The Ordnance Survey Name Books gave the standard name as Derrysiskal and the Irish form as Doire Siscil, meaning Seiskil’s oak wood. George D.H. Kirkaldy gave the spelling as Derrysiskal while Rev. Francis Coghlan wrote it as Derrysiscal. Doire Siscil is the standard name now given by the Placenames Commission.
Location
This townland is situated between Innisdeligney, Oxgrove, Corry, Rathmore, Ahanduff, Rathmore Demesne and Clarary. It contained a few farmhouses, three limekilns, a small portion of bog, pasture and arable land, some trees in hedge rows and a trigl. station.
Census 1841, 1851
According to census statistics in 1841 there were eight houses in the townland reduced to five in 1851. The population declined from forty nine people in 1841 to thirty six in 1851.
Griffith’s Valuation 1855
Griffith’s Valuation gave the total acreage of this townland as one hundred and seventy seven acres, three roods and thirteen perches, with a total annual valuation of £74.4s 0d. Lord Dunsandle was the main landowner, and held only one rood for himself, on which was a cottier’s house, offices (sheds) and garden. The remainder of the land was divided into seven holdings, six of which were leased out by Lord Dunsandle. Michael Kelly and John Moran, between them, had a holding of three acres, two roods and five perches. Other tenants listed were Philip Larkin, Peter Daly, Michael Kelly, John Moran and James Coughlan. The size of holdings ranged from eighty eight acres, two roods and thirty four perches at a total annual valuation of £32.15s.0d, to one acre and twenty one perches at a total annual valuation of £0.5s.0d. A small amount of land was owned by John Moran and rented out to Anne Larkin. Philip Larkin, Peter Daly and Michael Kelly held houses, offices and land, while the remainder of the tenants held land, but did not live in the townland.
Census statistics gave the following information: in 1861 there were sixteen people, occupying three houses, and in 1871 twenty people lived in four houses. By 1881 nineteen people resided in three houses, and in 1891, similar to 1861, there were sixteen people in three houses.
1901 Census
Anne Larkin
Anne Larkin, her son Philip, her son-in-law Michael Cunniff, her daughter, Mary Anne, and her grandson Michael Cunniffe, were listed as residents of house 1 in Derrysiskal in 1901. Anne was a 70 year old widow and a farmer. Philip Larkin was 43, Michael Cunniffe was 70, Mary Anne Cunniff was 45 and Thomas Cunniff was 26 years. Philip and Thomas were unmarried and their occupation was given as farmer’s sons. All the occupants were born in Co. Galway, were Roman Catholic and could read and write. In addition, Michael spoke Irish and English.
Anne Larkin’s house was 2nd class and built on her own holding. The walls were of brick, stone or concrete, the roof was thatch or wood; there were 3 front windows and 3 rooms were occupied.
Nine out-offices were recorded on Form B 1 and they included a shed, a barn, a fowl house, a piggery, a calf house, 3 cow houses and a stable.
The census form, signed by Anne Larkin, was collected on 3rd. April. Jno. E. Harte, Constable, was the Enumerator.
Mary Moran
Mary Moran was a widow, aged 65. She was a farmer and head of family. Her son Thomas and daughter-in-law, Mary, lived with her. On Form A, Thomas and Mary were documented as “not married”. The 3 residents were Roman Catholic and born in Co. Galway. Mary (senior) was unable to read or write but spoke Irish and English. Thomas and Mary could read and write.
Mary owned the holding on which their 3rd class house was built. There were 2 front windows, walls of brick, stone or concrete, a thatch or wood roof and 3 rooms were occupied by the family.
There were 5 out-offices along with the house on the holding: a stable, a cow house, a piggery, a barn and a shed.
The Enumerator, Jno. E. Harte, Constable, witnessed Mary’s mark x on the census form. The form was collected on 3rd. April
Bridget Kirwan
Bridget Kirwan was documented as a landholder on Form B 1. The only information given was that in answer to the question “Is house inhabited?” “no” is written in the column.
Anne Kelly
Anne Kelly was a widow, aged 65. Herr 2 single daughters were Bridget, 31 years and Mary Anne who was 23. Anne was a farmer and her girls were listed as farmer’s daughters. Mother and daughters were Roman Catholic and born in Co. Galway. Anne was unable to read or write but spoke Irish and English. Bridget and Mary Anne were able to read and write.
