Cloonagh / Cluanach

Compiled by Paul Greaney

Overview

Irish name: Cluanach

English name: Cloonagh

Meaning: lawn or meadow of the horses

Area: 45 acres

Field names in this townland: None recorded.

Information from O’Donovan’s Field Name Books

Names: Cluan Each, Cloonagh, Cloonach (B. S. Sketch Map), Cluhaughmore (High Constable 1838), Cloonagh (Inq. Temp. Irc. I.), Cloonaghmore (Local), Cloonaghmore (Rector of Annaghdown).

Description: William Skerrett, Esq. Proprietor. All under tillage.

Situation:  It is situated 2 miles East of Annaghdown Church. Bounded on the North by Ardgaineen East. West by Killgil. South by [Unable to read.] and East by [Unable to read.].

Population Statistics

1841: No houses

1851: No houses

1861: No houses

1871: 1 house, 6 people (3 male, 3 female)

1881: 1 house, 5 people (2 male, 3 female)

1891: 1 house, 5 people (3 male, 2 female)

1901: 1 house, 4 people (3 male, 1 female)

1911: 1 house, 3 people (2 male, 1 female)

2011: 13 houses (incl. 1 vacant), 27 people (15 male, 12 female)

1821 Tithe Applotment Books

The Tithe Applotment Books record James Skerritt Esq. as occupying 28 acres in Cloonagh (Cloonamore). No tenants are recorded.

1840 Griffith’s House Books & 1855 Griffith’s Valuation

Griffith’s Valuation entry for Cloonagh

Griffith’s Valuation records no houses in Cloonagh. The entire townland was held by Peter O’Flanagan from John Nolan. There are no entries for Cloonagh in the 1840s house books.

1871-1901 Deaths

DateTownlandNameSexConditionAgeOccupationCauseMedical AttendantCertifiedRegistered byLink
08/04/1898KilgillBridget CollinsFMarried79 yearsLandholderGeneral debility, 2 yearsNNPat Collins, husband, PADLink
Deaths in Cloonagh, 1871-1901

1901 Census

The 1901 Census of Ireland records one house in Cloonagh: Patrick Collins (75), shepherd, widower, his sons Walter (42), shepherd, Michael (36), tailor; and daughter Mary (40). All were born in County Galway and could speak Irish and English.

The house was of the third class, with walls of stone, between two and four rooms, and two front windows.

1911 Census

The 1911 Census of Ireland records one house in Cloonagh: Pat Collins (88), shepherd, widower; his daughter Mary (51), and son Michael (47), tailor. All three were born in County Galway and could speak Irish and English.

The house was of the second class, with walls of stone, between two and four rooms, and three front windows. The holding had two out-offices: a cow-house and a piggery.

Further Information

Research by Paul Greaney

Patrick Collins was born about 1824, probably in Caherlea, Claregalway Parish. He married Bridget Cunningham of Slievefin in January 1856. They had four children: Walter (1857), baptised in Annaghdown Parish, Mary (1858), Honor (1860), and Michael (1862), all baptised in Claregalway. The family relocated to Cloonagh, where Patrick worked as a herd, and where Bridget died on 8 April 1898. Patrick died on 12 March 1915 aged 91. Walter died on 17 November 1905, Michael died on 29 December 1923, and Mary died on 1 November 1930. It was related by Mary Goaley Forde (1925-2018) that the Collins family are buried with the Cunningham family in Annaghdown Cemetery. Mary recalled coming home from school in November 1930 to find Mike Cunningham (who inherited the property in Cloonagh) and Mattie Skerritt (Kilgill) sharing a meal with her father; ‘they were making Mary Collins’s grave’.

Cloonagh / Cluanach

One thought on “Cloonagh / Cluanach

  • September 4, 2021 at 6:49 pm
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    Hello

    I wondered whether Patrick Collins had a brother? I’m trying to find a Walter Collins who had a son Richard in c 1841 who emigrated to England in the famine. Richards son was called Patrick.

    Kind regards
    Emma

    Reply

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