Kilskeagh

Kilskeagh (Bellville, Galway) is in the Civil Parish of Athenry and the Barony of Clare (not Co. Clare).

Standard Name: Kilskeagh

Irish Form:  Cill Sciach

Translation:  Church of the briers

Other Forms of Name: Cil Sciach, Kilsceach, Kilskeaugh, Kolskeagh, Killskeagh.

Information from PW Joyce author Joyce’s Place Names Kilskeagh is Coill-sceach, wood of the skaghs or whitethorn bushes.

Kilskeagh is bounded on the North by Cloonavaddogue West by Glanmore Rathfee , South by Gortavaura and East by Farrawaun in the parish of Lackagh.

O’Donovan’s Field Name Book

Records from this source (1860’s) list Kilskeagh as the property of a Mr. Robert Browne and that a quarter of it is rough, rocky pasture and the remainder is cultivated. Near its North East corner is a remarkable ancient stone enclosure called Cahermore. There is an old fort and the ruins of an old castle in its West side.

The townlands that share a border with Kilskeagh are:

Cloonavaddogue

Farravaun

Glenmore

Gortavaura

Mount Brown

Rathfee

The Down Survey (1641 pre-Cromwell; 1670 post Cromwell) 

The Down Survey has no information on Kilskeagh and the map of this Barony was destroyed in 1711. No copies have, so far, come to light.

Griffith’s Valuation (1855) records 2 occupiers as:

Michael Hennelly      384 Acres 1 Rood 5 Perches   £151.0s.0d (Land and Herd’s house)

Marcus Loughnane    192 Acres 1 Rood 24 Perches £ 22.0s.0d (Land and out offices)

The total land area was 576 Acres 2 Roods 29 Perches.

The rateable valuation of the land was £221.11s.04d and of the buildings were £1.

Currency then was Pounds, shillings and pence £ s d

The Immediate Lessor for each was Robert Browne.  The “description of tenements” was land, out-offices and cottiers houses.

Tithe Applotment Books (1827)

The Tithe Applotment Book (Rental Applotment Annual Valuation) has six entries for Kilskeagh:

Acreage           Annual Dues

James Burke                             107 Acres      £6.5s.04d

Morgan Morrissey                     66                  £4.4s.10¾

Patt Summerall                         13                   £0.6s.06d

Edward O’Flaherty                    57                   £2.3s.11¼

Thomas Burke                            24                  £2.3s.11¼

William O’Donnell                    23                  £0.12s.03

Census 1901

No records of Census prior to 1901 could be found for Kilskeagh. In 1901 one family is recorded. 4 people resided in Kilskeagh, 3 males and 1 female. All were Roman Catholics. Martin Marrinan was the Census enumerator. The census night was 31^st March 1901, and the forms were collected on April 10^th, 1901. The Head of Household was Mary Rabbit.

Rabbit’s Mary Rabbit (60), a widow and farmer, is Head of the Family. She cannot read or write. She spoke Irish and English as did her household. Living with her were her 2 unmarried sons Patrick (40) a farmer, who couldn’t read or write and Michael (30) who could read and write and Mary’s grandson, Michael Tuohy (12), a scholar, who could read and write. They were all born in Co. Galway and were Roman Catholics. They lived in a private house made of blocks, brick or concrete and had a roof of thatch, wood or other perishable material. The house had 3 front windows; 5 rooms were occupied by the family. The house was deemed a 2^nd class house. There were 4 out-offices and farm steadings – a stable, cow house, piggery and a barn.

Census 1911  (Kilskeagh, Belleville)

In 1911 one family is recorded. 9 people resided in Kilskeagh, 6 males and 3 females. All were Roman Catholics. The census night was 31^st March 1901, and the forms were collected on April 10^th, 1901. The Head of Household was Mary Rabbit. The census night was Sunday 2^nd April 1911, and the forms were collected on April 7^th, 1911. Constable Eugene Divilly was the enumerator.

Rabbit’s Mary Rabbit (75), a widow and farmer, is Head of the Family. She cannot read or write. She spoke Irish and English as did her all adults in her household. Living with her were her unmarried farming sons Patrick who couldn’t read or write, and Michael (43) Married, who could read and write. Also in the house were Mary’s daughter-in-law Julia (31), 7 years married and Mary Rabbit’s grandchildren, Patrick (6), Mary (4), John (2) and Michael who was six months old. Michael Toole (19) and single, a farm servant was there also. All were born in Co. Galway, no child had died and there were no infirmities. They lived in a private house made of blocks, brick or concrete and had a roof of thatch, wood or other perishable material. The house had 3 front windows, 4 rooms were occupied by the family. The house was deemed a 2^nd class house. There were 4 out-offices and farm steadings – a stable, cow house, piggery and a barn.