Ballybaun (An Baile Bán)

The name Ballybaun comes from the Irish An Baile Bán meaning the white townland. It is situated in the civil parish of Kilcoona, Barony of Clare. It is located in the south of the parish and is bounded on the east by Ballycasey and Crossursa, on the west by Ballycolgan, Caltragh and Skeaghbeg and on the south by Turloughcor. (Source: Galway Library)

Irish name: An Baile Bán

English name: Ballybaun

Meaning: The white townland

Area: 154 Acres, 1 rood, 10 perches

Field names:

Civil Parish: Kilcoona

Barony: Clare

 

O’Donovan’s Field Name Books

As part of the Ordnance Survey of Ireland, from 1830 to 1842, John O’Donovan helped to collect and record the Irish form of townland names throughout the country.  Information for each townland was collected and written into the Name Book along with information relating to land quality, crops and housing.  (Source: Timeline Genealogy)

Other names: Ballybaun, Baile Bán, Ballybaan (By. Surveyors Sketch Map), Balybawn (County Cess Collector), Ballabawn (County Map), Ballybaen (Local), Ballybaen (Mearsman), Ballybaen (Rental), Ballybán (Rev. John Molloy, P.P.) and Ballybane (Tithe Ledger).

Description: Proprietor Arthur St. George French, Esq., Tyrone. Agent John O’Hara, Esq., Galway. Held under lease by Captain Lewin. Rent 15s. and sublet at the rent of 25 shillings per acre. Soil light and stony. Farms from 6 to 20 acres. Produces light crops of wheat and potatoes. Co. Cess 14d. paid per acre half early. Antiquity one fort called Rah gorriv.

Other placenames in this townland

Ballybaun A village in two clusters N. and S. separated by the road from Headford to Cahermorris – the 2nd cluster is called Ballybawn.

 

The Down Survey

The first national-scale survey of its kind in the world, the Down Survey, taken in the years 1656 -1658, sought to acurately map the land in Ireland in order to facilitate its transfer from Irish Catholics to English Protestants after the Cromwellian conquest.

1641 (pre-Cromwell) states that the owner(s) of the townland of Ballybaun (referred to as Ballabanein in the Down Survey of Ireland, in the Parish of Killcoonagh in the county of Galway, Barony of Clare) was James Darcy (Catholic). The Down Survey map of 1670 (post-Cromwell) shows that the owner(s) was Sir Oliver St. George (Catholic). (Source: Trinity College Dublin)

6 plantation acres was deemed unprofitable land.

86 plantation acres was deemed profitable land.

86 plantation acres was fortified land.

 

Tithe Applotment Book 1826

The Tithe Applotment Books were compiled between 1823 and 1837 in order to determine the amount which occupiers of agricultural holdings over one acre should pay in tithes to the Church of Ireland. The land was measured in Irish acres, or plantation acres at the time. This equated to 1.698 English acres.

There are no records found for Ballybaun.

 

Valuation Office Books 1824-1856: House & Field Books

The valuation of Ireland was a cadastral survey made for the purpose of levying tax on property.  A valuation price was put on every piece of property in the country and this became the basis on which local tax was charged, at a rate per pound of valuation.  (Source: National Archives)

The 1845 House Books show the following as house occupiers in Ballybaun as John McHugh, John Carr, Denis McKew, Patk Carr and Michl Lee (12 July 1845). (Source: National Archives)

John McHugh occupied a house with a barn, stables, car house and cow house which had a valuation of £3 and 4 shillings and 10 pence. John Carr occupied a house with a barn, car house, stables and cow house which had a valuation of £3 and 5 shillings and 6 pence. Denis McKew occupied a house with a barn, stables, car house and store with an initial valuation of £3 and 17 shillings which had a deduction of 9 shillings and 7 pence for a final valuation of £3 and 7 shillings and 5 pence. Patk Carr occupied a house with stables, car house and barn which had a valuation of £3 and 16 shillings and 7 pence. Michl Lee occupied a house with a barn, stables, car house and cow house which had an initial valuation of £3 and 6 shillings and 3 pence which had a deduction of one fifth, or 13 shillings and 3 pence applied for a final valuation of £2 and 13 shillings.

