User:Jnestorius/Irish county transfers

Table
Change with effect from 1860-11-01 due to "changes and alterations had taken place in the courses of certain Rivers, Streams, and Fences, which had before formed the Boundary in certain places of the County Down, and of the adjoining Counties Antrim and Armagh" DG no. 15403 p. 1025

1585: Mayo Galway Sligo
Until the composition of Connacht, Joyce's country, otherwise the barony of Ross, was reckoned to be in County Mayo.

Andrews 2003 says Joyces in Mayo and O'Flahertys in Galway were separately relevant during the composition, with Ross the territory of the former; Know 1908 says Ross was transferred to O'Flaherty at or before transfer to Galway.

1583/1607 Sligo Leitrim
A chorographical description of West or H-Iar Connaught (1846) pp. 347-9, footnotes: 1583 commission divided Leitrim into 7 baronies: the modern 5, plus:
 * COWLOVLYN. The  territory  called  Kynnacloghan  conteyneth  Sleuight  Teg  ne  Geyrr, Sleuight  Hugh  Mc  Arte,  and  Sleuight  Keogh,  Ballynecuny,  Dromervella,  and  Oughter  Aghwe,  conteyneth  37  qrs,  also  Cowlovelyn  contayning  28  qrs, and  Tullageaghe  44  qrs,  -which  doth  amount  together to  109  qrs
 * Coolavin is now in Sligo
 * LYSSEGOWLE. The  territory called  Toe  Rahe  30  qrs,  Moynter  Ffeodegan's land  30  qrs,  Clonowly  30  qrs,  Clanredmond  15  q", Knock-nyn  15  qrs,  and  Maghery-boy  15  qrs,  which make  in  all  135  qrs.
 * Lisgool tld is in Rosinver cp Rosclogher by, Leitrim; but Lisgoole tld is in Fermanagh as are bys of Clanawly, Knockninny, Magheraboy. Toe Rahe may be Tireragh or Tirerill bys in Sligo

1607 inquisition
 * That Sir Donnogh O'Connor Slygo doth clayme 20 qrs of Twobollin-bogher to be parcell of the county of Slygo, and 5 qrs and one cartron in Carbry to be likewise parcell of said county of Slygo, but find that these lands, time beyond the memory of man, are in the possession of the O'Royrks, and founde and presented by several jurors to be within the limits and bounds of the county of Letrim.
 * That 44 qrs of Tyrlaghagh called Magawran's country, and not included within the circuit of this county as herein is already bownded, have been likewise beyond man's memory reputed as part of said county of Lyetrim; until about four years past, and that the O'Royrks, from tyme to tyme, have had and received yearly a chiefry of £12 or 12 cows per annum, which Mc Gowran himself with this rysinge oute at all tymes did willingly paye, until about fower years last past, as aforesaid.-' — Orig. Inquis. Rolls Off.

