The Townslands of The Parish of Taghmon (part 2)


Brendan Hamilton

As stated in Part 1 of this article, published in the first edition of this journal, the parish of Taghmon is one of the largest in the diocese of Ferns extending to over 19,000 acres (7,700 H/A). From north to south it reaches to within a half a mile of Adamstown village, to within a short distance of Clearistown church and from east to west from Tomcoole to Goff's Bridge.

At the time of Griffith Valuation of 1853 the size of the holdings were much smaller than today - 80% being less than 20 acres (9 H/A). This made the task of establishing the present owners very difficult indeed and a few here and there have been left out. The farms of today contain up to ten former holdings and very little trace can be found of the many small houses that went with them.

The following is the list of the remaining townlands in alphabetical order with the area to the nearest hectare. The translation of the Irish names are given where they apply.

LEGEND

H/A = hectars
Occupier G/V= The occupier in the time of Griffiths Valuations (1853)

The Townlands of The Parish of Taghmon (drawn by Margaret O'Gorman)

TOWNLAND MEANING H/A OCCUPIER - G.V. OCCUPIER - AT PRESENT
HARVEYSTOWN
The Corish family were extensive land holders in the parish. Raymond P.Corish was appointed Clerk of Petty Sessions in Taghmon in 1904 where he also started the well known auctioneering firm in a house now owned by Nuala Carroll. 		8 James Corish, C. Corish, C. Kelly, T. Busher Jas. O'Keeffe, W. Murphy
HAYESTOWN
There is a fine example of a ringfort here. 		171 J. Stannard, J.Hayes, Rorke, J. Heffernan, J.O'Brien, J.Furlong, J. Taylor, W. Kenny, John Banville, Garrett Murphy, M. & J. Walsh, L. FurlongM. O'Brien, J.Kehoe, M. Donovan, J. Doyle, P. Roche, M.Murphy J Finn, J. Foley, A. Kelly, l. Murphy, J. Curran, Joe Banville, G. Kelly, Liam Clifford, P. Banville
HILLBURN
Hillburn House was built in 1785 by Robert Hawkshaw, Rector of Taghmon 		47 Trevor R. Hawkshaw Major Boyd
HOPEFIELD
There is a moated site here. 		48 John Kavanagh, Moses Breen, M.Carty, Ed. Sinnott John Kelly, John Grannell, John Morrissey Philip Kelly, Lar Banville, Watchorns, Kellys
KILGARVAN
There is a graveyard and a trace of a church here. 		Cill Gharbhain
(St. Garvan's Church) 		127 Patrick Kavanagh, Philip Hornick, P. Byrne, Ed. Sinnott, Ed Cooper, J.Delaney, William Cooper, John McGuire Sean Kavanagh, Watchhorns, Phil. Kelly, John Banville, Nolans, P. Callaghan
KNOCKBROAD Cnoc Brad
(Hill of the Neck) 		31 John Furlong, Jas. Fanning, J. & H. Doyle S. Reddy, John Coady, John O'Connor
KNOCKMARSHALL
There was a moated site here 		Cnoc na Maraseal
(Hill of the Marshalls) 		9 Martin Donnelly Patrick Donnelly
MODUBEG Maidg Beag
(The Little Stick Bridge) 		18 Val Whitty, Jas. Redmond, John Gaffney, John Whitty Dan Nolan, P. Doyle, P. Callaghan
MONGAUN Mongan
(Overgrown Place) 		Adam O'Neill, M. Murphy, T.Colleton John White, Rich Cleary
MULMONTRY
There are a few ancient sites here, as well as a fine example of a moated site on Pat Ryan's 		Mulla Na mBaintreach
(The Hilltop of the Widows) 		100 Jos. Stafford, M.Ennis, W.Furlong, M.Morris, John Murphy, John Adams, M.Roche, John Ryan, Matt Kavanagh, D. Mernock, P. Doyle, N. Lambert E. Ryan, N. Kelly, Pat Ryan
