Ballinloughaun

Baile an locháin, town of the pool/ town of the lake

Ballinloughaun is situated in the civil parish of Athenry. It is 4 miles northwest of Athenry, bounded on the north and west by Lackagh Parish, east and north by Peakruagh townland, on the east by Ballybookagh, south by Tubbernaveeny, southeast by Deerpark and Southwest by Moor and Cashla.

The Down survey map provides no record of this townland and indicates the map of the barony of Athenry was destroyed in 1711.

O’Donovan’s Field Name books provides various spellings of this townland: Ballinloughaun, Baile an Locháin, Ballanloughaun B. S. Sketch Map, Ballanewloughan Barony Map, Called Ballybrit Vestry Book 1826. It is the property of Mr. Lambert, containing 365 statute acres, 8/10 ths. of which is arable and pasture. The principal road from Galway to Monivea passes through the West side and forms the northern boundary of this townland. There is a Trigl. Station near its West side 10 chains East of road from Athenry to Claregalway.

Griffith’s Valuation

 According to Griffith’s Valuation 1855, Walter Lambert leased tenements to both Thomas Costello and Giles Lambert. Giles Lambert also seemed to have leased tenements to the following: Michael Tracey, Anne Fury, Jeremiah Shaughnessy, Sarah Shaughnessy, Michael Keane, Martin Rooane, Patrick Shaughnessy, Michael Keane, Sarah Shaughnessy.

Thomas Costello paid rent of £5-3-0 for 84 acres, 1 rood and 4 perches of land. Giles Lambert paid £38-0-0 for 254 acres and 34 perches. Both paid this money to Walter lambert. Michael Tracey paid £1-10-0 for 8 acres and 62 perches of house and land. Anne fury made a payment of £0-7-0 for 1 rood and 20 perches for her house and garden. Jeremiah Shaughnessy paid £1-2-0 for 4 acres, 4 roods, and 30 perches towards his house and land. Sarah Shaughnessy paid £0-7-0 for her 2 roods that produced her house and garden, Michael Keane paid Giles Lambert £0-8-0 for 1 acre,3 roods, and 19 perches which he used as land. Martin Rooane rented land for his house and garden, coming to £0-5-0 for 30 perches. Patrick Shaughnessy paid £2 for 8 acres, 5 roods, and 27 perches for his land and house. Michael Keane paid £0-1-0 for his garden comprised of 1 rood and 16 perches. Sarah Shaughnessy has a garden costing £0-1-0 and containing 1 rood and 5 perches. The total annual valuation of rateable property paid overall in Ballinloughaun was £49-6-0 for 304 acres 2 roods and 16 perches.

1901 Census

There were 6 households in Ballinloughaun in 1901. There were also 6 individuals who were listed as head of household. A total of 19 inhabitants were recorded in 1901, 9 were male and 10 were female. All but 2 individuals in the townland were not Roman Catholic and weren’t born in County Galway, Edwy [SIC] Farrington who was a member of the Church of Ireland and whose birthplace was England, and Enid Clare [SIC] Farrington who was a member of the Congregational church and who originated from Scotland. The census forms which were collected on the 4^th of April 1901 showed that all houses were built as private dwellings. It also indicated that all houses were inhabited. 5 were built from stone, brick, or concrete, whilst Bridget Kelly’s house was formed from mud, wood, or another perishable material. Every roof in this townland is thatched, wooden, or comprised of perishable materials. Overall, there was 12 farm buildings-2 stables, 3 cow houses, 5 piggeries, and 2 barns. The heads of households were Edwry [SIC] Farrington, Hanoria Feeney, John Kelly, Bridget Kelly, Mary Morrissey, and William Shaughnessy.

Edwry [SIC] Farrington (37) worked as a farmer. He was not married and lived with his sister Enid Clare (32). Both siblings were able to read and write. They lived in a 2^nd class house with 3 front windows. 2 people occupied 5 rooms. Edwry Farrington owned the land on which his house was situated along with 1 stable, 1 cow house, 1 piggery, and 1 barn.

Hanoria Feeney [SIC] (60) was a widowed farmer who lived with her unmarried son, John Feeney (30) who recorded his occupation as a farmer’s son. Neither could read but although John could speak both Irish and English his mother spoke only Irish. They lived in a 3^rd class house with 2 front-facing windows. The 2 of them inhabited their 3 rooms. Hanoria Feeney owned the land her house was built along with 1 cow house and a piggery.

John Kelly (60) was a farmer married to Bridget (60). They lived with their 2 unmarried children, Michael (19) and Mary (18). Michael’s occupation is recorded as farmer’s son, whilst Mary listed her occupation as farmer’s daughter. None of the family could read and all spoke both Irish and English. They lived in a third-class house with 2 rooms and 1 front window. John Kelly owned the grounds his dwelling was located, along with a single piggery.

Bridget Kelly (70) Worked as a stocking maker. She was not married, spoke Irish and English, and lived alone in her 4^th class house with 1 window at the front. She occupied a single room and resided in a house made from mud, wood, or another perishable material. Her house was situated on John Kelly’s land as she did not own the land herself.

