Translation: Fork of the stone or grave
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 its 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 Gowlan in Glantreige. In 1641 (pre-Cromwell) the owner was catholic Murrogh McBrien O’Flahartye. In 1670 (post Cromwell) it was in the protestant ownership of College of Dublin. It is in the half barony of Rosse in the parish of Rosse and is in Co. Galway. There was 388 plantation acres of unprofitable land and 20 plantation acres of profitable land; the profitable land was forfeited.
O’Donovan’s Field Name Books 1838: John O’Donovan says that the standard name for the townland is Gowlaunlee. Gabhlán lighe is the Irish form of the name and it translates as fork of the stone or grave.
Other forms of the name: Gowlaunlee, Gabhlán lighe, Ligh, Gowlaunalee (By Surveyors Sketch Map), Goulaunalee (County Cess Collector), Glanalee (County Map) Lee (Mearsman), Lee (Rev. Michael Heraty, P.P.), Gowlaunalee (Tithe Ledger).
Description: It was Provost land, and the agent was Alexander Nesbitt, Esq., Junior, 96 Stephens Green South, Dublin. The land was held under lease by tenants. The rent was £56. The soil was all mountainous, some steep heath and rough pasture, part coarse, part rocky, mixed mountain with some arable pasture at the valley. A little tillage: crops of oats and potatoes are grown; part middling and some bad. The County Cess of 11¼d was paid per acre half yearly for 48 acres. A small village (possibly Benbrin / Binn Bhroin meaning Bran’s peak, is described as a village in Gowlaun-a-lee). Killeen Waumtherk / Cilliín Mhaum Tuirc that translates as little church of Maumturk and is described as a burying place for children. Tober Feeheen / Tobar Féichín describes a holy well of St. Feichin in the townland of Gowlaunlee. Antiquities consisted of one fort.
Situation: It is situated in the southwest side of the parish; bounded in the north by the townlands of Bunnaviskaun, in the west by the parish of Ballinakill, in the south by the parish of Moyrus and on the east by the townlands of Cruckaunawaune, Pound, Cartron and Lee. It is in the barony of Ross and is in County Galway.
Griffith’s Valuation 1849: Gowlaunlee can be found on Ordnance Survey Sheet 24 & 25. It has an area of 1,734 acres and 28 perches. The land value at the time was £35.1.10.
The Directors of the Law Life Assurance Co. were the immediate lessors of the property and there was but one tenant that had the lease of 1,734 acres and 28 perches of land.
No 1: Peter King had a herd’s house and land; the land had a ratable annual valuation of £49 and 10 shillings and the house had an annual valuation of 10 shillings. His total annual valuation of ratable property was £50; this rent was payable to the Directors of the Law Assurance Company.
1901 Census: Constable Thomas Parkinson collected the census return for Gowlanlee on the 8th of April 1901. There were two houses in the townland; one was 2nd class and one 3rd class, both had perishable roofs that were presumably thatch. Eighteen people were resident here: eight males and ten females. All were born in Co. Galway and were Roman Catholic.
No 1: Thomas Coyne (50), his wife Mary (45), their five daughters and two sons were the occupants of this house. Thomas was a herd; his daughters Mary (23) and Kate (16) were herd’s daughters, Philip (14) was a herd’s son, Sarah (12) and Anne (8) were scholars; Thomas was (5) and Margaret (3) years old. None in this household could read; all were bilingual. The house was 3rd class with two windows in front and the family of nine occupied three rooms. They had a cow house and a pig house on the holding.
Richard T. King was the name of the landholder where the house was situated.
No 2: Pat Coyne (40) a herd, his wife Honor (40) and their seven children lived in this house. Mary (13) was a scholar; Pat (12) a herd’s son, Michael was (9), Kate (6), Philip (5), Thomas (3) and Bridget (1) year old. Honor was the only one in the household that could read; all but the two youngest were bilingual. The house was 2nd class with three windows in front and the family of nine occupied three rooms. They had a cow house on the holding.
Richard T. King was the name of the landholder where the house was situated.
1911 Census: Constable Joseph Carlos collected the census return for the townland on the 14th of April 1911. Two houses remained inhabited and sixteen people now lived here: ten males and six females.
No 1: Thomas Coyne (68) was married to Mary (60) for thirty-seven years and they had eleven children; ten were still living. Thomas and his sons Phil (26) and Tom (17) were shepherds. Anne (20) had no occupation listed. Thomas’s grandson Michael Connelly (7) was recorded here. Anne and Tom could read and write, the others could not read. All spoke Irish and English. The house was 3rd class with two windows in front and six people occupied three rooms. They had three cow houses on the holding.
No 2: Pat Coyne (55) a shepherd, and his wife Mary (50) were married for twenty-five years, and they had eight children. Pat (21) and Michael (19) were shepherds; Kate (16) had no occupation recorded, Phil (14) and Tom (12) were scholars, Bridget was (9) and Alice (6) years old. Pat’s nephew Pat Joyce (12) was also in the house. Kate, Phil and Tom could read and write; the rest of the household were unable to read, all were bilingual. The house was 2nd class with three windows in front and the family of ten occupied three rooms. They had two cow houses on the holding.
Richard King was the name of the landholder where both houses were situated.
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