard name for the townland is Kilmore and Coill Mhór is the Irish form of the name that means ‘Great Wood’.

Other forms of the name:  Kilmore, Coill Mhór, Coill Mór, Kilmore (Boundary Surveyors Sketch Map), Kilmore (County Cess Collector), Kelmore (Local), Kelmore (Rev. Michael Heraghty P.P.), Kelmore (Tithe Ledger).

Description:  The proprietor was the Earl of Leitrim and Charlemont, Rosshill and Dublin.  The agent was Mr. James Fair of Fairhill also in this parish.  The land was held under lease by tenants for a rent of £14.17.10 per year.  O’Donovan describes the soil as all mountain; some steep heath and pasturable; part mixed pasture with a little tillage and arable mountain at the foot.  The County Cess of 11¼d was paid per acre half yearly for …. (it doesn’t specify the amount of acres).  Kilmore is a village in two clusters under the one name near Lough Mask in the townland of Kilmore.  There is a mountain known locally as Cruck – na – Kellw – Mora.  There are no antiquities.

Griffith’s Valuation 1849:

Kilmore can be found on Ordnance Survey Sheet 13 & 26.  According to Griffiths Valuation it had an area of 194 acres and 29 perches.  The land value at the time was £16.4.11.

The Earls of Leitrim and Charlemont had 194 acres, 3 roods and 17 perches of land.  It was held in four plots that were divided among the tenants.  Rents were charged according to the size and value of the holdings.

Plot 1:   comprised of 41 acres and 10 perches and it had two divisions; 1(a) and 1(-)

1(a):  Martin Morrin had a house, office and land.  He paid an annual sum of £3 and 6 shillings for the piece of land and the buildings had an annual valuation of 7 shillings.  His total annual rent was £3 and 13 shillings.

1(-):  Bridget Joyce had a portion of land that had an annual valuation of £1 and 13 shillings.

Plot 2:  Bridget Joyce had a house, office and land.  The land had an annual valuation of £2 and 15 shillings.  The buildings were valued at 10 shillings. Bridget’s total annual valuation of ratable property was £3 and 5 shillings.

Plot 3:  contained 70 acres, 2 roods and 21 perches of land that had two equal divisions (a) and (b)

3(a):  Martin Joyce had a house, office and land.  He paid an annual sum of £3 and 17 shillings for his piece of land and the buildings were valued at 9 shillings.  His total annual valuation of ratable property was £4 and 6 shillings.

3(b):  John O’Brien had a house and land.  He too paid an annual sum of £3 and 17 shillings for his piece of land and the house was valued at 6 shillings.  John’s total annual valuation was £4 and 3 shillings.

Plot 4: had 62 acres and 33 perches of mountainous land that was subdivided between four tenants.  Each paid an annual rent according to their right.

• Martin Morrin paid 3 shillings
• Bridget Joyce paid 5 shillings
• Martin Joyce paid 4 shillings and
• John O’Brien also paid 4 shillings.

1901 Census: 

Constable Martin Higgins the enumerator collected the census return for Kilmore in the electoral district of Owenbrin; in the constabulary district of Ballinrobe Co. Mayo on the 8^th of April 1901.   There were four private dwellings; one 2^nd class and three 3^rd class; all with perishable roofs that were most likely thatch. Thirty-two people lived here; nineteen males and thirteen females.  Farming was their way of life.  Three people spoke Irish only; the rest were bilingual and the majority could read and write.  All were Roman Catholic.

No 1:  William Joyce (73) and his wife Mary (60) were farmers and they lived here with their four sons and two daughters; all were single.  Martin (34), Patrick (28), Michael (26) and William (17) were farmer’s sons.  Anne (30) and Delia (21) were farmer’s daughters.  William senior was the only one in the household that could not read; his wife and family could read and write and all spoke Irish and English.  The house was 2^nd class with three windows in front and eight people occupied three rooms.  Three out offices contained a stable, a cow house and a piggery.

