The standard name given to this townland in the Ordnance Survey Name Books was Ahanduffbeg. In the reign of James I (1603-1625) it was also written as Ahanduff and as Aghanduffe in the time of William III. The Irish form of the name was given as Athain Dubh, meaning Black Little Ford. The OS Books gave George D.H. Kirkaldy’s and Rev. Francis Coghlan’s version as Ahanduffbeg. The current official Irish spelling of the townland name is An tAthán Dubh Beag.
Location
Ahanduff Beg is situated between Ahanduffmore, Moneenaveena and Ardane. At that time the townland contained a small portion of bog, planting, a few houses and limekilns.
Census 1841, 1851
Census statistics gave the population in 1841 as fifty eight people and seven houses, and by 1851 the number had dropped to forty two people and five houses.
Griffith’s Valuation 1855
According to Griffith’s Valuation this townland contained eighty eight acres, one rood and thirty nine perches. The landlord was George D.H. Kirkaldy and the townland occupiers were Patrick Lantry, Michael Lantry, Patrick Dillon, George D.H. Kirkaldy, Thomas Mannion and Mary Conway. The Lantrys held fifty three acres, one rood and twenty five perches of land, and had two houses and offices (sheds). Patrick Dillon held five acres, two roods and twenty perches of land and a house valued at £0.10s.0d. George D.H. Kirkaldy had three acres, three roods and fourteen perches of plantation in the townland. Thomas Mannion did not live in Ahanduff Beg but held fifteen acres, three roods and eighteen perches of land valued at £6.5s.0d. Mary Conway had a house, offices, and nine acres, three roods and two perches of land.
Census 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891
Census statistics showed that in 1861 there were thirty people living in five houses. By 1871 there were thirty three people in four houses. In 1881 the townland population was reduced to twenty six people living in three houses. By 1891 only fourteen people lived in the three houses.
1901 Census
Five houses were listed in Ahanduff Beg in the 1901 census. Of these five houses two had thatched roofs and three were slated. The greatest number of rooms was five while the least was two rooms; the average number of persons in each house was four. The landholder and head of each family in four cases were John Burke, Michael Fennessy, Peter Conway and Michael Gready. Messrs. Hunter and McKoy (sic) held the fifth house, and the head of the family was named as Anne Hannon.
John Burke
Listed on Form A of the 1901 census, in house numbered 1, was John Burke who was head of family. He was a 60 year old farmer who could read. He was married to Julia, 48, who could read and write. Their son, Patrick, 24, was given as farmer’s son, not married and could read and write. They were all born in Co. Galway and were Roman Catholic.
Form B 1 – House and Building Return lists John Burke’s private dwelling was built on his own land. It was 2nd class with walls of stone/brick or concrete and a slate/iron or tiled roof with 2 front windows. The family occupied 2 rooms.
Form B 2 – Return of Out-Offices and Farm Steadings shows that their 4 out-offices consisted of a stable, a cow house, a piggery and a barn.
Michael Mulligan, Constable, was the Enumerator.
John Burke signed the census form and it was collected on 9th April.
Michael Fennessy
Two families resided in house 2 in Ahanduff Beg in 1901. Michael Fennessy, 58, a farmer and a widow was listed as head of family. His son James, 25, and described as farmer’s son, was not married. Michael’s sisters-in-law, Julia Lantry, 28, and Belia Lantry, 27, were recorded as farmer’s daughters and were not married. Michael was born in Co. Clare and the 3 others in Co. Galway. They were all Roman Catholic.
Form B 1 records Michael Fennessy was the landholder on whose land his 2nd class private dwelling was built. The walls were of stone/brick or concrete with a slate/iron or tiled roof with 5 front windows. They occupied 5 rooms.
Form B 2 lists their 5 out-offices as: a stable, a cow house, a piggery, a barn and a shed.
Michael Fennessy signed the census form which was collected on 9th April.
Michael Mulligan, Constable, was the Enumerator.
Peter Conway
Form A of the 1901 census for Ahanduff Beg records Peter Conway in house 3. He was 72, a farmer and married to Mary, aged 65. Their daughter Ellie, whose occupation was given as dressmaker was 27 and not married. Their son, Patrick, 26, and John, 25, were also not married and were listed as farmer’s sons. All the family could read and write and were Roman Catholic and born in Co. Galway.
Peter Conway was the landholder on whose land their 2nd class private dwelling was built. The walls were of stone/brick or concrete with thatch or wood roof. It had 3 front windows and they occupied 3 rooms.
Form B 2 records their 3 out-offices were: a cow house, a piggery and a shed.
Peter Conway signed the census form which was collected on 9th April.
Michael Mulligan, Constable, was the Enumerator.
