Cover drawing of Coolaney Bridge by Raymond Piper, published in “This is Ireland: Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon” by Richard Hayward, published by Arthur Baker Ltd., London 1955. To: Winifred, Fiona, Oisín, Sinéad and Aisling. First printed 1985. This electronic edition 2005 Copyright Michael Farry 1985 & 2005 The Voice. The wind blows out of the gates of the day, The wind blows over the lonely of heart, And the lonely of heart is withered away. While the faeries dance in a place apart, Shaking their milk-white feet in a ring, Tossing their milk-white arms in the air; For they hear the wind laugh and murmur and sing Of a land where even the old are fair, And even the wise are merry of tongue; But I heard a reed of Coolaney say, 'When the wind has laughed and murmured and sung The lonely of heart is withered away!' from "The Land of Heart's Desire" (1894) by W.B.Yeats "The Collected Plays of W.B.Yeats" - London Macmillan, 1966 More Recent Books by Michael Farry: A Chronicle of Conflict; Sligo 1914-1921. (Trim, 1992) (Out of print, an electronic version will be available later this year.) The Aftermath of Revolution: Sligo 1921-23. (UCD Press, Dublin, 2000) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my gratitude to the following who provided valuable advice and assistance in the compilation and writing of this book: Tadhg O'Ceallaigh, lecturer St. Patrick's Training College, under whose guidance the work was begun. The late John J. McDonagh, Carrowclooneen, who shared his vast store of local wisdom and knowledge with me over ten years. All the other people of the parish who answered my questions so willingly especially the late John Harte, Thomas Doyle, Sean Lee, Mrs. Kathleen Mullen (nee Lee), Thomas Harrington, Martin Dan Gallagher, Mr. & Mrs. John McMaster, Mr. & Mrs. John Allen, Mrs. Simpson, Willie Frizzle, Liam Lipsett, Mr. & Mrs. Henry, Charles Doherty, Patrick McCarrick, P.J. Conlon, Bernard Barber and Mrs. Simpson. The principal, staff and pupils of Rockfield N.S., who circulated a questionnaire for me, and all those who replied. The Allen family kindly loaned photographs from the end of the nineteenth century, Sean Lee provided photographs of his father and of Harry Brehony. Arthur Livingstone provided copies of family documents from the turn of the century. Nollaig O'Muraile of the Ordnance Survey gave valuable advice on placenames and surnames, Seán O Nuallain of the Megalithic Survey offered useful comments on the Killoran megalithic graves. I am also indebted to Rev. Fr. D. M. Maiben for important information on the Motherwell, Maiben and Blest families, and to Rev. Fr. McNicholas, PP, Killoran for permission to consult parish records in the National Library, Dublin. I also wish to thank the following: The Deputy Keeper and Staff of the Public Records Office Dublin, the Keeper and Staff of the State Paper Office, Dublin Castle, the Director and Staff of the Registry of Deeds, Dublin, the Director and Staff of the National Library Dublin, the Representative Church Body, Dublin, the Librarian and Staff of Sligo County Library, the Librarian and staff of Meath County Library, the staff of Trim Local Library and the staff of the Newspaper Library, British Museum, Colindale, London. Richard Flood read an early draft of the book and offered valuable advice. Peadar Lehane translated some Irish poems. The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies and Dermot O'Hara for permission to use the photograph of Cormac O'Hara, Michael B. Yeats and Macmillan London Ltd., for permission to use twelve lines from "The Land of Heart s Desire" by W.B. Yeats. The Keeper of the State Papers for permission to reproduce state papers, the Representative Body of the Church of Ireland for permission to quote from J.B. Leslie's Biographical succession lists of Achonry clergy, the trustees of the National Library for permission to quote and reproduce items from the O'Hara manuscripts. I have also to thank my parents, brothers and sisters each of whom helped in various ways at various times. My wife, Winifred, was a constant source of help and encouragement and helped provide the necessary peace and quiet when Fiona, Oisín and Sinéad threatened disruption! Finally, to all those others unnamed above who helped in any way, I offer my sincere thanks. