Lisheenanoran / Lisín an Oráin
Compiled by Irene McGoldrick
Irish Name: Lisín an Óráin
Irish pronunciation:
English Name: Lisheenanoran
Area: 686 acres, 0 roods, 7 perches
Archaeological Information
The below archaeological sites appear in ‘Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II – North Galway’; compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999).
Unclassified earthwork. (page 248). On SW-facing slope. Marked on OS Fair Plan as a hachured circle and labelled ‘Fort’ but not marked on OS maps. No visible surface trace survives; the area has been recently forested.
Population Statistics
1841: 41 houses
1851: 39 houses
1861:43 houses
1871: 42 houses
1881: 36 houses
1891: 35 houses, one uninhabited
1901: 31 Houses
1911: 26 Houses
Tithe Applotments (1824)
The Tithe Applotment Books show Fahy, Boyle and partners as tenants of Rochfort on 326 acres
1840 House Books and 1855 Griffiths Valuation
On 6 August 1845 the House Books show Martin Boyle occupying a dwelling, stables and barn; Richard Fahy occupying dwelling, stables, barn and cow house.
On 25 October 1853 the House Books show the following as occupants in Lisheenanoran townland:
Patrick Forde, Myles Cahill, John Boyle, John Ford (Jnr), Michael Ford, Marten Boyle, John Ford (Snr). Patrick Loftus, John Loftus, Thomas Cahill, Bridget Staunton, Thomas Feeny, Edmond Staunton, Bridget Burke (Malachy), Bridget Burke (John), Mary Ford, Mary Macnamarra, Francis Macnamarra, Thomas Fahey (James), James Fahey, John Fahey (1/2) & Thomas Fahey (1/2), Richard Fahey (Jnr), Patrick Fahey , Thomas Cahill (James), John Cahill, Patrick Monaghan, William Ford, Bridget Ford, Patrick Flaherty, Patt Giblin and James Burke (31 houses)
In 1855 Griffith’s Valuation list the following as house occupiers in Lisheenanoran:
Patrick Ford, Myles Cahill, John Boyle, John Ford (Jnr), Michael Ford, Martin Boyle, John Ford (Snr), Patrick Loftus, John Loftus, Thomas Cahill, Bridget Staunton, Thomas Feeny, Edmond Staunton, Michael Staunton, Brgt. Burke (Malachy), Brgt Burke (John), Mary Ford, Mary Macnamarra, Francis Macnamarra, Thomas Fahy (James), James Fahy, John Fahy, Thomas Fahy, Richard Fahy (Jnr), Patrick Fahy, Thos Cahill (James), John Cahill, Patrick Monaghan, William Ford, Bridget Ford, Patrick Flaherty (31 houses, also land held by James Feenaghty but no house)

1856 Encumbered Estates Sales
In 1856, lands held by Horace Rochfort were auctioned in the Encumbered Estates Court and were bought by the Blake family of Cregg.
The rental maps and particulars give the following information about tenants in Lisheenanoran at the time:
Miles Cahill
Thomas Fahy (Jas.)
Thomas Feeney
Bridget Staunton
Francis McNamara
Mary McNamara (widow of Patrick)
Mary McNamara (widow of Thomas)
Richard Fahy junior
Patrick Fahy
Martin Boyle
Richard Fahy senior
James Fahy
John Loftus
Patt .Loftus
William Ford
John Cahill
Bridget Burke (widow)
Thomas Cahill
Edmond Staunton
John Fahy
John Boyle
John Ford
James Feenarty
Pat. Ford (Daniel)
Patrick Monaghan
Bridget Ford (widow of Michael)
Bridget Burke Loughlin
Thomas Cahill
Michael Ford (Daniel)
John Ford (Andrew)
The particulars note that several tenants on this townland hold in Rundell [Rundale], and the quantities held by each are not ascertained. 30 occupants have been listed.
1901 Census
The 1901 census shows 31 houses in Lisheenanoran.