No 2:  Michael Joyce (45) a farmer, his wife Bridget (34), their five sons and three daughters were the occupants of this house.  Pat (14), Martin (12), Mary (10), John (9), Michael (7) and Bridget (5) were scholars; Stephen was (4) and the infant Kate (6 months old).  The parents could not read while the children from age fourteen to nine years could read and write.  All were bilingual.  The house was 3^rd class with two windows to the front and the family of ten occupied two rooms.  They had a cow house and a piggery on the premises.

No 3:  John O’Brien (65) and his wife Bridget (49) were farmers.  John (19) was a farmer’s son; Kate (16), Sarah (14) and Anne (10) were farmer’s daughters.  John and Bridget could not read; all the children could read and write.  (It does not list any of the children as scholars but they must have had schooling as all could read and write).  Bridget spoke Irish only, her husband and her children spoke Irish and English. The house was 3^rd class with two windows in front and six people occupied two rooms.  There was a cow house on the property.

No 4:  Martin Joyce (40)a farmer, his wife Mary (35), their five sons and his mother Mary (75) were resident here.  Michael (12), John (10), Thomas (8) and William (6) were scholars and Patrick was (2) years old.  Mary and her three eldest boys could read and write; Martin and his mother could not read and they spoke Irish only.  Mary and her sons were bilingual.  The house was 3^rd class with two windows to the front and eight people occupied two rooms.  They had a piggery on the premises.

1911 Census:

Constable John Reilly enumerated the census for Kilmore.  Four houses were occupied, three were 2^nd class and one 3^rd class; all had perishable roofs.  One house was vacant.  Twenty nine people were resident here at the time; twenty one males and eight females.  Farming was their livelihood.

No 1:  Bridget Joyce (72) a widow was head of this household.  Although the 1911 census were expanded to include the number of years a marriage had lasted, and the children born alive; sometimes a widows or a widowers details were not documented and this information is not listed for Bridget.  Four sons were living with her at this time; all were single.  Martin was (45), Patrick (41), Michael (40) and William (25).  Farming was their occupation.  Bridget and her family could read and write and were bilingual.  The house was 2^nd class with three windows in front and five people occupied three rooms.  They had four outbuildings on the property; a stable, cow house, a piggery and a shed.

No 2:  Michael Joyce (56) a farmer and his wife Bridget (46) were married for twenty six years and they had ten children.  Martin (22), John (18) and Michael (16) were farmer’s sons; Bridget (14), Stephen (12), Catherine (10), Thomas (8) and William (6) were scholars.  Anthony was (4) and the infant Peter (9 months).  The parents and five eldest children were born in Co. Galway; the five youngest were born in Co. Mayo.  Michael senior and his wife could not read; the children from age ten upwards could read and write and Thomas could read and all were bilingual.  The house was 2^nd class with three windows to the front and the family of twelve occupied three rooms.  Four out offices contained a stable, a cow house, a piggery and a shed.

No 3:  John O’Brien (74) a farmer and his wife Bridget (67) were married for thirty six years and they had eight children; six were still living.   John (32) a single man was a farmer’s son and Anne (21) had no occupation listed.  Their grandson John Malley (sic) (12) a scholar was also in the house.  John and Bridget could not read and Bridget spoke Irish only; the others were bilingual.  All were born in Co. Galway.  The house was 3^rd class with one window to the front and five people occupied two rooms.  They had a cow house and a piggery on the premises.

No 4:  Martin Joyce (52) and his wife Mary (52) were married for twenty three years and they had seven children; six were still living.  Farming was their livelihood. John (21), Thomas (19), and William (17) were farmer’s sons and Patrick (12) and Mary (10) were scholars.  The parents and three eldest children were born in Co. Galway; the two youngest were born in Co. Mayo.  Martin could not read; Mary and her children could read and write and all spoke Irish and English.  The house was 2^nd class with three windows in front and seven people occupied three rooms.  They had a cow house and a piggery on the property.

No 5: was listed as uninhabited house.  Martin Joyce was the name of the landholder where the house was situated.