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE In addition to the sources mentioned at the end of each chapter the following works have been used extensively: Census of Ireland 1821-1926 Finn, John - The History of Gurteen. Boyle 1981 Hayes, Richard - Manuscript Sources for the History of Irish Civilisation. Boston 1965 Kilgannon, Tadhg - Sligo and its Surroundings. Sligo 1926 Kilgannon, Tadhg - Beautiful Sligo. Sligo 1928 Knox, Herbert - Notes on the early history of the Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry. Dublin 1904. Lewis, Samuel- Topographical Dictionary of Ireland - London 1837 MacDonagh, J.C. - The Parish of Killoran Ms No: IV MacDonagh Collection - Sligo Library McGarry, Jim - Collooney. Boyle 1980 McParlan, James - Statistical Survey of County Sligo. Dublin 1802 McTernan, John - Historic Sligo. Sligo 1965 McTernan, John - Here's to their Memory. Cork 1977 Nolan. William - Sources for Local Studies. Dublin O'Donovan. John and others - Ordnance Survey. Sligo Letters. Bray 1928 O'Donovan, John - Ordnance Survey Name Books of County Sligo O'Flanagan, Michael - Sligeach. Dublin 1944 O'Neill, Thomas P. - Sources of Irish Local History. Dublin 1958 O'Rorke, Terence - History of Sligo, town and county. Dublin 1889 O'Rorke, Terence - History etc. of Ballisodare and Kilvarnet. Dublin 1878 Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland. London 1846 Slater - National Commercial Directory of Ireland 1846-1894 Wood, Martin, W.G. - History of Sligo, county and town. Dublin 1882-92 FOREWORD (1985 Edition) This study of the history of my native parish began as a history project in St. Patrick's Training College in 1967. It continued over the next decade and a half, partly as a hobby and partly as an obsession. It has led me into many a dusty archive and to many a friendly fireside. Having all but exhausted the sources I decided the time had come to put some order on my research and to present the result as a book of local history. I decided against the "bits and pieces" approach to local history writing and have tried to present a continuous narrative tracing the development of the parish from earliest times to the founding of the state. Scarcity of sources has meant, of course, that there are many gaps in this narrative. While researching this work I have been constantly amazed at the amount of historical knowledge still preserved by the older people in the parish. Since the advent of television and the death of the "rambling house" this knowledge is not being passed on. It is my wish that in collecting and publishing the local history of the parish I may be playing a small part in the preservation of knowledge which otherwise would be lost. I have tried to avoid giving offence to anyone living or dead and to this end have omitted some names in quotations. If, in spite of this, I have offended anyone, I apologise. I realise only too well the shortcomings of this study. I would be delighted to hear from anyone who wishes to correct or add to anything in this book. Finally, I hope that this little book will help the people of Killoran parish to appreciate the rich heritage of their past and the deep historical roots which have left their marks on the present parish landscape. Michael Farry, Trim, Co. Meath. 30 October 1985 FOREWORD 2005 Edition It is just twenty years since this local history of Killoran and Coolaney first appeared in print. It has been long unavailable and I often get requests for copies. I have decided to make it available as an E-book so that those anxious to obtain a copy may easily do so. There was a nagging temptation to undertake a major revision and updating of the work but I have withstood this temptation! The major number of new sources which have become available since its publication ensure that such a revision would be lengthy and time consuming. Perhaps someone else might be enthused to undertake this work and especially add an account of the parish in the twentieth century. I have therefore made only a few minor changes. I have corrected most of the many embarrassing misspellings and typographical errors in the original and standardised the spelling of some of the placenames. Otherwise this is merely the original work in a different format. I hope those who read it well consider its reissue worthwhile. Michael Farry Trim, Co. Meath. 20 January 2005 [email protected] CHAPTERS (Click on the link to go to the chapter. Click on the Back to Chapters link to return here.) 1. The Parish of Killoran 2. Placenames 3. Pre-Historic and Early Christian Killoran 4. Tubber Tullaghan 5. The O'Hara Family 6. Cormac O'Hara of Coolaney 7. Killoran People C.1600 8. Seventeenth Century Killoran 9. A Century of Development 1700-1800 10. Killoran Leaseholders 1764-1817 11. Cultibar 12. 1800 - 1846 13. The Great Famine 14. 1850 - 1877 15. Griffith's Valuation 1858 16. 1877 - 1890 17. Knockadoo Tenants 1884 18. Politics 1890 - 1914 19. The Land Question Solved? 1881 -1914 20. Economic and Social 1880 - 1920 21. 1915 - 1923 Appendix One: Killoran Population 1841 - 1911 Appendix Two: Local Cures ILLUSTRATIONS: Aerial photographs of Coolaney & Rockfield Sligo map showing baronies and Killoran parish Map of Halfquarter 1819 Killoran parish townlands Gortakeeran Wedge Tomb Gortakeeran and Knockatotaun tombs Cabragh Wedge Tomb Rathbarran food vessel Lissalough Ring Fort Knockadoo Souterrain Entrance Map of Killoran historic sites Moymlough Castle O’Hara family tree Cormac O’Hara of Coolaney Killoran landowners c.