Several variations in the spelling of this townland were noted. In the Ordnance Survey Name Books, Moneenavinna and Moneenaveena were the two versions of the standard name given for this townland. Monynevyny was the form used during the reign of William III (1689-1702). The Irish version was Móinín a Mhíne, meaning little bog of smoothness. Its official name today is Móinín an Mhianiagh. George D. H. Kirkaldy used two versions: Moneenavena or Monavena while Rev. Francis Coghlan wrote the name as Moneenavina.
Location
Ahanduffbeg, Ahanduffmore, Rusheeny, Killimor and Boleybeg, Hearnesbrook Demesne and Ardane border the townland. In the 1830s it contained a few farmhouses and limekilns, a sand pit and a large portion of bog. There was a large hill of fir plantation on the south side of the road leading from Loughrea to Killimor, and which passed through Moneenaveena. The Ordnance Survey Map showed a tunnel, a gate lodge and Hearnesbrooke Bridge in Moneenaveena.
Census 1841, 1851
Pre-famine census statistics indicated a population of forty two people in 1841, reduced to thirty three in 1851, while the number of houses decreased from seven to five.
Griffith’s Valuation 1855
Griffith’s Valuation gave the total acreage as ninety four acres, one rood and twenty five perches of land, all of which was rented out by the landowner John Connolly. George D.H. Kirkaldy held fourteen acres, three roods and twenty two perches of bog, and seven acres and eleven perches of land, on which was a gate-lodge. Daniel Egan and Peter Killian, between them, held twenty three acres, two roods and thirteen perches of land, on which they each had a house and office(s) (sheds). The third tenant was named as Rev. Francis Coghlan, who held a house and offices on twenty nine acres, one rood and fourteen perches of land. Finally, Thomas Mannion held a house and offices on nineteen acres, two roods and five perches at a total annual valuation of £8.10s.0d.
Census 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891
Census statistics showed a variation in population and houses: thirty eight people in four houses in 1861, thirty one people in five houses in 1871, thirty four people occupying seven houses by 1881, and twenty five people residing in five houses by 1891.
1901 Census
The 1901 census recorded four houses in the townland, with the landholder and head of each family named as Thomas Lawlor, Catherine Mannion, Martin Clarke and Pat Killeen. Two houses had slate roofs while the other two had thatch. There were six windows in the front of one house, five in another, three in the third and two in the last house. Seven persons lived in one family and three in each of the others.
Thos Lawlor
Household Return Form A for Moneenaveena shows Thos Lawlor as head of family in house number 1 in 1901. He was a farmer, aged 79, and was married to Anne, aged 80. They both could read and write. Thos was born in Queens Co and Anne was born in Co. Galway. Their granddaughter Loretta Dooris was 19 and not married and she was born in Co. Limerick.
Thos was the owner of land where his 1st class private dwelling was built. The roof was slate/iron or tiles and the walls were stone/brick or concrete. It had 5 front windows and the family occupied 12 rooms.
Form B 2 lists their 8 out-offices as 1 stable, 1 coach house, 2 cow houses, 1 calf house, 1 piggery, 1 fowl house and 1 barn.
Thos Lawlor signed the census form which was collected in April. Jno. E. Harte, Constable, was the Enumerator.
Catherine Mannion
House 2 in Moneenaveena in 1901 was that of Catherine Mannion and she was head of family. She was a 64 year old farmer and was widowed and she spoke Irish and English but could not read or write. Her son John, 32, listed as farmer’s son and her daughter Kate, 27, listed as farmer’s daughter, were not married and they could read and write. They were Roman Catholic and were all born in Co. Galway.
Catherine Mannion owned the land where her 2nd class private dwelling was built. The roof was thatch or wood and the walls were stone/brick or concrete. It had 3 front windows and they occupied 3 rooms.
Form B 2 shows they owned 4 out-offices which included a stable, a cow house, a piggery and a barn.
Catherine Mannion’s x on the census form was witnessed by Jno. E. Harte, Constable and he was also the Enumerator. The form was collected in April.
Martin Clarke
Martin Clarke was head of family in house 3. He was 66, a farmer and was married to Rose who was 50. Their daughter Mary, aged 20, was a dressmaker and not married. Their son, Pat, 17, was also not married. Their other 3 children; Rose, 16, Michael, 14 and Julia 8 were listed as scholars and were single.
