Drumgriffin / Droim Grifín
Compiled by Evelyn Stevens
Overview
Irish name: Droim Grifín
English name: Drumgriffin
Meaning: The Ridge of Grifín, Grifín is probably a personal name
Area: 233 acres and 7 perches
Information from O’Donovan’s Field Name Books
Description: Proprietor Captain Butler. All under tillage except a portion subject to Winter floods. A road forms its N. boundary. Ruins of Drumgriffin old Castle in its South angle.
Situation: It is situated 1 S. of Annaghdown Church. Bounded North by Carrowbeg (Unable to read). South by (Unable to read). Boundary. East by Creg and West by Thonaguraun.
Other Landmarks: Townland contains a castle in ruins: ‘On a slight rise in an otherwise low-lying area. In existence in 1574 when it was in the possession of ‘Ullig Rewgh’. Only a short length of walling (L 5.8m, H 5.5m max.) survives; no architectural features are visible. The above description is derived from the published ‘Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II – North Galway’. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999).
Down Survey
The Down Survey showed that the townland of Dromgriffin was owned by Sir Roebuck Lynch (Catholic) in 1641 and by Colonel William Legg (Protestant) in 1670.
Population Statistics
1841: 29 houses, 174 people (88 male, 86 female)
1851: 24 houses, 146 people (71 male, 75 female)
1861: 25 houses (incl. 1 uninhabited), 116 people (60 male, 56 female)
1871: 19 houses, 112 people (57 male, 55 female)
1881: 22 houses (incl. 1 uninhabited), 112 people (57 male, 55 female)
1891: 19 houses, 82 people (43 male, 39 female)
1901: 17 houses, 67 people (30 male, 37 female)
1911: 16 houses, 71 people (39 male, 32 female)
2011: 31 houses (incl. 3 vacant), 71 people (36 male, 35 female)
1821 Tithe Applotment Books
The Tithe Applotment books for 1824 list 21 tenants in Drumgriffin: Francis Linnane, Mich Greally, Redmond Hynes, John Connolly & Revd Mr Hardiman, John Killkelly, Pat Greally, Roger Kilkelly & H Gordon, Hugh Geoghegan & Th Linnane, Andw Moran, T Linnane, John Mitchell, Mich Glavin & Jas Burke, Bryan Neale, John Cavanagh, Pat Morris, John Linnane, and Wm Brennan.
1855 Griffith’s Valuation
In 1855 Griffith’s Valuation the following rented houses and land or land only from John Butler: Peter O’Hara, Denis Leaven, William Kavanagh, John Ford, James Rabbit, Mary Higgins, Mary Grealy, Patk. Kilkelly (carpenter), John Lennane, Francis Lennane, Malachy Kilkelly, James Burke, John Kavanagh, Martin Redington, Thomas Casserly, Andrew Gordon, Patrick Kilkelly, Rev. Thomas Keavny.
The following rented from Francis Blake: John Griffin, John Keavy, and Patrick Wade (house, office, flour mill and land).
1871-1901 Deaths
Date | Townland | Name | Sex | Condition | Age | Occupation | Cause | Medical Attendant | Certified | Registered by | Link |
04/03/1871 | Drumgriffin | James Kavanagh | M | Bachelor | 20 years | Peasant boy | Fever, 4 weeks | N | N | Michael Kavanagh, occupier | Link |
14/05/1871 | Drumgriffin | Mary Cahill | F | Widow | 70 years | Beggar | Suddenly from heart disease | N | N | Mary Higgins, PAD | Link |
24/12/1871 | Drumgriffin | Honoria Higgins | F | Spinster | 6 days | Child of a labourer | Weakness after birth, six days | N | N | Michael Higgins, occupier | Link |
28/12/1871 | Drumgriffin | Thomas Higgins | M | Bachelor | 10 days | Child of a labourer | Weakness since birth, ten days | N | N | Michael Higgins, occupier | Link |
21/01/1872 | Drumgriffin | Andrew Gordon | M | Widower | 77 years | Labourer | Cerebral apoplexy, two days | N | N | Ellen Gordon, PAD | Link |
01/05/1872 | Drumgriffin | Margaret Leonard | F | Widow | 80 years | Labourer’s widow | Old age and debility, a long time | N | N | Honor Downey, PAD | Link |
08/01/1873 | Drumgriffin | John Griffin | M | Widower | 83 years | Land Steward | Exhaustion from senile decay | Y | Nancy Monahan, PAD | Link | |