The 1853 House Books show the following as house occupiers in Ballybaun as Patrick McHugh, Denis McHugh, Daniel Carr, John Carr, John McHugh, Michael Lee and William Burke (26 September 1853). (Source: National Archives)

Patrick McHugh occupied a house and offices which had an initial valuation of £3 and 2 shillings which was reduced to £1 and 10 shillings. Denis McHugh occupied a house and offices which had an initial valuation of £3 and 17 shillings which was reduced to £2. Daniel Carr occupied a house and offices which had an initial valuation of £3 and 6 shillings which was reduced to £1 and 13 shillings. John Carr occupied a house and offices which had an initial valuation of £3 and 5 shillings which was reduced to £1 and 12 shillings. John McHugh occupied a house and offices which had an initial valuation of £3 and 5 shillings which was reduced to £1 and 12 shillings. Michael Lee occupied a house and offices which had an initial valuation of £2 and 13 shillings which was reduced to £1 and 6 shillings. William Burke occupied a house which had an initial valuation of 13 shillings which was reduced to 6 shillings. There was also a vacant house in Ballybaun which had an initial valuation of 13 shillings which was reduced to 6 shillings.

 

1855 Griffith’s Valuation

Between 1847 and 1864, Richard Griffith was responsible for carrying out the Primary Valuation of Tenements (generally referred to as Griffith’s Valuation because of his role in the project). The aim of the valuation was to produce a uniform guide to the relative value of land throughout the whole of Ireland in order to decide liability to pay the Poor rate (for support of the poor and destitute within each Poor Law Union). The project required Griffith and a team of valuers to determine the value of every piece of land and property in the country enabling every occupiers’ tax due to be assessed. The information they collated covering all 32 counties was compiled into over 300 volumes and published over a period of 17 years. (Source: Find My Past)

Griffith’s Valuation records the following occupiers in Ballubaun as William Burke, Daniel Carr, John Carr, Denis McHugh, John McHugh, Michael Lee and Patrick McHugh. (Source: Ask About Ireland)

Patrick McHugh occupied a house and office with an initial valuation of £3 and 2 shillings and 1 penny which was reduced to £1 and 10 shillings. Denis McHugh occupied a house with an initial valuation of £3 and 17 shillings which was reduced to £2. Daniel Carr occupied a house and office with an initial valuation of £3 and 6 shillings and 1 penny which was reduced to £1 and 13 shillings.   John Carr occupied a house and office with an initial valuation of £3 and 5 shillings which was reduced to £1 and 12 shillings. John McHugh occupied a house and office with an initial valuation of £3 and 5 shillings which was reduced to £1 and 12 shillings. Michael Lee occupied a house and office with an initial valuation of £ and 13 shillings which was reduced to £1 and 6 shillings. William Burke occupied a house with an initial valuation of 13 shillings which was reduced to 6 shillings. There was a vacant house valued initially at 13 shillings which was reduced to 6 shillings.

 

Population Statistics

The following statistics are from the census return records from 1842 to 1891 and the National Archives census returns for 1901 and 1911. (Source: Histpop)

1841: 11 houses, 77 people (39 males and 38 females)

1851: 10 houses, 64 people (27 males and 37 females)

1861: 10 houses, 73 people (37 males and 36 females)

1871: 8 houses, 59 people (32 males and 27 females)

1881: 7 houses, 55 people (25 males and 30 females)

1891: 6 houses (incl. 1 unoccupied), 41 people (21 males and 23 females)

1901: 7 houses (incl. 1 unoccupied), 23 people (9 males and 14 females)

1911: 5 houses (incl. 1 unoccupied), 17 people (7 males and 10 females)

 

1901 Census

The 1901 Census of Ireland records the following 23 individuals living in 6 households in Ballybaun. (Source: National Archives)

1.  John Carr (54) lived with his wife Mary Sr. (52), daughters Mary Jr. (22), Nora (12), Maggie (10) and Katie (8), and son Michael (20). All householders were born in Co Galway and all were Roman Catholic. John’s occupation was listed as a Farmer, Michael’s occupation was listed as Farmer’s Son, Mary Jr’s occupation was listed as a Farmer’s Daughter, Nora, Maggie and Katie were listed as scholars. No occupation was listed for Mary Sr. All householders could read and write with the exception of Mary Sr. All householders could speak Irish and English with the exception of Maggie and Katie.