- Michael Staunton lived with wife Ellen, son Patrick and daughters Anne, Mary and Julia
- Ellen Staunton lived with sons Edmond, John, Martin and daughter Margaret
- William Feeney lived with wide Mary and son Thomas
- John Staunton lived with son Martin and daughter Ellen
- Murty Forde lived with wife Mary, sons Thomas, John, Michael, James, Patrick, daughters Julia and Bridget, and his brother Michael
- William Fahey lived with wife Mary, son John and daughter Bridget
- John Cahill lived with wife Honor, son James and sister Winifred
- Martin Boyle lived with wife Julia, son Martin, daughters Honor, Sarah, Catherine and Mary
- Daniel Boyle lived with wife Bridget
- Patrick Forde lived with his wife Kate, sons Patrick, Michael, John and James, daughters Bridget and Mary
- Thomas Boyle lived with wife Honor, sons John and Michael. Mary Leonard is also listed in this house as a general servant
- Bartley Keane lived with wife Mary, sons Michael, Joseph, John and Robert, and daughters Anne and Bridget
- Patrick Herwood lived with wife Bridget, son Thomas and daughter in law Julia
- Patrick Murphy lived with wife Ellen
- Mary Duggan, a cottier, lived on her own
- Celia Forde lived with son John and daughters Bridget and Celia
- Honor Fahey lived with daughter Kate and sons Richard and Patrick
- Richard Fahey lived with wife Mary, sons James and Martin, daughters Bridget and Kate
- Richard Fahey lived with wife Bridget and daughters Celia, Mary, Honor and Bridget
- James Cahill lived with wife Bridget and niece Celia Forde
- Ellen Whelan, a cottier, lived on her own (Landholder recorded as James Cahill)
- Thomas Monaghan lived with wife Catherine and son Thomas
- Patrick Fahey lived with wife Kate, sons John, Martin James, daughters Mary, Bridget and Kate
- Thomas Fahy lived with wife Mary
- Andrew Forde lived with wife Bridget, sons John and James
- Kate Burke lived with her sister Celia Burke
- Mary Fahey lived with daughter Ellen and sons Richard, Bryan and John
- James Burke lived with wife Kate and son John
- Margaret Burke lived with son John
- Tomas Flaherty lived with wife Mary, sons Patrick, John, daughters Mary, Delia and Honor
- Honor Farraher lived on her own
- A Roman Catholic Chapel is also listed
20 of the houses were second class dwellings with 3 front windows in front and between two and three rooms. 10 houses were third class dwellings with two front windows (one house only having one) and two room. One house was classed as a fourth class dwelling – this house had no front windows and the column for rooms is left blank.
Only one page of two is available describing out offices and farm steadings returns for Lisheenanoran. This shows 11 stables, 13 cow houses, 7 calf houses, 12 piggeries, 4 fowl houses, 11 barns and 12 Cart houses.
1911 Census
The 1911 Census shows 26 houses
- Micheal Staunton lived with his wife Ellen, son Patrick and daughter Anne
- Ellen Staunton lived with her sons John, Martin and daughter Margert
- Thomas Flaherty lived with his wife Mary, sons Pat, John, Thomas, daughters Delia, Honor, Ellen and Katie
- Kate Burke lived on her own
- Richard Fahey lived with wife Ellen and brothers John and Bryan
- Celia Garvey lived with her sister Kate Burke
- Andrew Forde lived with wife Bridget, son John, daughter in law Julia, grand daughter Mary and grand son Andrew
- Patrick Fahey lived with wife Kate, sons John, James and daughter Kate
- Catherine Monaghan lived with her son Thomas
- Celia Forde lived with her son John
- Richard Fahy lived with his wife Bridget and daughters Mary, Honor, Bridget, Julia and Kate
- Richard Fahey lived with his brother Patrick and sister Kate
- Richard Fahy lived with his wife Mary and sons Patrick and Martin
- James Cahill lived with his wife Bridget, sons Thomas, Michael, Martin, John, daughters Mary and Julia
- Ellen Whelan lived with boarder Mary Flesk (Landholder recorded as Michael Staunton)
- Julia Boyle lived with son Martin and daughter Mamie
- Daniel Forde lived with wife Mary, sons Thomas, Micheal, daughters Mary and Kate
- Patrick Forde lived with wife Kate, sons Micheal, John, James, Martin, Andey, Thomas, Charle and daughter Maggie
- Thomas lived with wife Honoria, sons John, Michael, Martin, Patrick, daughters Mary and Ellen
- Mary Keane (shopkeeper) lived with her sons Micheal, Robert and daughter Bridget
- Thomas Herwood lived with his wife Julia, daughter Mary and son Patrick
- Murty Forde lived with his brother Michael, wife Bridget, son Thomas, John, Patrick and daughter Bridget
- William Fahy lived with wife Mary and son John
- James Cahill lived with wife Mary, son John and daughter Celia
- Martin Staunton lived with wife Margaret, sons John, Martin and daughter Delia
- William Feeney lived with wife Mary and son Thomas
23 of the houses were second class dwellings with most having three front windows (one having four) and two rooms. Three of the houses were deemed third class, one having two windows in the front, the others having one. Two of the third class houses had two rooms, one had one room.
There were 23 stables, 23 cow houses, 18 piggeries, 23 barns and 18 sheds in Lisheenanoran in 1911.
Found this of great interest as a Staunton.
James Cahill lived with his wife Bridget, sons Thomas, Michael, Martin, John, daughters Mary and Julia – the Martin is my father who came to New Zealand in the 1930s and died here in 1991. In NZ he met and married Mary Grealish from Lisheenavalla, Claregalway.
Bridget was née Greaney. Thomas’s son runs the farm now. Dad talked about losing 2 brothers in the 1918 Influenza Pandemic – that must have been Michael and John.