MURNTOWN Baile Mhurain
(Muran's town) 		53 P. Larkin, J. Furlong, Ed. Larkin Frank Doyle, Frank Doyle, Con Donnelly
NEWTOWN 100 Thomas Murphy, Rich. Nowlan, Andrew Doyle, M.Jordan, J.Harper C. Dier, D. O'Keeffe, B. Carroll
OLD BOLEY
There is a moated site here. 		Sean Bhuaile
(Old Milking Place) 		135 John Darvey,J. & E. Connors, Geo Murphy, Pat. Redmond, Eliza Connors, Jas. Neville, W. White, P. Kavanagh V. Stafford, M. Dunne, B. Elliott, W. Carroll, P. Kehoe, T. Grennan
POULMARLE Poll Marla
(Marl Hole) 		120 Steph. Prendergast, Nl. Furlong, R. Roche, G. Cullimore, Jas. Parle, Thos. Murphy, A. Murphy, Pat. Murphy P. Murphy, Reps. Jones, B. Stafford, A. Clarke, M. Furlong, M. Dunne, P. Dunne
POULPEASTY
There was a moated site here. 		Poll Peiste
(Eel Hole) 		125 John O'Brien, N. & M. Cullen, T. Somers, T. Roche, William Kerrick, Ml. Walsh, John Sullivan, Mce. Delaney, P. O'Gorman, R. Parle, J. Rigley, N. O'Gorman, P. Barron
RAHARD Rath Ard
(High Ringfort) 		61 T. & J. Roche, Martin Ryan, Rbt. Furlong, Thos. Whitty Ed. Finn, Meylers B. Doyle, M. Doyle
RAHEEN
There is a moated site here. 		Raithin 83 M. Kirwan, R. Byrne, Martin Parle, Pat. Fanning, C.J.Tottenham, John McLoughlin, Pat. Walsh Byrnes, V. Whitty, P. Fanning, J.Whitty, John Kehoe
ROCHESTOWN 205 Hannah Martin, Jas. Pierce, Nl. Cheevers, M.Martin, E. Furlong, P.Murphy, T. Kelly, J.Kehoe, T.English, Ellen Martin, Anna Kehoe, Jas. Howlin, J.Martin, T.Dea, M. Rossiter R. Morris, D. O'Keeffe, A. Conway, P. Wallace, Forestry, M. Crosbie, Rich. Howlin, K. Beck
SHANOWLE
There were 28 holdings here in 1853 and the townland is a good example of the changesthat have taken place in the intervening years. 		Sean Abhaile
(Old Apple Tree) 		255 J. Carroll, T.Duffy, S. Kehoe, C.Cosgrave, Greg Furlong, S. Goff, J.Kehoe, R.Staunton, M. Doyle, Jas. Furlong, Jas. Kavanagh, T. Kehoe, W.Donnelly, M. Delaney, John & Mary Kelly, Martin Millea Haydens, D. Whelan, L. McDonald, I. Watchorn, Jas. Doyle, P. Moran, N. Roche, J. Redmond, Lar. Banville, McLoughlins
SHAWSTOWN 59 Jas. Shaw, J. Dwyer & J.O'Connor, Mary Furlong, Jas. Larkin, Rich. Codd Jas. Whitty, Dan Nolan, T. Simmons, Nl. Redmond, W. Reville
SHELMALIERE COMMONS Siol Madluir
(Tribal Name) 		243 Eliza Wright, T. Connors & J.Donoghue, M. & W. Murohy, Jas. Murphy, T. Bolger, Mary White, J. Gaffney, N.&D.&P Murphy, Tom Mylor, Peter Kehoe, Ed. Fitzhenry, Mary Breen, W. Quirke & John Roche, M.E. French, P.Furlong, J. & C.Moore, W. Caampion, J. & R. Walsh, Jas. Dwyer J. Dowd, John O'Connor, J. Cullimore, Jas. O'Connor, S. Pender, M. Wood, Tomas Furlong, Phil Kehoe, Nuala Byrne, Fintan Breen (pub), D. Cullen, P. Bogan, M. Lacey
SIGGINSHAGGARD 101 P. Somers, M & E Stafford, Tomas Clarke & R.Sinnott, Ed. Merrymen, M.Fenlon, Jas. Leary, Henry Doyle, Jas. Cleary, Mary French Nolans, Molloy, John Power, John O'Connor, Con Donnelly, John Coady
SLEVOY
There is a moated site here. 		Sliabh Bhui
(Yellow Mountain) 		253 John Aylward, Bart. Aylward, Jas. Monaghan & T.Sinnott, W. McCoy, Ellen Butler, Jas. Evoy & Jos. Simmons, J. Murphy & T.Sherlock, Phil. & Pat Murphy, Jas. McCoy, Wm. Pigott, P. Magee, R. & T Moran, G. Furlong, P & R Murphy, P. Roche, M.Crane, P. Crane, W.Roche, Jas. Meyler M. Keyes, Noel Kehoe, Pat. Monaghan, A. May, P.Roche, R. Byrne, M. Hickey, Nevilles, J. Morrissey, J. O'Connor, P. Cleary