2.  Mary Carr (70) a widow, lived with her son Daniel (35). Both householders were born in Co Galway and both were Roman Catholic. Mary’s occupation was listed as a Farmer, Daniel’s occupation was listed as Farmer’s Son. Both householders could read and write. Both householders could speak Irish and English.

3.  Bridget McHugh (46) a widow, lived with her son Daniel (34), daughters Catherine (30), Margaret (28) and Sarah (26), niece Norah (11), and male servant Martin Renny (26). All householders were born in Co Galway and all were Roman Catholic. Bridget’s occupation was listed as a Farmer, Daniel’s occupation was listed as Farmer’s Son, Catherine, Margaret and Sarah’s occupation was listed as a Farmer’s Daughter, Norah was listed as a scholar. Martin Renny’s occupation was listed as a Farm Servant Domestic. All householders could read and write. All householders could speak Irish and English.

4.  Daniel McHugh (45) lived with his sister Sarah (33), and nephew Thomas Hoade (8). All householders were born in Co Galway and all were Roman Catholic. Daniel’s occupation was listed as a Farmer, Thomas Hoade was listed as a scholar. No occupation was listed for Sarah. All householders could read and write. All householders could speak Irish and English with the exception of Thomas Hoade.

5.  Denis McHugh (35) lived with his wife Delia (36). Both householders were born in Co Galway and both were Roman Catholic. Denis’ occupation was listed as a Farmer. No occupation was listed for Delia. Both householders could read and write. Both householders could speak Irish and English.

6.  John Morriss (70) a widower, lived with his sister-in-law Margaret Garvey (71). Both householders were born in Co Galway and both were Roman Catholic. John’s occupation was listed as a Farmer. No occupation was listed for Margaret. Neither householder could read and write. Both householders could speak Irish and English.

There were five second class houses and one third class houses. All the houses had either a roof of thatched, wood or other perishable material. All houses had walls constructed of either brick, stone or concrete. All five second class house had three front windows. The third-class house had two front windows.

There was no information on out-offices and farm steadings.

 

1911 Census

There were 4 houses in Ballybaun with a total of 17 individuals recorded in the 1911 Census of Ireland. (Source: National Archives)

1. John Carr (60) lived with his wife of 33 years Mary Sr. (50), daughters Mary Jr. (30) and Katie (16), and son Michael (28). All householders were born in Co Galway and all were Roman Catholic. Katie was listed as a scholar. No occupation was listed for the remaining householders. All householders could read and write. All householders could speak Irish and English. John and Mary Sr. had 10 children, 6 of whom were still living in 1911.

2.  Bridget Carr (38) a widow, lived with her sons Michael (5) and Thomas (5), daughter Delia (2), and mother-in-law Mary (76). All householders were born in Co Galway with the exception of Bridget who was born in Co Mayo. All householders were Roman Catholic. Bridget’s occupation was listed as a Farmer, Michael was listed as a scholar. No occupation was listed for the remaining householders. Only Bridget could read and write. Only Bridget and Mary could speak Irish and English.

3.  Daniel D. McHugh (55) lived with his sisters Catherine (40) and Margaret (38), niece Lizzie Glennon (5), and male servant Michael Hoban (22). All householders were born in Co Galway and all were Roman Catholic. Daniel D., Catherine and Margaret’s occupation was listed as a Farmer, Lizzie was listed as a scholar. Michael Hoban’s occupation was listed as a Servant. All householders could read and write. All householders could speak Irish and English with the exception of Lizzie who spoke English only.

4.  Denis McHugh (50) lived with his wife of 17 years Delia (49). Both householders were born in Co Galway and all were Roman Catholic. Denis’ occupation was listed as a Farmer. No occupation was listed for Delia. Both householders could read and write. Both householders could speak Irish and English.

All four houses were second class houses. One house had a roof of either slate, iron or tiles, the remaining houses had either a roof of thatched, wood or other perishable material. All houses had walls constructed of either brick, stone or concrete. Three second class house had three front windows, one had seven front windows. There were 4 stables, 4 cow houses, 2 calf houses, 4 piggeries, 4 fowl houses, 4 barns, 1 potato house and 3 sheds.