Mary Morrissey (43) was a married woman who earned her living as a farmer. She resided with her 4 daughters and 2 sons. 2 of the daughters, Mary (19) and Annie’s (18) occupation was recorded as farmer’s daughters while the younger 2, Bridget (13) and Margaret (9), were listed as scholars. 1 son peter (4) was also listed as a scholar while Michael (16) was noted as a farmer’s son. Everyone in the family but Mary and her 2 sons could read and all 7 in the house spoke both English and Irish. The family of 7 lived in a 3^rd class house with 2 front-facing windows and 3 rooms. Mary Morrissey owned the land her house occupied along with 1 piggery.

William Shaughnessy (85) was listed as a farmer. He was identified on the census as being deaf and lived with his brother and sister who were also not married, Patrick (60) and Kate (58). All three residents of the house spoke both Irish and English and his 2 siblings were cited as being able to read and write. William was the only individual who couldn’t read in their house. The 3 siblings inhabited a 2^nd class house with 3 windows at the forefront of the house. There were 3 rooms in the house which were established on terrain that William owned along with a stable, cow house, piggery, and a barn.

Census 1911

There were 5 households in Ballinloughaun in 1911. There were 23 inhabitants, 15 were male and 8 were female. 16 of the occupants were Roman Catholic. 4 were presbyterian, while the remaining 3 were from the Church of Ireland. The Birthplace of 16 of the individuals was County Galway while a further 3 came from Cavan, and one person from England, Tyrone, Antrim, and County Sligo. There was no occupation listed for any of the women who were married to farmers. The heads of households were: John Feeney, Edwry [SIC] Farrington, Kate Shaughnessy, Mary Morrissey, and Julia Kelly. The census forms which were collected on the 10^th of April 1911, showed that all houses were listed as private dwellings. Each house roof was made of perishable materials while the house walls were all made of stone, brick, or concrete.

John Feeney (35) documented his occupation as a farmer. He was married to Delia (25). At the time of the 1911 census, they were married for 8 years, had 3 children all of whom were still alive. They lived with their 3 single children, 2 sons Patrick (7) and James (1) along with their daughter Norah (3). Patrick was listed as being a scholar at the time. The two parents were the only ones recorded as being able to speak Irish and English and only Delia and her eldest son Patrick were cited as being able to read. They lived in a 2^nd class house with 3 front windows and 3 rooms. John Feeney owned the land on which his house was situated along with a stable and a piggery.

Edwry [SIC] Farrington (47) was a farmer who was married to Margaret (47) for 10 years in 1911. He was born in England while she originated from County Tyrone. They never had any children but resided in their house with 3 single servants born in County Cavan. Alex Finley (51), William Goodwin, (60) and Samuel Blair (45). Both of the Farringtons were members of the Presbyterian church, whilst all the servants were part of the Church of Ireland. All 5 in the house could read and write and the three servants’ occupation was listed as labourers. The 5 individuals lived in a 2^nd class house with 5 front-facing windows and 3 rooms. Edwin was the landholder on whose holding his house was situated. He also owned 7 out-office and farm-steadings: A stable, cow house, calf house, piggery, fowl house, barn and shed.

Edwry Farrington seemed to have housed 3 Royal Irish Constabulary officers for a time in 1911. It seemed that Edwry had a building that was used as a RIC barracks either permanently or temporarily as there is a separate Form H barracks return also included for the Ballinloughaun townland. Members of the RIC were not named in the 1911 census, as only their initials were used for security reasons. C,R (42) was a single, Roman Catholic, male who was a publican’s son and spoke both English and Irish. Both O,WJ (31) and R,J (25) were single, Presbyterian and farmer’s sons. O,WJ originated from County Antrim while R,J’s birthplace was noted as County Sligo. They could all read and write. The logical conclusion is that the Constable and his party (of two) occupied one of Edwry’s 7 outhouses on his land as they were included in Form B.1 House and Building return.

Kate Shaughnessy (60) was a single farmer who spoke Irish and English but could not read. She lived alone in a 2^nd class house with 4 rooms and 3 front windows. Kate owned the land that her house and 4 farm-standings resided on. She owned a stable, cow house, piggery, and a barn.

Mary Morrissey (50) was listed as a widowed farmer in the 1911 census. She lived with her 2 sons Patrick (27) and Peter (13), along with her daughter Maggie (17). All 4 in the house spoke both Irish and English and although neither Mary nor Patrick could read or write the 2 younger children, Maggie and Peter could do both. Mary and her 3 single children lived in a 2^nd class house with 3 front windows and 3 rooms to shield them. Mary Morrison owned the land her house was fixated on along with 1 stable, 1 cow house, 1 piggery, and a barn.

Julia Kelly (72) was another widowed farmer who resided with her 3 single sons Pat (37), John (35), and Michael (32) along with her 1 single daughter, Mary (33). Julia is listed as being able to speak Irish only, but her 4 children are able to speak both Irish and English. No one in the house was able to read. They all lived together in their 2^nd class house with 3 rooms and 3 front windows. Julia owned not only the house but the land her house, stable, and piggery was situated on.