Racoona / Rath Chuanna
Compiled by Paul Greaney
Overview
English name: Racoona
Meaning: the fort of Cuanna; Cuanna — personal name.
Area: 117 acres, 3 roods and 34 perches.
Field names in this townland: None yet recorded.
Other landmarks: A well, located in a field on the Corrandulla side of the N83 (formerly the N17). A stone wall surrounds the stone well, but briars and other shrubs prevent a full view of the well which appears to be an intact stone structure. The stone surround is itself protected by a barbed-wire fence.
Information from O’Donovan’s Field Name Books
Names: Racoona, Rath Cuana, Racoona (B. S. Sketch Map), Rahoona (Barony Map), Rahoona (County Map), Rathconnan (Gul III), Rawcooney (High Constable 1838), Rathcunnan (Inq. Temp. Jac. I), Rathcowna (Inq. Temp. Jac. I.), Racoona (Local), Rawcony (Rector of Annaghdown).
Description: Proprietor P. Kirwan, Esq. ¾ of this townland is dry heathy pasture the remainder tillage. A bye road from the S. forms part of its E. boundary.
Situation: Situate about 1¾ miles E. of Annaghdown Church. Bounded on the N. by Kilgill. S. by Curraghy. E. by Corbally, Carrowanruahan and Parish of Kilmoylan and N. by Slievefin.
Population Statistics
1841: 1 house, 9 people (4 male, 5 female)
1851: 1 house, 10 people (4 male, 6 female)
1861: 1 house, 10 people (6 male, 4 female)
1871: 1 house, 7 people (4 male, 3 female)
1881: 1 house, 3 people (2 male, 1 female)
1891: 1 house, 7 people (3 male, 4 female)
1901: 1 house, 11 people (5 male, 6 female)
1911: 1 house, 11 people (5 male, 6 female)
2011: No information available.
1821 Tithe Applotment Books
The Tithe Applotment Books record Thomas French, Esq., as occupier of 70 acres at Racoona.
1853 Griffith’s House Books & 1855 Griffith’s Valuation
Griffith’s Valuation shows one holding in Racoona – a herd’s house and land, held by Richard Kirwan in fee. The December 1853 version of the valuation house book shows the same information.
1871-1901 Deaths
| Date | Townland | Name | Sex | Condition | Age | Occupation | Cause | Medical Attendant | Certified | Registered by | Link |
| 08/03/1882 | Racoona | Thomas Quirk | M | Widower | 70 years | Herd | From a fall on the back of his head, 7 hours | N | N | John Quirk, son, PAD | Link |
| 11/06/1886 | Racoona | Michael Quirke | M | Bachelor | 7 weeks | Herd’s child | Tormina, 3 days | N | N | Mary Quirke, mother, PAD | Link |
| 01/08/1894 | Rahuna | Margaret Quirk | F | Spinster | 7 years | Daughter of herd | Phthisis, 4 months, asthenia, 14 days | Y | Mary Quirk, mother, PAD | Link | |
| 24/10/1895 | Racoona | Bridget Quirke | F | Spinster | 13 years | Daughter of herd | Phthisis | N | N | Mary Quirke, mother, PAD | Link |
1901 Census
There was one household recorded in Racoona in the 1901 census: James Quirk (44), herd, lived with his wife Mary (40) [née Forde], and children Maria (17), John (13), Martin (9), Patrick (8), Winifred (8), Julia (6), Denis (4), Kate (2), and Delia (1).
All except the younger children could read and write, and spoke Irish and English.
The house was of the third class, with walls of stone, a thatched roof, having between two and four rooms, and two front windows. Out-offices recorded were a stable, cow-house, piggery, barn, and shed.
1911 Census
The same household appears in the 1911 census: James Quirk (54), shepherd, lived with his wife Mary [née Forde], married for 30 years with 12 children born alive and 9 living; children John (22), Martin (20), Patrick (19), Denis (14), Winnie (19), Julia (17), Katie (12), Delia (10), and Bridget Burke (19), a visitor.
All could read and write, and all spoke Irish and English.
The house was recorded as being of the second class, with walls of stone, a thatched roof, having between two and four rooms, and having three front windows. Out-offices recorded on the holding were a stable, cow-house, calf-house, piggery, fowl-house and shed.
Census Search Forms
In January 1922, Mary Oats or Quirk applied for an old age pension, proof of eligibility for which was obtained by searching the 1851 census records at the Public Records Office in Dublin. Her application forms state that the family had lived at Racoona (stated here) or Rinnaharney (stated here), and that her parents names were Michael and Maria Oats or Quirk. A further form (here) gives her address in 1922 as Mrs. M. Costello, 33 Victoria St., Dunston-on-Tyne, Co. Durham, England, and also states her mother’s maiden name as Mary Brown.
Note: Information in squared brackets has been added by the author and does not appear in the original record.