1608 Leitrim Cavan

 * Sullivan 1971 says "In 1584 Lord Deputy Perrott formed east Breifne into County Cavan, which became part of Ulster, west Breifne becoming Leitrim and remaining in Connacht. In 1608 two baronies, Tullyhaw and Tullyhunco, were detached from Leitrim and added to Cavan"
 * Not mentioned by NHI v.9 map 43 does not have it; "Leitrim 1583" and "Cavan 1579–83" do not have any transfers shown.
 * Davies 1948: "In June, 1579, [Hugh] O'Reilly consented to accept English government and to admit a sheriff. ... Sir Hugh died early in 1583. ... In November [1583] the commissioners decided that Sir John [O'Reilly] was to surrender the whole county of seven toughs, and to receive in return Baronies Cavan and Tullyvin (Tullygarvey) in fee simple, and the rents of Tullyhunco and Tullyhaw. ... Perhaps also some of [Sir John's] own followers were intriguing against him ; we hear for instance of a certain John Kernan of Aghewehan in Tullyhunco, who was clearly attempting in 1587 to obtain an independent position by promises of civilising his tenants."
 * "Tollachconco" and "Tollagh Aghe" included in 1609 escheated maps of Cavan;
 * Map says "Largie and Dowballie, being three ballybetaghes — this lande is in controversie between this countie and the county of Leytrim."
 * "Largie" is Largy, "the district lying along the southern shore of Upper Lough Macnean" [ie extreme NW Tullyhaw]
 * "Dowballie" is Doobally, County Leitrim
 * 1608 was beginning of plantation, so maybe it was all debatable 1579-1608 [and only the end bit, Largie and Dowballie, after that, with one part going to each county]
 * 1911 Britannica "Cavan (county)": In 1579 Cavan was made shire ground as part of Connaught, and in 1584 it was formed into a county of Ulster by Sir John Perrott, and subdivided into seven baronies, two of which were assigned to Sir John O'Reilly and three to other members of the family; while the two remaining, possessed by the septs of Mackernon and Magauran, and situated in the mountains bordering on O'Rourke’s country, were left subject to their ancient tenures and the exactions of their Irish lord.
 * Davies said:
 * After him, Sir John Perrot, who held the last Parliament in this kingdom, did advance the reformation in three principal points. First, in establishing the great composition of Connaught, in which service the wisdom and industry of Sir Richard Bingham did concur with him ; next, in reducing unreformed parts of Ulster into seven shires, namely, Armagh, Monaghan, Tyrone, Colerain, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Cavan; though in his time the law was never executed in these new counties by any sheriffs, or justices of assize, but the people left to be ruled still by their own barbarous lords and laws."
 * As for Cavan, otherwise called Breny Orelye or O'Reilly's country, the late troubles had so unsettled the possessions thereof, which indeed were never well distinguished and established, as it was doubtful in whom the chiefry of that country rested; or if the chief lord had been known, yet was it as uncertain what demesnes or duties he ought to have. And for the particular tenants, they were so many times removed and rejected, as their titles and possessions were as doubtful as the lord's. True it is that Sir John Perrot, being Deputy, purposed the reformation and settling of this country; and to that end indentures were drawn between himself, in behalf of the late Queen on the one part, and Sir John O'Reilly, then chief lord of the country, on the other ; whereby Sir John O'Reilly did covenant to surrender the whole unto the Queen, and Sir John Perrott, on the other part, did covenant that Letters Patent should be made unto him of the whole. Howbeit, there followed no effect of this; for neither was there any surrender made by Sir John O'Reilly, neither was there any Patent granted unto him during Sir John Perrot's time. Marry, afterwards, when the late Lord Chancellor and Sir Henry Wallop were Lords Justices [1582–84], certain Commissioners were sent down to divide the country into baronies and to settle the chief septs and families therein, which they did in this manner: The whole country being divided into seven baronies, they assigned two unto Sir John O'Reilly, free from all public charges and contributions; a third barony they allotted to Philip O'Reilly, brother to Sir John O'Reilly; a fourth to Edmond O'Reilly, uncle to Sir John O'Reilly; a fifth to the sons of one Hugh O'Reilly, surnamed the Prior; and out of the three baronies whereof Sir John O'Reilly was not possessed, they reserved unto him a chief rent of 10s. out of every poll, being a portion of land containing threescore acres or thereabouts, in lieu of all Irish cuttings and taxes. As for the other two baronies possessed by the septs of M'Rernon and M'Gaurol, being remote and bordering upon O'Rorke's country, they were neglected and left subject still to the Irish exactions of the chief lord; but to the Crown they reserved upon the whole country 220 beeves, which the Deputy ever since hath taken for his provision. This division or establishment was made and reduced to writing, as one of the Commissioners who is yet living told me ; who told me withal that they were well paid for their pains, for he that had least had an hundred fat beeves given him by the country; yet cannot we find any return of this Commission either in the Council-book or in the Chancery. So as hitherto there were only projects made for the settling of the country, but nothing was really and effectually done; none of the rules and ceremonies of the law observed, either by accepting surrenders or regranting the land back again, or by any other lawful conveyance or execution of estates.
 * Falkiner 1903: "The boundaries of the counties forming the provinces of Connaught and Ulster were ascertained one after another by a series of Inquisitions between the years 1606 and 1610, which confirmed in the main the arrangements tentatively made by Perrot, though in the case of Ulster these were necessarily varied in some important respects, particularly as regards Londonderry, by the changes resulting from the Flight of the Earls and the Plantation of the northern province."
 * John O'Donovan:
 * Breifne Ui Raghallaigh (anglicised Brennie, and Breffny O’Reilly), was the ancient territory of the O'Reillys, and comprised the entire of the county of Cavan, except the baronies of Tullyhunco (Tealaċ Dhunċaḃa) and Tullyhaw (Tealaċ Eaċḃaċ), which were separated from Breffny O'Rourke, when the county of Cavan was formed.
 * The race of Samhradhan, i.e., the Meg-Samhradhaln or Magaurans of the territory of Teallach-Eathach, now Tullyhaw, in the County of Cavan. In 1585, this territory paid tribute to Sir John O'Reilly, but at a more remote period Magauran was tributary to O'Rourke, and was considered as belonging to West Breifne and the province of Connacht.
 * Tom Smith: By the time the Uí Briúin Bréifne arrived in West Bréifne they had split into four dominant groups which would later evolve into the clans of O'Rourke, O'Reilly, McGovern and McKiernan. The O'Rourkes remained as lords of West Bréifne while the other three clans settled within the boundaries of the modern County Cavan, with the O'Reillys eventually becoming rulers of the central and eastern parts of the county. The McGoverns and McKiernans were quasi-autonomous lords of the baronies of Tullyhaw and Tullyhunco in the western part of County Cavan, maintaining a balance of power between the competing O'Rourke and O'Reilly lordships.