26/07/1873 | Drumgriffin | Malachy Kilkelly | M | Married | 70 years | Peasant | Heart disease, some time | N | N | Honor Hession, PAD | Link |
14/10/1873 | Crossroads | Honor Cosgrave | F | Married | 25 years | Servant | Phthisis, one year | Y | Martin Higgins, occupier | Link | |
29/06/1874 | Drumgriffin | Julia Leonard | F | Spinster | 5 years | Labourer’s child | Croup, one week | Y | Mary Leonard, PAD | Link | |
12/08/1874 | Drumgriffin | Margaret Kelly | F | Widow | 55 years | Peasant | Progressive paralysis, a long time | Y | Margaret Kelly, PAD | Link | |
23/10/1875 | Drumgriffin | Denis Lavin | M | Married | 52 years | Turner | Asthma & heart disease, for years | N | N | Biddy Lavin, PAD | Link |
13/12/1875 | Drumgriffin | Mary Cahill | F | Widow | 86 years | Farmer’s widow | Old age and debility, a long time | N | N | Thomas Scahill, PAD | Link |
06/04/1876 | Mill House, Drumgriffin | Patrick Wade | M | Widower | 70 years | Farmer | The effects of a fall from his horse, causing inflammation of his lung which also increased the congestion of previously disease of kidneys, 1 month | Y | Mary Greally, PAD | Link | |
23/07/1876 | Drumgriffin | Frank Leonard | M | Bachelor | 22 years | Peasant | Phthisis, 4 months | Y | Margaret Leonard, PAD | Link | |
05/08/1876 | Drumgriffin Crossroads | Ellen Forde | F | Married | 79 years | Mason’s wife | Bronchitis & debility, a long time | N | N | John Forde, occupier | Link |
22/03/1877 | Drumgriffin | Michael Leonard | M | Bachelor | 9 months | Child of a labourer | Croup, 2 days | N | N | Michael Leonard, PAD | Link |
18/10/1878 | Drumgriffin Bog | Margaret Commins | F | Widow | 92 years | Beggar | Old age & debility, a long time | N | N | Julia Walsh, PAD, Drumgriffin Bog | Link |
08/05/1880 | Drumgriffin, Cregg | John Griffin | M | Married | 56 years | Shopkeeper | Phthisis, a long time, ulceration of bowel illium, 4 months | Y | Julia Thornton, PAD, Cregg Gate House | Link | |
24/01/1881 | Drumgriffin | Bridget Fahy | F | Spinster | 23 years | Labourer | Smothering in the throat | N | N | Michael Fahy, PAD | Link |
14/04/1881 | Drumgriffin | Sabina Kavanagh | F | Widow | 70 years | Peasant | Pains in the bowels & constipation, 4 days | N | N | Honor Kavanagh, PAD | Link |
08/12/1881 | Drumgriffin | Bridget Lavin | F | Widow | 74 years | Poor widow | Old age and debility, some time | N | N | Bridget Lavin, occupier | Link |
25/01/1882 | Drumgriffin | Kate O’Brien | F | Married | 71 years | Housekeeper | Fracture of pelvis, 9 days | Y | Martin Finnerty, Drumgriffin | Link | |
09/01/1882 | Drumgriffin | John Moran | M | Bachelor | 30 years | Labourer | Congestion of lungs, fever, 6 weeks | Y | Celia Moran, PAD | Link | |
28/04/1882 | Drumgriffin | John Forde | M | Married | 94 years | Mason | Exhaustion from old age, a few weeks | N | N | Mary Forde, wife, PAD | Link |
17/06/1882 | Drumgriffin | Honor Kavanagh | F | Widow | 74 years | Peasant | Cold and exhaustion, a few days | N | N | William Kavanagh, PAD | Link |
20/05/1886 | Drumgriffin | John O’Brien | M | Widower | 78 years | Labourer | Chronic constipation and gravel, 8 months | N | N | Martin Finerty, PAD | Link |
09/08/1887 | Drumgriffin | Margaret Gordon | F | Widow | 62 years | Peasant | Chronic stomach disease and colic, two months | N | N | Ellen Gordon, daughter, PAD | Link |
03/12/1887 | Drumgriffin | James Burke | M | Widower | 98 years | Carpenter | Debility from old age, 12 months | N | N | Peter Forde, son-in-law, PAD | Link |
06/11/1889 | Drumgriffin | Bridget Rabbit | F | Married | 63 years | Peasant | Severe cough and smothering, 3 months | N | N | James Rabbit, son, PAD | Link |
04/05/1890 | Drumgriffin | Michael Hughes | M | Married | 55 years | Landholder | Typhus fever, 10 days | Y | Anne Hughes, daughter, PAD | Link | |
13/08/1890 | Drumgriffin | Mary Higgins | F | Widow | 81 years | Pauper | Bedridden, one year, cough and great debility, 3 months | Y | Margaret Higgins, daughter, PAD | Link | |
