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tullydonnell o'callaghan

Tullydonnell O'Callaghan (586 statute acres 2 roods and 26 perches) lies about five miles due east of Crossmaglen straddling the A29 from Newtownhamilton to Dundalk about a mile and a half south of Ford's Cross. In the Tithe Applotment Books the area of the townland (then known as Tullydonnell Nixon) was recorded as 359 acres 3 roods and 3 perches (Plantation Irish measure). It is bounded on the north by Legmoylin, on the east by Carrive, on the south by Tullydonnell (Gage) and on the west by Glassdrumman.

Name of Townland

Tullach Dónail, "Daniel's hill of O'Donnell's hill" (1).

There are five townlands called 'Tullydonnell' in Ireland. They are in Counties Armagh (2), Louth (1) and Donegall (Tullydonnell Upper and Tullydonnell Lower).

There are two Tullydonnell townlands in Co. Armagh - Tullydonnell Gage and Tullydonnell O'Callaghan. John Donaldson, in his 'Account of the Barony of Upper Fews" (1838), says -

"There are three townlands of the name of Tullydonnell which take their name from their former proprietors - to wit, Tullydonnell Nixon, Tullydonnell Gage and Tullydonnell Tichburn or Ballinaclosh." (Note 16 p.103)

The Creggan 1766 Census is of a single townland. If we assume that subsequently the townland was split between the different owners, then Tullydonnell (Nixon) and Tullydonnell (O'Callaghan) are the same. Tullydonnell Gage remains as before and Tullydonnell Tichburn is Ballynaclosha. The 1664 and 1766 details have been incorporated in both the Tullydonnell (Gage) and Tullydonnell (O'Callaghan) pages.

Ordnanace Survey Name Books: Creggan Parish (2)

TULLYDONNELL NIXON [Tullydonnell O'Callaghan] (OSNB ii 47): Two good bye roads Intersect each other In the centre of this td. The dwellings scattered thro' this td. are very numerous, small and despicable. It Is held In small farms, principally under tillage. Of a light soil growing indifferent crops.
It contains 586..2..26 of which 1..1..20 Is uncultivated and Bog, & 2..2..32 water.

Griffiths Valuation (1854) records that the whole of the townland was owned by Mary Anne O'Callaghan.

Census of Ireland 1901

In Census the 48 households enumerated contained 183 people occupying 109 rooms - an average of 3.8 persons per household and 1.7 persons per room. Forty of the households occupied houses with two rooms, two with three rooms, two with four rooms and one with five rooms. There were three one-room cabins.

Native Irish Speakers

Of the 48 households enumerated in 1901, 22 contained at least one native Irish speaker - a total of 37 in all. Since theirs was the last generation to have been born into a predominently Irish speaking environment, their names are recorded here. All were born in Co. Armagh, with the exception of Ellen Garvey born in Co. Galway.

  • Owen Fegan, farmer, 92
  • John Rafferty, farmer, 48
  • Patrick Fegan, farmer, 61
    and his sister Catherine, 62
  • Michale Fegan, farmer, 50
  • Patrick Fegan, farmer and stonemason, 70
  • Terence Fegan, farmer, 66
    and his wife, Mary, 45
    his brother Michael, 82
    and his sons Francis, farmer's son, 24
    and Michael, carpenter, 22
  • Michael Hollywood, farmer, 56
    and his wife Mary, 39
  • Mary Branigan, farmer, 66
  • Bernard McCabe, farmer, 56
    and his wife Ann, 44
    and their son John, 22
  • Mary Heaney, farmer, widow, 60
  • Patrick Creegan, farmer, 73
    and his wife Catherine, 63
  • Mary Hughes, farmer, 60
  • Mary Garvey, farmer, widow, 52
    and her sisters-in-law Ellen Garvey, 42
    and Bridget Small, 60
  • Elizabeth McGinn, farmer, widow, 86
  • Catherine Campbell, farmer, 70
    and her sister Bridget, 55
  • Michael Campbell, farmer, 66
    and his wife Rosey, 58
    and Alice Fegan, lodger, (supplemented by the Union at large), 95
  • Mary McKeown, farmer, 65
  • Terence Devlin, farmer and carpenter, 65
  • Julia Caherty, farmer, 52
  • Bridget Kelly, farmer, 76
  • Edward Murphy, farmer, 70
  • Michael Murphy, farmer, 75
    and his wife Alice, 65
* The average age of the Irish speakers was 60; oldest 95, youngest 22
* Of the group, 17 could read and write, one could read only and 19 could neither read nor write

Population Decline

The following table sets out the number of houses and population enumerated in the townland in each of the 11 Censuses held between 1841 and 1951.