1600–1656: Durrow Queen's Kilkenny
Durrow manor, including Castle Durrow, was excluded from Queen's County until 1841. Some sources suggest Durrow was included in the original 1600 annexation of Upper Ossory to Queen's County, and that some time later the Earl or Duke of Ormond secured Durrow's transfer [back] to Kilkenny. I suspect this account is mistaken.

Tighe 1802 attributed the change to a "private act" secured by the "Duke of Ormond". Lewis 1837 says "Earl of Ormonde" by "Act of Parliament". There is no likely statute listed in the public acts of the period, or the private acts and instruments scheduled in recent Statute Law Revision Acts.

Per 1574–77 decisions of the Privy Council of Ireland, Durrow as a manor of the Bishop of Ossory was excluded from McGillpatrick's country, and hence, I believe, excluded from the 1600 annexation. A list of "Tenants of the Earl of Ormond, 1595-6" includes "Mary nyn Ee, widow of Brien McDonill and tenant of Durrow, Co. Kilkenny", whereas "Upper Ossory" is used to locate places in another contemporary document, proving that it could have been used for Durrow if that were its actual division.

If it was in Upper Ossory and transferred back, post-1600 dated documents placing it in Kilkenny will give a latest possible date for the transfer. The logainm.ie text records are:

! Date !! Spelling !! Document ref
 * 1566 || Dorrow || Fiants Eliz. 897
 * 1571 || Dwrrowe || Fiants Eliz. 1786
 * 1571 || Dorowe || Calendar of Ormond Deeds, Vol V p. 181
 * 1655 || Durrow || Down Survey map of Galmoy barony
 * 1655 || Durrow || Down Survey map of Galmoy portion of Durrow civil parish
 * 1660c	|| Durrow || Books of Survey and Distribution (Co. Laois), p. 129
 * 1685	|| Durrow || Hiberniae Delineatio, William Petty
 * }
 * 1655 || Durrow || Down Survey map of Galmoy portion of Durrow civil parish
 * 1660c	|| Durrow || Books of Survey and Distribution (Co. Laois), p. 129
 * 1685	|| Durrow || Hiberniae Delineatio, William Petty
 * }
 * 1685	|| Durrow || Hiberniae Delineatio, William Petty
 * }
 * }