Martin Clarke owned the holding where his 3rd class private dwelling was built. The roof was thatch or wood and the walls were stone/brick or concrete. It had 2 front windows and they occupied 2 rooms.
Martin Clarke signed the census form which was collected in April. Jno. E. Harte, Constable, was the Enumerator.
Pat Killeen
Form A of the census return shows Pat Killeen as head of family in house 4 in Moneenaveena in 1901. He was not married and his 2 sisters, Anne, aged 59, and Ellen 52, listed as farmer’s sister were also not married. They could all read and write and were Roman Catholic and were born in Co. Galway.
Form B 1 shows that Pat Killeen was the holder of the land where his 6 out-offices and his 2nd class private dwelling were built. The roof was slate/iron or tiles and the walls were stone/brick or concrete.
The 6 out-offices given on Form B 2 were a stable, a cow house, a calf house, a piggery, a fowl house and a barn.
Pat Killeen signed the census form which was collected in April. Jno. E. Harte, Constable, was the Enumerator
1911 Census
The surnames remained the same in the 1911 census, with the name Thomas Lawlor replaced by that of Annie Lawlor and Catherine Mannion replaced by John Mannion.
Anne Lawler (also spelt Lawlor)
Anne Lawler was listed on Form A of the 1911 census as head of family in house 1. She was 91 years old and widowed and her profession was given as Ex PS teacher. Her son-in-law John Ryan, 51, was given as RIC Pensioner and was married to Teresa, aged 43. They were married 21 years and had 6 children still living. Four of her grandchildren were given as scholars: Margaret, 13, Annie, 11, John, 8 and Edith J, was 5 and the 3 oldest spoke Irish and English. Anne’s other grand-daughter Josephine Doris aged 23 was single and she was born in Co. Limerick while all the others were born in Co. Galway. They were Roman Catholic and all could read and write except Edith J who could read only.
Annie Lawlor (sic) is given as land holder and her 2nd class private dwelling had a slate/iron or tiled roof and the walls were stone/brick or concrete. It had 6 front windows and they occupied 6 rooms.
Form B 2 lists their 4 out-offices as a stable, a cow house, a fowl house and a barn.
Anne Lawler signed the census form which was collected on April 13th and William Pender, Constable, was the Enumerator.
John Mannion
House numbered 2 was that of John Mannion who was a 45 year old farmer and was head of family and was single. His mother Catherine, 81, was widowed and his sister Catherine, 35, was single. They were Roman Catholic and born in Co. Galway and they all could read and write.
John owned the land where his 2nd class private dwelling was built. It had a thatch or wood roof and the walls were stone/brick or concrete. It had 3 front windows and they occupied 3 rooms.
Their 5 out-offices included a stable, a cow house, a piggery, a fowl house and a barn.
John Mannion signed the census form which was collected on April 13th. William Pender, Constable, was the Enumerator.
Patrick Killeen
Residents in house 3 in 1911 were Patrick and Ellen Mannion. Patrick was 54 and a farmer and Ellen, his sister, was 56 and they were both single. They were Roman Catholic and born in Co. Galway and could read and write.
Patrick owned the holding where his 2nd class private dwelling was built. The roof was slate/iron or tiles and the walls were stone/brick or concrete. It had 6 front windows and they occupied 4 rooms.
Three out-offices listed on Form B 2 were a stable, a cow house and a piggery.
William Pender, Constable, was the Enumerator and Patrick Killeen signed the census form which was collected on April 13th.
Martin Clarke
Martin Clarke,aged 74, was given as head of family in house 4 in the 1911 census. His occupation was recorded as Naval Pensioner and he was married to Rose, 63 for 30 years and they had 6 living children. They both could not read. Their son Patrick, 26, a farmer, was married and their daughter-in-law, Bridget, was aged 32. They were married 1½ years and had 1 living child, Mary who was 6 months old. Martin’s daughter Julia, 17, was single. They were all Roman Catholic and Patrick, Bridget and Julia could read and write. They were born in Co. Galway.
Martin Clarke owned the land where his 3rd class private dwelling was built. The roof was thatch or wood and the walls were of mud/wood or other perishable material. It had 2 front windows and they occupied 2 rooms.
Form B 2 lists their 2 out-offices as a piggery and a fowl house.
Martin Clarke’s mark x on the census form was witnessed by Constable, William Pender who was also the Enumerator and it was collected on April 13th.
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