27/03/1891 | Drumgriffin | Kate Burke | F | Spinster | 67 years | Mendicant | Weakness and pain in the heart, four months | N | N | Anne Staunton, sister, PAD | Link |
10/06/1891 | Drumgriffin | Mary Feenaghty | F | Widow | 78 years | Housekeeper | Weakness, 3 months, great debility, 3 weeks | N | N | Mary Hughes, daughter, PAD | Link |
22/05/1891 | Drumgriffin | Margaret Casserly | F | Widow | 88 years | Poor housekeeper | Anasarca, 3 days | N | N | Michael Casserly, son, PAD | Link |
7/12/1891 | Drumgriffin | Margaret Feeneghty | F | Widow | 60 years | Housekeeper | General weakness and no appetite, wearing away, two months | N | N | Patrick Higgins, brother, PAD | Link |
4/4/1892 | Drumgriffin | Winifred Hughes | F | Widow | 67 years | Housekeeper | Senile gangrene, 3 weeks and 3 days | Y | Michael Higgins, PAD | Link | |
06/01/1893 | Drumgriffin | Bridget Kilkelly | F | Widow | 65 years | Peasant’s widow | Severe cough and cold, 8 weeks | N | N | Michael Kilkelly, son, PAD | Link |
28/06/1893 | Drumgriffin | Patrick Kelly | M | Married | 88 years | Carpenter | Old age and weakness, 2 days | N | N | Mary Kelly, daughter, PAD | Link |
11/01/1894 | Drumgriffin | Patrick Gordon | M | Married | 65 years | Labourer | Liver disease, 10 months | N | N | Mary Gordon, daughter, PAD | Link |
25/10/1894 | Drumgriffin | James Rabbit | M | Widower | 81 years | Mason | Rheumatism and bronchitis, 3 years | N | N | Mary Rabbit, granddaughter, PAD | Link |
07/05/1895 | Drumgriffin | James Lenord | M | Married | 36 years | Labourer | Decline, 18 months | N | N | Ellen Lenord, wife, PAD | Link |
04/08/1895 | Drumgriffin | James Leonard | M | Married | 86 years | Labourer | Bronchitis, 3 years | N | N | Ellen Leonard, daughter-in-law, PAD | Link |
07/05/1896 | Drumgriffin | Honor Walsh | F | Spinster | 55 years | Housekeeper | Stomach complaint and vomiting, 14 days | N | N | Michael Walsh, brother, PAD | Link |
02/06/1896 | Drumgriffin | Bridget Lavelle | F | Spinster | 55 years | Housekeeper | Paralysis, 1 month | N | N | Mary Lavelle, niece, PAD | Link |
01/01/1897 | Drumgriffin | Ellen Gordon | F | Spinster | 74 years | Housekeeper | Complaining of severe cough, 3 years | N | N | Mary Gordon, niece, PAD | Link |
06/05/1897 | Drumgriffin | Patrick Kilkelly | M | Widower | 84 years | Farmer | Old age and general debility | N | N | Michael Kilkelly, son, PAD | Link |
07/09/1897 | Drumgriffin | Mary Griffin | F | Widow | 70 years | Widow of shopkeeper | General debility, 2 years | N | N | John Griffin, son, PAD | Link |
17/11/1897 | Drumgriffin | John Griffin | M | Married | 31 years | Landholder and shopkeeper | Phthisis pulmonary, 6 months | Y | Winifred Griffin, widow of deceased | Link | |
04/04/1898 | Drumgriffin | Michael Lavelle | M | Bachelor | 7 years | Son of landholder | Pain in abdomen, 1 day | N | N | Pat Lavelle, father, PAD | Link |
12/12/1898 | Drumgriffin | Thomas Newell | M | Bachelor | 17 years | Blacksmith | Consumption, 1 year | Y | John Newell, brother | Link | |
31/01/1900 | Drumgriffin | Michael Kelly | M | Bachelor | 15 years | Son of farmer | Jaundice, 1 year | N | N | Maria Kelly, sister, PAD | Link |
19/10/1900 | Drumgriffin | Pat Staunton | M | Bachelor | 1 year | Son of labourer | General debility | N | N | Julia Staunton, mother | Link |
13/02/1901 | Drumgriffin | Ellen Leonard | F | Widow | 80 years | Widow of farmer | Old age and debility | N | N | Ellen Leonard, PAD | Link |
18/05/1901 | Drumgriffin | William Scully | M | Bachelor | 23 years | Son of farmer | Phthisis, 4 years | N | N | Mary Scully, sister, PAD | Link |
1901 Census
There were 17 households listed in Drumgriffin in the 1901 census:
- John Kelly (60) lived with his wife Kate (44), daughter Maria (20), son Malachy, (18), daughter Delia (12) and daughter Margaret (4).