TAGHMON
This townland is almost entirely made up a farm known as 'The Buildings'along with a part of the village. 		Teach Munna
(House of Munna) 		102 Jas. Howlin,Thos. Bolger Bogans
TINCURRA
Trinity graveyard is here also the school which is now closed. 		Tigha Chorraigh
(The House of the Bog) 		176 Mary Furlong, Thos. Connors, Eliza Walsh, Mary White, N. Roche & John Boggan, Darby Kelly, Bridget Boggan, Anast. Meyler Forest, John O'Connor, Pat. Murry, Jas. Winters, Brendan Kehoe, B. Bogans, Paul Murry,
TOMCOOLE Tuaim Chumhaill
(Cumhalls Mound) 		29 Martin Ryan Noel Kelly
TOMCOOLE BIG 96 Ed. Maddock, John Kent, P.& M. Ryan Donal Doyle, M. Sweetman, John Asple
TOMCOOLE LITTLE
Tomcoole will always be associated with the Ryan family and it would need a separate article to recount their accomplishments 		22 Philip & Martin Ryan John Asple
TOTTENHAMGREEN
Tottenham Green was once known as Ballyloskerin, until the arrival of John Tottenham in the 1600s. The house, one of the oldest in County Wexford was demolished in the1940s .It is extremely difficult to untangle the vast number of holdings here so a few had to be left out. 		Ballyloskerin = The Place of the Singed Corn 225 M. Roche, M.Redmond, Nl. Sinnott, Moses Carthy, C.&J. Tottenham, John Morrissey, Val. Whitty, Cath. Cooper, H. & S. Cooper, P. Parle, C.Molloy, E.Sinnott, H.Cooper (Wood), W.Roche, John Whitty, Jermiah Murphy, Lydia M. Goff, Greg. Rushford, Francis Monck, T. O'Brien W. Reville, Martin Banville, David Watchorn, Forestry, Kellys, Jas. Whitty, P. Callaghaan, J. White, E. Foley, Dan Nolan
TRACEYSTOWN EAST 83 Mark Gorman, Mark & Ed. Scallan, John Sparrow, Jas. Doyle John Codd, Peter Doyle
TRACEYSTOWN WEST
There is a castle here and also a school. 		163 J. Mackey & J.Furlong, Strangman D.Goff, M. Donnelly, Fryan W. Whitty, J. Kennedy & W.Cooney, M.&T. Parle, W. Dillon J. O'Leary, J. Parles & R.Walsh, P. Carroll, P. McGee, V. Whitty, N. Fardy
UPTON 46 John Roche, Pat. Roche, P. Furlong, J. Keilty & W.Doyle, P. Donnelly W. Devereux, M. Whitty, P. McGee, A. McDonagh
YOLEGREW
Yolegrew could be derived from Yola words - Yole for old and Grew for grove as the area is usually referred to as. Yolegrove probably the correct pronunciation . 		49 Walter Winter, George Cullimore J.J. Winters, M. Moran
YOUNGSTOWN 121 Jas. Redmond, M. Furlong, Thos. Cogley, Rich. Sealy or M.Doyle, M. French & J.Walsh, Ed. Brady T. Power, T. Cox, M. Carty, J. Donnelly, A. Buttimer

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Some of the Irish translations are taken from Origin and Meaning of Townland Names by An tAthair Seamas de Val in 'Treasures of The Landscape' -Editor - Dr. Edward Culleton.
My sincere thanks is due to everyone who helped in any way in the carrying out of this survey.
Mr. Bell, Rates Office, Wexford County Hall.
Grffith Valuations.
Richard Roche
Valuation Office, Ely Place, Dublin.

Correction: The Townland of Ballybeg was wrongly referred to as Baile Bheag Shliabh Bhui in Part 1. That Ballybeg is near Ferns.

REFERENCES AND NOTES

  1. 100 Wexford CountyHouses - an illustrated history, by Dan Walsh, Mill Park Publications, 1996
  2. I am indebted to Richard Roche for this insight.