The Down Survey maps give 1655 as the latest possible date of a putative transfer. Although "Laois Archeology" webpage says "As we see on the Down Survey Map of Queens County (1654-6), Durrow is considered very much as part of County Laois", it is only the part of the civil parish of Durrow lying outside the manor of Durrow which was within Upper Ossory. (In fact, even today, one townland of the civil parish is in Kilkenny, namely Ballynaslee. ) The 1655 date is not bested by recourse to Index to the prerogative wills of Ireland, 1536–1810, where the earliest reference to Durrow is 1695. Likewise in Inquisitionum in officio rotulorum cancellariæ, all "Durrowe" matches are for Durrow, County Offaly. Notices of Durrow from records (relating to Rothe family, which built Rothe House, Kilkenny) of the Confederation of Kilkenny in 1640s might give county, but presumably destroyed in 1922:
 * An offshoot of this family of Irishtown settled in Durrow. Jenkin Roth brought an action on the 15th January, 1645, in the Court of the Confederates at Kilkenny, against Thomas O'Holigan, Loghlin O'Holigan and John O'Murroghoe who had carried off the corn out of the plaintiff's haggard at Durrow. (Kilkenny Confederates' Orders on Process, p. 46.) On the 26th of July, 1645, at the suit of John Bird, Thomas O'Holigan, and John O'Clonan, and others of the inhabitants of the town of Durrow v. John Shortall, and eleven others, including James Roth, and Patr: Roth, an attachment was issued against James Rothe and Edmond Butler (ibid., p. 34). James Rooth of Durrow styles himself "husbandman" in his will (25th October, 1656, pr. 30th May, 1661); but a commission was issued 16th November, 1658, to swear John Cleere and Margaret Cleere, alias Rooth, alias Purcell, his wife, to administer the goods of James Rooth, late of Durragh, "gent." He m. Margaret Purcell, and by her, who re-married John Cleere of Ballincran, gent., left two sons and a daughter —Bernard, William, and Rose. The second son, William, was probably father of Bernard Rothe fitz William of Clone, and William Rothe of Durrow, mentioned above [as next heirs in 1694 will of Marcus Rothe, son of Oliver Rothe of Irishtown]

Robert Wallis wrote from Kilkenny to Lady Elizabeth Preston 29 July 1629:
 * I have  been  tenant  to  my  noble  lord  your  father  and  my noble  lady  your  mother.  It  is  not  unknown  that  I  have  received much  trouble  and  have  been  at  great  charges  as  well  in  defending their  right  in  my  farm  of  Durrow  as  also  in  building.

National Library of Ireland Durrow Kilkenny search
 * MS_UR_039224 "Lease by the Bishop of Ossory (J. Horsfall) and others to the Earl of Ormonde, and others of the manors of Durrow, Gortclare, etc. Co. Kilkenny, Jan., 1604."
 * MS_UR_031501 "Leases by the Earl of Ormonde to G. Fenell of the rectories of Dangindarrigan and Brickendowne, Co. Tipperary, and to R. Wale of the lands of Durrow, Co. Kilkenny, June 28, 1633."

Westmeath–Leitrim
[C.2311] (1870) 11th Rpt Dep Kp Pub Rec Irl Appendix: pp223-4 Fiants Eliz 1486 (1213) [4 Feb 1570]:
 * Commission to sir Robert Dillon, knt., chief jusace of the Common Pleas, Robert Cusake, esq., second baron of the Exchequer, Nicholas Nugent, esq, solicitor-general Barnaby Scurloke of the Frain, co. Meath, esq, Michael Cusake, of Rathallun, esq, Patrick Cusake, of Gerardston, gent, John Terrell, of the Pace, sheriff of the co, of Westmeath, James Nugent, of Cowrlambre, eo. Westmeath, gent., and James Nugent, of Doneron, same co., gent.; in pursuance of the statute 11 Eliz., sess. 3, chap. 9 ; to survey and make enquiry in the countries and territories of the Anally, and both the M’Granells countries, called both the Mointerolishe, that are not shire ground, or are doubtful to what shire they belong ; to limit and nominate them a shire or county ; to divide them into countries, baronies, or hundreds, or to join them to any existing shire or barony ; and to certify their proceedings to the lord deputy with all convenient speed. (Torn.) — 4 February, xii.

Tipperary–Offaly
John Caillard Erck (1846) Repertory of the Inrolments on the Patent Rolls of Chancery, in Ireland, Volume 1, Part 1 p.260 Nos. 132-134: commission determines bounds of Ely O'Carroll, recommends adding to king's county [132, 28 Mar 1605], recommends split into baronies of "Ely OCarroll" and "west Ely OKarroll" [133, 1 Apr 1605], endorsed by Lord Dep [134, 9 Apr 1605].