- Mary Kelly (80) lived with her daughter Mary (40) and her son Patrick (34).
- Michael Higgins (75) lived with his wife Bridget (70), and his son Timothy (28)
- Margaret Fahy (66) lived with her son Michael (40), daughter-in-law Margaret (31), grand daughter Mary (5), grand son John (3) and grand daughter Bridget (1)
- Bridget Leaven (72).
- Mary Scully (70) lived with her son William (23).
- Ellen Leonard (35) lived with her daughter Mary (7).
- William Leonard (73) lived with his wife Mary (75), son John (35), daughter-in-law Bridget (25), grand son William (2) and grand daughter Mary (8 months).
- William Kavanagh (75), lived with his wife Margaret (75), son John (25), son Patt (20), daughter Margaret (18), son James (16) daughter Mary (12) and son William (10)
- Mary Gordon (76) lived with her daughter Mary (30).
- Michael Casserly (55) lived with his wife Mary (54), son Thomas (29) and daughter Bridget (17).
- Michael Kelly (45) lived with his wife Mary (35) , son John (9), son Patrick (7), daughter Mary (5), son Malachy (4), son Manus (2) son Michael (1) daughter Margaret (5 months), and brother Roger (46).
- Michael Walsh (40)
- Mary E. Wade (50) lived with her brother Harward (46) and servant Mary Grealy (56).
- Mary Lenihan (76), but number not fully legible) lived with her daughter Winifred Griffin (30) , daughter Maggie Lenihan (30), and grand daughter Nellie Lenihan (7).
- Peter Forde (85), lived with his wife Mary (67) and daughter Anne (20).
- John Rabbitt (46) lived with his brother James (44) , and niece Mary (19).
There were ten second class houses and seven third class houses listed in the 1901 census returns. One house had a roof made of slate, iron or tiles, all the other houses had roofs made of thatch, wood or other perishable material and all had walls of stone, brick or concrete. One house had five windows in front of the house, one had four, eight had three, four had two and three had one window. Fourteen houses had two, three or four rooms, one house had five or six rooms and two houses had seven, eight or nine rooms. There were six stables, one coach house, nine cow houses, three calf houses, twelve piggeries, ten fowl houses, ten barns, two workshops, one shed, one store and six cart houses.
1911 Census
There were 16 households recorded in Drumgriffin in the 1911 census:
- Mary Leonard (85) lived with her son John (52), daughter-in-law Bridget (37), grand son Wm (13), grand daughter Mry (12), grand son James (10), grand daughter Nora (8), grand son Frank (4) and grand daughter Maggie (2).
- Peter Ford (84) lived with his wife Mary (75), son Patrick (51), daughter-in-law Mary (49), grand son Thomas (14), grand son Patrick (12) and grand daughter Mary (9).
- Ellen Leonard (45) lived with her daughter Mary (16).
- Micheal Kelly (56) lived with his wife Mary (46), brother Rodger (57), son Patrick (17), daughter Mary (15), son Malachy (14), son Manus (12), son Michael (11), daughter Maggie (10), son Martin (9), and daughter Ellen (7).
