Ballydonnelllan West/Baile Ui Dhonallain/O’Donnellan’s Town

Ballydonnellan West is situated in the civil parish of Killallaghtan barony of Kilconnell Co Galway. It lies in the south west of this parish in the barony of Cloonmacnoon and is bounded by Ballydonnellan East in the same barony. It is bounded by Eastwell and Lackagh townlands in the barony of Kilconnell in this parish. It is bounded by Cloonmain and Ballyhanlain in the parish of Kilreekil, barony of Athenry.

O’Donovan’s Field Name Books give other spellings of this townland: Ballydonellan, Ballydonolayn and West Ballydonellane,

Down Survey map give no information on who owned this land in the 1600a.

Census 1901

There was 1 house in Ballydonnelllan West in 1901. The head of the household was

Patrick Dillon. There were 10 residents in total: 4 were male and 6 were female. All residents were Roman Catholic. They were born in Co Galway. The census taken on the 1^st of April 1901 show the house was built as a private dwelling. The walls were built with stone, brick or concrete. The roof was made with perishable material.

Patrick Dillon (49) worked as a shepherd. He was married to Maria (47). There was no occupation recorded for Maria. Recorded were their 7 unmarried children. Thomas (22) and John (20) recorded their occupations as shepherds. There were no occupations recorded for Mary (18) and Eliza (16). Annie (15), Ellie (13) and Katie (9) were scholars. John Caughlan (32) was single. He was recorded as a farm servant. The entire household could read and write. They lived in a 2^nd class house with 3 rooms, 3 front windows and 3 outhouses. John Smyth of Loughrea owned the land the house was situated on.

Census 1911

There was 1 house in Ballydonnelllan West in 1911. The head of the household was

Patrick Dillon. There were 7 residents in total: 4 were male and 3 were female. All residents were Roman Catholic. They were born in Co Galway. The census taken on the 10^th of April 1911 show the house was built as a private dwelling. The walls were built with stone, brick or concrete. The roof was made with slates, iron or tiles.

Patrick Dillon (63) worked as a herd. He was married for 34 years to Mary (64). There was no occupation recorded for Mary. They had 5 children with 4 living in 1911. Thomas (32) and John (31) recorded their occupations as herds. There were no occupations recorded for Lizzie (24) and Ellie (23). All 4 children were single. Boarder John Joseph O’Sullivan (25) was single. He recorded his occupation as a national school teacher. All the household could read and write except for Mary. She could read only. The family lived in a 2^nd class house with 4 rooms and 5 front windows. There were 6 outhouses: 1 stable, 1 cow house, 1 piggery, 1 fowl house, 1 barn and 1 shed. John Smyth owned the land the house was situated on.