Rooaun, An Ruan reddish land

Rooaun lies in the south west of the civil parish of Killallaghton in the Barony of Kilconnell Co Galway. It is in the district electoral division of Killoran in the Barony of Longford, County Galway. It is bounded by Cappatagggul, Tooree, Lackagh and Cartronsheela townlands in the same barony and by Shanballycoleman in the barony of Cloonmacnon.

O’Donovan’s Field Name books give these other spellings of this townland: Ruadhan, Roughan, Ruanny and Ruane.

Down Survey map give no information on who owned this townland in the 1600s.

Census 1901

There were 5 buildings in Rooaun in 1901. 1 building was uninhabited. It was owned by Thomas Noone. It was a 2^nd class building with 1 room and 7 front windows. It was not built as a private dwelling. The other 4 houses had 18 residents in total: 9 were male and 9 were female. The heads of the households were: Thomas Noone, Patrick Campbell, Alice Carty and Winifred Devany. All residents were Roman Catholic. They were born in Co Galway. The houses were built as private dwellings. The walls were built with stone, brick or concrete. Thomas Noone’s and Patrick Campbell’s house roofs were made with perishable material. The other house roofs were made with slate, iron or tiles.

Thomas Noone (33) worked as a farmer. He was married to Eliza (36). There was no occupation recorded for Eliza. He had 4 children and 1 stepson. Michael was 1 month old. Thomas was 2 years old. John (4), Mary (7) and James Nevin (13) were scholars. All could read and write except for Thomas and Michael. They could not read. They lived in a 2^nd class house with 3 rooms, 5 front windows and 7 outhouses. Thomas Noone owned the land the house was situated on.

Patrick Campbell (50) worked as a herd. He was single. His nephew James (16) had no occupation recorded for him. His niece Kate (11) was a scholar. All 3 occupants could read and write. They lived in a 2^nd class house with 3 rooms, 5 front windows and 4 outhouses. George Kerr Mahon owned the land the house was situated on.

Alice Carty (60) worked as a farmer. She was a widow. Her daughter in law Ellen (40) had 4 children. Mary A (12), Bridget (9), Patrick (7) and John (5) were scholars. Alice could not read. John could only read. The rest of the family could read and write. They lived in a 2^nd class house with 3 rooms, 4 front windows and 3 outhouses. Alice Carty owned the land the house was situated on.

Winifred Devany (27) was a N Teacher. She was single. Her niece Matilda Smyth (9) was a scholar. They could read and write. They lived in a 2^nd class house with 2 rooms and 3 front windows. There were no outhouses recorded. Thomas Noone owned the land the house was situated on.

Census 1911

There were 2 houses in Rooaun in 1911. There were 14 residents in total: 8 were male and 6 were female. The heads of the households were: Thomas Noone and Ellen Carty. All residents were Roman Catholic. They were born in Co Galway. The census taken on the 10^th of April 1911 show the houses were built as private dwellings. The walls were built with stone, brick or concrete. Thomas Noone’s house roof was made with perishable material. Ellen Carty’s house roof was made with slate, iron or tiles.

Thomas Noone (40) worked as a farmer. He was married for 18 years to Eliza (45). They had 9 children with 9 living in 1911. Recorded were their 8 unmarried children. Pat Joseph Nevin (25) was a farmer. James Nevin (23) and Mary Noone (17) had no occupations recorded for them. Thomas (12), Michael (10), Bridget (7), Joseph (5) and Eliza (3) (all with the surname Noone) were scholars. Bridget, Joseph and Eliza could not read or write. The rest of the family could read and write. They lived in a 2^nd class house with 4 rooms and 3 front windows. There were 6 outhouses: 1 stable, 1 cow house, 1 piggery, 1 fowl house, 1 barn and 1 shed. Thomas Noone owned the land the house was situated on.

Ellen Carty (57) worked as a farmer. She was married for 22 years. She had 4 children with 4 living in 1911. Recorded were her 3 unmarried children. Bridget (20) was recorded as a housemaid. Patrick (18) and John (15) were recorded as farmer’s sons. The entire family could read and write. They lived in a 2^nd class house with 3 rooms, 2 front windows, 1 stable and 1 cow house. Ellen Carty owned the land the house was situated on.