Michael Gready
Form A records Michael Gready as head of family in house 4, in 1901. He was a 46 year old farmer, not married, and could not read. His sisters Catherine, 44, and Bridget 41, both listed as farmer’s sister, and both could not read. They were Roman Catholic and born in Co. Galway.
Michael Gready’s 3rd class private dwelling was built on his own holding. The walls were of stone/brick or concrete and the roof was wood or thatch. It had 2 front windows and they occupied 2 rooms.
Form B 2 – Return of Out-Offices and Farm Steadings show they had a piggery and a fowl house as out-offices.
Michael’s mark x on the census form was witnessed by Constable, Michael Mulligan, who was also the Enumerator. It was collected on April 9th.
Anne Hannon
House 5, in Form A of the 1901 census, lists the Hannon family of 4 people. Anne was a 40 year old widow and head of family. Her occupation was given as shepherd. Her daughters Mary, 14, and Annie, 13, were scholars. Anne’s brother, listed as Thomas Hannon (?), aged 34 was also a shepherd and was not married. They all could read and write. They were Roman Catholic and born in Co. Galway.
Form B 1 – House and Building Return lists Messrs. Hunter & McCoy as the landholders on whose land Anne’s 2nd class private dwelling was built. The walls were of stone/brick or concrete and the roof was slate/iron or tiles. It had 5 front windows and they occupied 4 rooms.
Form B 2 lists a stable and cow house as out-offices for house 5.
Anne Hannon signed the census form and Michael Mulligan, Constable, was the Enumerator.
It was collected on April 9th.
1911 Census
The 1911 census showed four houses, the Landholder and head of each family remaining the same as in 1901, but the name Gready no longer appeared.
John Burke
Form A in the 1911 census for Ahanduff Beg, records the Burke family in house 1. John Burke was a 79 year old farmer who was head of family. He was married to Julia, aged 66 for 40 years. They had 1 child living. Their son, Patrick, aged 35, was listed as farmer’s son and he was married. Elly, 31 was given as wife (should read daughter-in-law) and was married. They were Roman Catholic and all were born in Co. Galway. John could read and the others could read and write.
Form B 1 shows John Burke was a landholder and his 2nd class private dwelling was built on his own holding. The walls were of stone/brick or concrete and the roof was slate/iron or tiles. It had 3 front windows and they occupied 5 rooms.
His 5 out-offices, listed on Form B 2 were: a stable, a cow house, a piggery, a fowl house and a barn.
John Burke signed the census form and William Pender, Constable, was the Enumerator and it was collected on April 3rd.
Michael Fennessy
Form A shows House 2 in Ahanduff Beg in 1911 was the residence of Michael Fennessy. He was a widower, aged 70. He was a farmer and his son James, 35, was given as farmer’s son and was single. Michael’s 2 sisters-in-law were Celia Lantry, 50, and Julia, 48 and both were single. They were all born in Co. Galway except Michael who was born in Co. Clare. They all could read and write and were Roman Catholic.
Form B 1 records their 2nd class private dwelling was built on Michael’s own land. The walls were of stone/brick or concrete and the roof was of slate/iron or tiles. There were 5 windows to the front and they occupied 5 rooms.
Their 5 out-offices were: 1 stable, 1 cow house, 1 piggery, 1 fowl house and 1 barn.
Michael Fennessy signed the census form.
Constable, William Pender was the Enumerator. The form was collected on April 3rd.
Annie Hannon
Annie Hannon and her family occupied house 3. She was head of family, 55, a farmer and was a widow. Her daughters Mary, 24, and Annie, 23, were single. Her brother Thomas Mannion, 50, was a shepherd and also single. They could all read and write and were Roman Catholic and were born in Co. Galway.
Form B 1 lists Hunter & McKay were the landholders where Annie’s 2nd class private dwelling was built. The walls were of stone/brick or concrete and the roof was slate/iron or tiled and had 5 front windows and they occupied 4 rooms.
Annie Hannon’s 2 out-offices listed in Form B 2 were: a cow house and a piggery.
Annie Hannon signed the census form and Constable, William Pender was the Enumerator. It was collected on April 3rd.
Peter Conway
Five members of the Conway family resided in house 4 in 1911 according to Form A.
Peter Conway was listed as a 78 year old, old-age-pensioner, who was a widow and could not read. He was head of family. His son, John, 33, a farmer, was married to Ellen, aged 27. They were married 4 years and had 2 living children. Their daughter, Mary was 3 and son, Peter was 2. They were Roman Catholic and born in Co. Galway.
Form B 1 shows Peter Conway was the landholder and his 2nd class private dwelling was built on his own holding. The walls were of stone/brick or concrete and the roof was thatch or wood. They occupied 3 rooms. The house had 3 front windows.
House 4 was listed as having 2 out-offices, a cow house and a piggery.
Peter Conway signed the census form.
William Pender, Constable, was the Enumerator. It was collected on April 3rd.
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