Their 2nd class house had walls of stone, brick or concrete and a thatch or wood roof, 3 front windows and the family occupied 3 rooms. The private dwelling, as well as 6 out-offices, was situated on Ann’s holding.
The out-offices consisted of a stable, a cow house, a calf house, a piggery, a barn and a shed.
Anne’s mark x on the census form was witnessed by the Enumerator Jno. E. Harte, Constable. The form was collected on 3rd April.
1911 Census
Thomas Bohan
Thomas Bohan and his wife, Bridget, were married for 2 years. Thomas, a farmer, was 36 and Bridget was 38. Both were Roman Catholic, born in Co. Galway and could read and write. They were recorded as residents of house 1 in Derrysiskal in 1911.
Their private dwelling, listed as a 2nd class house, was built on Thomas’s holding. The roof was thatch or wood, the walls were stone, brick or concrete, there were 3 front windows and 3 rooms were occupied.
Six out-offices were listed: 1 cow house, 1 piggery, 1 barn, 1 shed and 2 stables.
The census form, signed by Thomas Bohan, as head of family, was collected on April 14th. The Enumerator was William Pender, Constable.
Thomas Moran
Thomas Moran and his wife, Mary, were married for 13 years. They had 4 children, all of whom were living. Thomas, a farmer, was 60 years and Mary was 41. Their older son, John, was 10, Gerard was 7, the daughter Mary was 5 and the third son, Michael was 3 years. Thomas, Mary and John could read and write but the younger children were unable to do so. Both John and Gerard spoke Irish and English and were listed as scholars. The family members were all Roman Catholic and born in Galway ER.
Thomas Moran’s 2nd class house was built on his own holding. It had a thatch or wood roof, brick, stone or concrete walls, 3 front windows and 2 rooms were occupied by the family.
Also on the holding were 6 out-offices: a stable, a cow house, a piggery, a fowl house, a barn and a shed.
William Pender was the Enumerator. The census form was signed by Thomas Moran and was collected on April 14th.
Philip Larkin
Philip Larkin, his sister Mary Anne Conniff (sic), his nephew Thomas Conniff, and his sister-in-law Maria Larkin, were listed as residents of house 3 in Derrysiskal. Philip was 57 years, a farmer, single and head of family. Mary Anne, 67, was married for 39 years, had 2 children, both of whom were still living. Thomas was 38, and was listed as a married farm servant. Maria was 45 years old and married for 21 years. She had 10 children and they were all still living. The 4 residents were Roman Catholic, born in Co. Galway, and could read and write. Philip, Mary Anne and Thomas spoke Irish and English.
Similar to other families in Derrysiskal, Philip owned the holding on which his house and out-offices were situated. Two rooms of the 2nd class house were occupied by the family. The roof was thatch or wood, the walls stone, brick or concrete and there were 3 windows in front.
Included in the 7 out-offices were 1 shed, 1 barn, 1 fowl house, 1 piggery, 1 cow house and 2 stables.
The signature of the Enumerator was either omitted or faded on Form A, but that of William Pender, Constable of Portumna Constabulary District, appeared on Form B 1 (Additional pages 2.) Philip Lark, as head of family, signed the census form which was collected on April 14th 1911.
James Larkin
James Larkin, his wife Annie, their 4 children and a domestic servant resided in house 4. James and Annie were married for 9 years, had 4 children by 1911, all of whom were living. James, head of family, and listed as a farmer, was 35 and Annie was aged 34. The older son, Ambrose was 8, next was John J. who was 5, Joseph Albert was 4 and the daughter Mary J., was 1 year old. The servant, Anne Horan, was 68 and single. All 7 residents were Roman Catholic and born in Co. Galway. James, Annie, Ambrose, John J., and Anne could read and write and both Ambrose and John J. spoke English and Irish.
James was the landholder on whose holding their 1st class house stood. The roof of the house was slate, iron or tiles, the walls were of concrete, stone or brick; there were 7 windows in front and 4 rooms were occupied by the family.
Eight out-offices were recorded and they included a stable, a cow house, a calf house, a piggery, a fowl house, a barn and 2 sheds.
The census form, signed by James Larkin as head of family, was collected on April 14th. William Pender, Constable was the Enumerator.
No Comments
Add a comment about this page