Moat- Múta – A Moat – An Móta

The standard name for this townland, as given in the Ordnance Survey Name Books was Moat.  The first reference to the townland was during the reign of James I (1603-1625) when the name was spelled Moote.  Mota was the version that appeared in the time of William III (1689-1702).  George D.H. Kirkaldy and Rev. Francis Coghlan wrote the name as Moat.  The Irish form was given as Múta, which meant a moat and the Placenames Commission officially lists its Irish version today as An Móta.

Location

Killeen East, Treenanearla, Lismihill in Killimorbologue, and Poolagh and Poulfeeneen in the parish of Tynagh, border the townland of Moat.  In the 1830s it contained a few farmhouses and a Moat, shown in the Ordnance Survey Map as a Motte and Bailey.  The land was all arable but there was a portion of the north and western areas of the townland inundated (flooded).

Census 1841-1851

Census statistics showed sixty two people living in eleven houses in 1841, with a post famine reduction to fifty five people in ten houses by 1851.

Griffith’s Valuation 1855

At the time of Griffith’s Valuation the Marquis of Clanricarde owned one hundred and eighty seven acres and twenty four perches of land, on which was a house and offices, and two roods and twenty perches on which were two cottiers’ houses and gardens.  Both of these plots were leased out to John Donnelly.  The remaining twenty acres, one rood and twenty three perches, were owned by John Donnelly and rented to Malachy Whelan and James Whelan, who each had a house and offices on the land.  The total acreage of the townland was two hundred and eight acres and twenty seven perches, with a total annual valuation of £153.0s.0d.

Census 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891

Census statistics showed a decline in population but the number of houses remained the same over a period of twenty years: sixteen people in four houses in 1861, twelve people in four houses in 1871 and ten people in four houses in 1881.  Strange to relate that in 1891 the population increased to thirteen while the number of houses declined to two.

1901 Census

The 1901 census listed three houses in Moat.  Ellen Whelan was named as landholder and head of family in one house.  Jerome Donnelly of Kilmore was landholder, while Mary Kelly and John Mannion were heads of family in the other two houses.  One house had a slate/iron roof while the other two were of thatch or wood, and each house had two windows in front.  The number of persons in each family was five, four and one.

Ellen Whelan 

Ellen Whelan was head of household in house No. 1 in Moat townland in 1901.  She was a 50 year old farmer.  She was a widow and could not read.  She was born in Co. Galway and was Roman Catholic.

Form B 1 – House and Building Return shows that Ellen Whelan was a landholder and her private dwelling was 3rd class with walls of stone/brick or concrete with thatch or wood roof.  It had 2 windows in front and 3 rooms were occupied.

No out-offices were listed on form B 1 for House 1.

The mark x on the census form was witnessed by the Enumerator Patrick Mawn, Constable, and it was collected on April 3rd.

Mary Kelly

Mary Kelly was listed as head of family in house No. 2.  She was a 73 year old shepherd who could read.  She was widowed and could speak Irish and English.  Her daughter Mary, aged 24, could read and write and was not married.  Her occupation was given as shepherd’s daughter.  Mary’s son Michael was 21, a shepherd and could read and write and was not married.  Another daughter Catherine was 15, a scholar, who could read and write and was not married.  All were Roman Catholics and born in Co. Galway.

Form B 1 shows Jerome Donnelly of Killimore was the landholder on whose land Mary’s private dwelling was built.  The house was 3rd class.  The walls were of stone/brick or concrete with thatch or wood roof.  The family occupied 2 rooms.

Form B 2 – Return of Out-Offices and Farm Steadings shows the holding included 5 out-offices: 1 stable, 1 cow house, 1 piggery, 1 barn and 1 shed.

Mary Kelly signed the census form and Patrick Mawn, Constable, was the Enumerator and it was collected on 3rd. April.

John Mannion

House No. 3 in Moat was occupied by the Mannion family.  John Mannion was head of a family of 5.  He was 56, a general labourer, who could read and write.  He was married to Maria who was 50.  She could also read and write.  Their son Thomas, aged 17, was a general labourer also and he could read and write.  He was not married.  2 daughters Ellen aged 15 and Mary aged 12 were both scholars who could read and write.  They were not married.  All were Roman Catholics and all were born in Co. Galway.

Jerome Donnelly of Killimore was the landholder on whose land their 2nd class private dwelling was built.  It was of stone/brick or concrete walls with a slate/iron or tiled roof.  They occupied 2 rooms and the house had 2 windows to the front.

No out-offices were listed on Form B 1.

John Mannion signed the census form and Patrick Mawn, Constable, was the Enumerator and it was collected on 3rd April.

1911 Census

Two houses were recorded in Moat in the 1911 census.   The name Ellen Whelan still appeared as landholder and head of family.   Jerome Donnelly was named as landholder, and the head of family as Michael Kelly.

Michael Kelly   

In 1911, house No. 1 in Moat was occupied by the Kelly family and James Fahy.  Michael Kelly was a shepherd and was head of family.  He was 30 and could read and write.  His wife Mary A was 30.  They were married 4 years and had 2 living children.  Their son Michael J was 2 years old and their daughter Mary was 1 year old.  James Fahy was a boarder, aged 77.  He was a widower and was listed as a labourer.  They were all Roman Catholics and all born in Co. Galway.

Jerome Donnelly was the landholder on whose 2nd class private dwelling their house was built.  They occupied 4 rooms and the walls were of stone/brick or concrete and the roof was of slate/iron or tiles.  It had 4 windows to the front.

There were 3 out-offices with this holding on Form B 1 – House and Building Return; a cow house, fowl house and a shed.

William Pender Constable was the Enumerator and Michael Kelly signed the census form which was collected on April 11th.

Ellen Whelan    

Ellen Whelan was listed in House 2 in Moat in 1911 as head of family and could not read.  She was a 76 year old old-age pensioner and was widowed.  She was Roman Catholic and born in Co. Galway.

Ellen Whelan was a landholder and her private dwelling was 3rd class.  She occupied 2 rooms.  The walls were of stone/brick or concrete and the roof was thatch or wood.

Form B 1 – House and Building Return shows she had 1 out-office which was listed as a fowl house.

Ellen signed the census form and the Enumerator was William Pender Constable.  It was collected on April 11th.

This page was added on 17/02/2017.

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