Coorloggagh

Translation: green fields of the hollows

By Teresa Philbin

The Down Survey:  The Down Survey of Ireland is the first ever detailed land survey on a national scale anywhere in the world.  The survey is a cadastral survey of Ireland and was so called simply by its topographic details all laid down by admeasurements on maps.  It was carried out by William Petty an English scientist in 1655 and 1656.   The survey sought to measure all the land to be forfeited by the Catholic Irish, in order to facilitate it’s redistribution to merchant adventurers and English officers and soldiers in Oliver Cromwell’s army. It was to repay them and the many English politicians and adventurers who had funded Cromwell’s military campaign in Ireland.

The Down Survey name for the townland is Tuorlagagh.  In 1641 (pre Cromwell) the owner was Murrough O’Flahertye a catholic.  In 1670 (post Cromwell) it was in the protestant ownership of Dublin College.  It is in the half barony of Rosse (sic) in the parish of Rosse and in Co. Galway.  There were 155 plantation acres of unprofitable land and 36 acres of profitable land.  The profitable land was forfeited.

O’Donovan’s Field Name Books 1838:  According to John O’Donovan, the standard name for the townland is Toorloggagh and the Irish form of the name is Tuar logach that means ‘green field of the hollows.

Other forms of the name:  Toorloggach, Tuar logach, Toorloggagh (Boundary Surveyor’s Sketch Map), Tourloggagh (County Cess Collector), Toorlogaugh (Co. Map), Toorlaggagh (Leases 1837), Thoorloggagh (Local), Turlagagh (Map of Property 1760), Turlagagh (Map of Property 1815), Tourloggagh (Rev. Michael Heraghty P.P.), Tourloggagh (Tithe Ledger).

Description:  John O’Donovan describes it as Provost land.  The agent was Alexander Nesbitt, Esq., Junior of No 96 Stephen’s Green South, Dublin.  The land was held under lease by John Fair, Esquire, of Rathmines Dublin.  The rent was £62 and 10 shillings per year.  The soil; all mountainous, part steep heath pasture and some coarse and mixed mountain pasture at the valley.  The County Cess of 11¼d was paid per acre half yearly for 70 acres.  There is a herd’s house with a village in ruins, and Oileán an Iarla / Earls Island in Lough Mask is in this townland.

Situation:  It is a central townland; bounded on the north by the townlands of Drin and Kangarrow (sic), west by Lecarrow, south by Drishaghaun and Lough Mask and on the east by Lough Mask and the townland of Drin.  It is in the barony of Ross, in Co. Galway.

Griffith’s Valuation 1849:  Toorloggagh can be found on Ordnance Sheet 20. It has an area of 735 acres and 24 perches.  Land value at the time was £41.19.6.

The Provost and Fellows of Trinity College Dublin (T.C.D.) were the immediate lessors of the property.  They had one tenant.

No 1:  Robert Phayre (sic) was the only occupier of a house, office and land.  There were 735 acres, 3roods and 12 perches of land with an annual valuation of £45; the buildings were valued at 15 shillings.  His total annual valuation of ratable property was £45 and 15 shillings and this rent was payable to Trinity College.

No 1901 or 1911 online census available for Toorloggagh.