  1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901 1911 1926 1937 1951
Houses 78 79 69 69 68 58 48 45 39 45 35
People 402 325 299 271 236 224 191 178 145 141 142
People per house 5.2 4.1 4.3 3.9 3.5 3.9 4.0 4.0 3.7 3.1 4.1

In the period of 110 years, the number of households more than halved (55%) and the population dropped by 65%. The largest drop (53%) was in the 60 years to 1901reflecting the continuing effects of the Great Famine, emigration and lack of rural employment opportunities. In the 50 years to 1951 the decline was more modest.

Names of House and Land Holders

All the Valuations since Griffiths identified those with houses in the townland and those who while living elsewhere leased or owned land there. The Census of Ireland enumerated only households in the townland. The following table uses this approach.

Although the data is not strictly comparable since the information was gathered for different purposes and used varying criteria, the details provide a comparison of the names of house and land holders who were listed in the Townland at the different periods. While we can not discern the direct lines of descent it is clear that many are from the same families.

               
Hearth Money Rolls Census of Creggan Tithe Applotment Books Griffiths Valuation Census of Ireland First NI Revaluation Second Revaluation
1664 1766 1828 1854 1901 1935 1957 1970
               
  Households/Land Households Households Households Households Households
Patte McCardill Thomas Boyle Cullon (?) Burns Bryan Caherty Mary Brannigan James Burns Bridget Caherty Patrick Carroll
  Hugh Campbell Edward Caherty Owen Caherty Julia Caherty John Caherty Patrick Carroll Thomas Conlon
  Hugh Fegan Owen Caherty Ann Campbell Catherine Campbell Michael Creegan Thomas Conlon Peter Creegan
  James Garvy Patt Caherty Ann Campbell Michael Campbell Peter Creegan Michael Creegan (Carrive) J. Devlin
  Michael Gernon Hugh and Patt Campbell Hugh Campbell Patrick Campbell Francis Donaghy Peter Creegan Francis Donaghy
  Richard Gernon Patt Campbell John Campbell James Connellan Patrick Donaghy J. Devlin Francis Donnelly
  Art Hughs Patt Campbell Michael Campbell Patrick Creegan Thomas Donohoe Francis Donaghy John Donaghy
  Edmund Kelly Peter Campbell Robert Campbell Peter Creegan Francis Fegan Francis Donnelly Patrick Donaghy
  Patrick Kelly Widow Campbell Thomas Campbell Terence Devlin Michael Fegan T. Donaghue John Fegan
  Neal Kelly John Cassidy Patrick Cassidy Thomas Donaghy Michael Fegan Patrick Donaghy Patrick Fegan
  Terence Kelly Patt Cassidy Andrew Creegan Thomas Duffy Patrick Fegan George Fegan Peter Fegan
  Cormack Lavill Edward Crawford Owen Devlin Michael Fegan Peter Fegan J. Fegan T. Gaitland
  Patrick Maly Hugh Crawford Matthew Donnelly Owen Fegan Bernard Garvey John Fegan Bridget Grant
  Henry McArdle James Crawford Francis Fegan Patrick Fegan Michael Garvey (James) Patrick Fegan John Grant
  Cormick McCaherky James Crawford James Fegan Patrick Fegan Hugh Grant Peter Fegan James Hollywood
  Hugh McCann Owen Crilly Michael Fegan (James) Terence Fegan Patrick Grant T. Gaitland John Hollywood
  Bryan McElroy John Devlin Michael Fegan (Terence) Thomas Fegan Patrick Grant John Grant John Kelly
  Art McShane Patt Devlin Owen Fagan Mary Garland John Hollywood Patrick Grant Margaret Lennon
  Hugh McShane Francis Fegan Peter Fegan (James) James Garvey Mary Hollywood Peter Grant Louisa McElroy
  James Moan Hugh Fegan Terence Fegan Mary Garvey John Kelly John Hollywood Thomas McKenna
  Bryan Murphy Hugh Fegan Patrich Frier Hugh Grant Patrick Kelly John Hollywood Mary McKeown
  Charles Murphy Laughlin Fegan James Garvey Owen Grant Catherine Lynch Bridget Kelly John McNally
