Translation: a small derry or oak wood
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 of Derreen was Derelehane. In 1641 (pre-Cromwell) Rickard McHenry McRickard Shoy a catholic was the owner. In 1670 (post Cromwell) it was in protestant ownership of College of Dublin. It is in the half barony of Ross, in the parish of Ross Co. Galway. There were 210 acres of unprofitable land and 13 acres of profitable land; the profitable land was forfeited.
O’Donovan’s Field Name Books 1838: John O’Donovan tells us the name of the townland is Derreen and Doirín is the Irish form of the name that translates as a small derry or oak wood.
Other forms of the name: Derreen, Doirín, Dereen (Boundary Surveyors Sketch Map), Derreen (County Cess Collector), Derreen (County Map), Dereen (Leases 1837), Derreen (Local), Derrin (Map of Property 1760), Dereen (Map of Property 1837), Derreen (Mearsman), Derreen (Rev. Michael Heraty P.P.), Derreen (Tithe Ledger).
Description: The proprietor was the Provost of Trinity College Dublin and the agent was Alexander Nesbitt, Esq., Junior of 96 Stephens Green South Dublin. The rent was £19 and 9 shillings per year. The soil was all mountainous, part steep heath rough and pasturable; some arable pasture, some coarse mixed pasture and some tillage. Middling crops of oats; potatoes were part middling and some very bad. The Co. Cess of £19 and 9 shillings was paid per acre half yearly for 14 acres. Derreen village is in this townland. There are no antiquities.
Knockaderreen / Cnoc a’Doirín that translates as hill of Derreen is described as a mountain in the townland of Derreen.
Situation: It is a central townland that is bordered on the north by the townlands of Greggins and Lee; on the west by Pound Cartron and Cruckaunawaunia, to the south by Cruckaunawaunia and Maumgawnagh and on the east by Kelmilkin (sic). It is in the barony of Ross and County Galway.
Griffith’s Valuation 1849: Derreen can be found on Ordnance Survey Sheet 25. According to Griffith’s valuation it had an area of 708 acres and 14perches. The land value at the time was £26.17.2.
James Kilkelly was the immediate lessor of 708 acres, 3 roods and 2 perches of land. This amount was held in equal divisions by two tenants 1(a) and 1(b)
1(a): John King had a herd’s house and land. The land had an annual valuation of £15 and the house had an annual valuation of 10 shillings. John’s total annual rent was £15 and 10 shillings.
1(b): Patrick King had a herd’s house and land. He too had an annual valuation of £15 for his share of land and the house had an annual valuation of 10 shillings. Patrick’s total annual rent was £15 and 10 shillings.
The rents were payable to James Kilkelly.
1901 Census: Constable John Phelan collected the census return for Derreen in the electoral division of Letterbrickaun, in the sub-district of Maam on the 4th April 1901. There were two houses in the townland; one 2nd and one 3rd class; both with perishable roofs that were most likely thatch. Six people were resident here; four males and two females, all were born in Co. Galway and were Roman Catholic.
No 1 Peter King (25) a farmer was head of this household. His sisters Bridget (18) and Catherine (12) were farmer’s sisters. Martin Joyce (34) a single man was a farm servant. Peter and his sisters could read and write; Martin could not read. All spoke Irish and English. The house was 2nd class with four windows in front and four people occupied four rooms. They had a cow house and a piggery on the premises.
No 2: Thomas Lydon (55) a widower, and his son Martin (25) were shepherds. Neither could read; both were bilingual. The house was 3rd class with two windows to the front and the father and son occupied two rooms. They had a piggery on the holding.
Peter King was the name of the landholder where this house was situated.
1911 Census: Constable Patrick Henaghan collected the census return for Derreen on the 13th April 1911. There were still only two houses in the townland; both were 2nd class.
No1: Peter King (35) was married to Sarah (33) for three years and they had two children; Edward was (2) and Mary (1) year old. John McDonnell (48) a servant was an agricultural labourer and he was not married. Peter and Sarah could read and write; John could not read; the adults were bilingual. Sarah, Edward and John were born in Co. Mayo; Peter and Mary were born in Co. Galway. The house was 2nd class with four windows in front and five people occupied six rooms. There were eight out offices on the property that contained a stable, a coach house, a cow house, a calf house, a piggery, a fowl house, a potato house and a shed.
No 2: Michael Coyne (30) a single man was born in Co. Galway. Michael was a shepherd; he could read and write and was bilingual. The house was 2nd class with three windows in front and he had two rooms. There was a cow house on the holding.
Peter King of Derreen was the name of the landholder where this house was situated.
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