- Michael Higgins (83) lived with his wife Bridget (82) and son Timothy (30).
- John Rabbitt (58) lived with his brother James (54).
- Winifred ORourke (40).
- William Rabbitt (49) lived with his wife Annie (49).
- Patt Kelly (45), lived with his sister Mary (listed as Relly) (47) and brother Michal (43).
- John Kelly (73) lived with his wife Katie (56), son Malachy 29, and daughter Maggie (14).
- Margaret Fahy (80) lived with her daughter-in-law Margaret (40), daughter Mary (15), son John (14), son Patrick (9), daughter Celia (8) and daughter Ellie (8). [the sons and daughters are probably Margaret’s grandchildren -ES]
- Mary Cassidy (68) lived with her son Thomas (42)
- Mary Gordon (86) lived with her son-in-law John Murphy (39), daughter Mary Murphy (43), grand son Patrick (8), grand son Willie (7), grand son John (5) and grandson Richard (3).
- William Cavanaugh (68) lived with his wife Margaret (67), son John (37), son James (28), and daughter Mary (24).
- Harward Wade (65) lived with his wife Jane A (39), son Francis B (2), sister Mary E (68), and servant Raftery, John (16).
- Michael Walsh (72).
There were eleven second class houses and five third class houses listed in the 1911 census returns. Fifteen of the houses had roofs made of thatch, wood or other perishable material, one had a roof made of slate, iron or tiles. All had walls of stone, brick or concrete. Three of the houses had five or six rooms, the others had two, three or four rooms. One house had six windows, one had four windows, eight had three windows and five had two windows. There were 12 stables, 15 cow houses, one calf house, 12 piggeries, two fowl houses, 11 barns, one turf house, one workshop and eight cart houses.
Further Information
Drumgriffin Post Office: A Post office was opened in the townland of Drumgriffin in 1851. The Post Mistress was a Mary Griffin and the Post Office remained in the Griffin-O’Rourke family for the remainder of the century. Further information on the local Post Office can be found here.
In the 1901 census Mrs. Winifred Griffin is listed as Postmistress and her sister Maggie as Assistant Postmistress. Michael Fahy is listed as Postman. In the 1911 census Mrs Winifred O’Rourke is listed as Postmistress and Patrick Kelly as Postman.
Information from the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Cregg Mills: Five-bay four-storey watermill, built c.1780, having attic, and with three-bay two-storey miller’s house attached at north end. Served by Cregg River. Twentieth-century flat-roofed addition, and recent two-storey pitched roof addition, to rear. Pitched slate roof to main block. Ashlar limestone façade to front, coursed rubble elsewhere. Windows of façade are grouped towards centre. Middle floors have taller windows than other floors, all windows being replacement timber, and having tooled limestone sills. Round-headed windows to attic level of gables. Segmental-headed doorcase to middle bay with channelled tooled limestone surround, cut-down keystone and with round relieving arch above. Miller’s house has pitched slate roof with rendered chimneystack, rendered walls, square-headed openings with tooled sills and replacement timber windows and timber battened door. Mill race, wheel and leet removed.
Cregg Bridge: Two-arch limestone road bridge, built c.1775, over Cregg River and adjacent to Cregg Mills. Walls of coursed rubble stone with elliptical arch over river and flood arch to north. Much altered and widened recently.
Dúchas: The Schools’ Collection
There is a story in the Schools’ Collection called ‘Fear Maith Siubhail. 28 adh Eanair 1958
Bhí fear in a chómhnuidhe i Drumgriffín go dtugaidís Seán O Treamhal air. Lá dár tharla agus é ag deanamh a bhealaigh go Gaillimh. Is gearr go dtáinig fear suas leis ar an mbóthar agus “jaunting” cárr aige . Shíl Seán bocht go dtiubhradh an Tiománuidhe maruidheacht dhó acht níor tug. Núair a chuaidh tiománuidhe an chárr tairis bhain Seán a chasóg dhe agus tosuigh sé ag siubhal go mear agus bhí sé i nGaillimh i chun tosaigh ar fhear an cháirr.
Collector Eibhlín Ní Ghaoithinn, Mása. Fuair sí an faisnéis seo ó Padraig Ó hArgadán, Mása, Aois 40.