  Dennis Murphy Peter Fegan James Garvey Mary Heaney Owen McCabe John Kelly John Joseph McShane
  James Murphy Terence (?) Fegan Thomas Garvey Michael Hollywood James McGinn Margaret Lennon Daniel O'Sullivan
  Patrick Murphy Terence Fegan Matthew Grant Mary Hughes Owen McKeon Owen McCabe Patrick Rice
  Widow Murphy Thomas Fegan James Hughes Bridget Kelly Edward McNally John McElroy Patrick Roddy
  Hugh Rice Thomas Finegan James Kelly Patrick Kelly John McShane Mary McKeown Gerald Rowland
  Widow Robb Widow Fegan Patrick Kelly Patrick Kelly Edward Murphy John McNally F. Sheridan
  Widow Roddy James Fogey Catherine Laville Rosey Kelly Margaret Quinn William McShane Charles Webb
  Nesse Short Patt Friar Owen Laville Owen Kerley Peter Rafferty Patrick Rice  
  John Smith Edward Garland Charles Maginn Bernard McCabe Patrick Rice Patrick Roddy Land
  Thomas Smith Edward Garland Elenor McCoey Patrick McCabe Mary Roddy Bridget Sheridan Bridget Caherty
  Patrick Trenor Laurence Garland Arthur McKeon Elizabeth McGinn Peter Roddy Jun. F. Sheridan John Cumiskey
    Nicholas Garland Patrick McKeon Mary McKeown James Sheridan Charles Webb John Cumisky
    Thomas Garland Edward McNally Michael McKeown Charles Webb   Michael Creegan (Carrive)
    Bryan Garvey Denis McVeigh John McNally   Land Patrick Donnelly
    Manus Garvey Roger Mooney John McShane Land Michael Creegan George Fegan
    Michael Garvey James Murphy Edward Murphy Bernard Boyle Mary Anne Donaghy Francis Fegan
    Patt Garvey John Murphy Margaret Murphy Anne Creegan Francis Fegan J. Fegan
    Bryan Heaney Micheal Murphy Mary Murphy Thomas Donaghy Bernard Garvey Bernard Garvey
    Francis Heaney Mary Anne O'Callaghan Michael Murphy Francis Fegan M. Garvey Michael Garvey
    Ann Johnston Ann Quinn Edward Quinn Mary Fegan J. Grant J. Grant
    Catherine Kelly Francis Rafferty John Rafferty Terence Fegan James Kelly Peter Grant
    Matthew Kelly James Rice Philip Reilly Edward Garland J. McElroy Bridget Kelly
    Michael Kelly James Roddy Catherine Ruddy Patrick Heaney Annie McKeown Patrick Kelly
    Michael Kelly John Roddy Mary Ruddy Patrick Keeley Bridget McMahon Peter Kelly
    Patt Kelly Neil Roddy Mary Ruddy James Keely Margaret Quinn Peter Mallie
    Patt Kerley Owen Roddy Peter Ruddy Owen Kerley Peter Roddy Owen McCabe
    Hugh Keverty Owen (G) Smyth   Thomas Loy T. Roddy Annie McKeown
    Widow Lavill     Owen McKeown Thomas Roddy Bridget McMahon
    Michael Mackin Land   Ann McMahon   Peter Roddy
    Edward McAnally Owen Callaghan   James McMahon   Thomas Roddy
    Bryan McCabe Anne Campbell   Thomas Roddy    
    James McCabe Hugh Campbell        
    Widow McCabe Robert Campbell        
    Hugh McCann Patrick Cassidy        
    Nancy McCann Andrew Creegan        
    Francis McCoy James Garvey        
    Bryan McKay Bryan Murphy        
    Alex McKeone Anne Quinn        
    Patt McKeone Owen Roddy        
    Eleanor Magee          
    Art Murphy          
    Denis Murphy          
    Denis Murphy          
    James Murphy          
    James Murphy          
    James (Pied) Murphy          
    Michael Murphy          
    Owen Murphy          
    Owen Murphy          
    Patt Murphy          
    Patt Murphy          
    Patt Murphy          
    Peter Murphy          
    Peter Murphy          
    Hugh Raverty          
    James Rice          
    James Ruddy          
    Widow Smith          
    Widow Smith          

Note:
1. Hugh Macauley, "Creggan", Journal of Creggan Local History Society, No.6 1992 p.38
2. G. Jarvis (up to 1835) as compiled by A.J. Hughes in Seanchas Ard Mhacha Vol 15 No 1 1992 pp 97 - 112.
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Last Updated on 11 October 2004
Email: pdevlinz@btinternet.com
© Patrick Devlin 2004