Woodpark / Baile na Coille

Woodpark / Baile na Coille

Compiled by Paddy & Bridie Scully

Overview

Irish name: Baile na Coille

Irish pronunciation:

English name: Woodpark

Meaning: Town or village of the wood

Area: 276 acres, 1 rood and 20 perches

Field Names: Seidan, Cnoc Unair, Gort Ban, Cnocán Rua.

Information from O’Donovan’s Field Name Books

Other names: Ballinakila, Woodvillage

Description: It is the property of Staunton Esq. Part of which is tillage, rocks some neat patches of plantation togather with some bogs. There is a neat house of two stories, the residence of John French Esq.

Situation: It is situated 2 miles south of Annaghdown Church [of Ireland]. Bounded north by Annaghdown and Cottenty, south by Barranny east by Lisheenoran  north-east by Ballylee and west by Rinnaharney.

Population Statistics

1841: 2 houses, 17 people (12 male, 5 female)

1851: 2 houses, (+1 unoccupied), 4 people (0 male, 4 female)

1861: 8 houses, (+1 unoccupied), 53 people (28 male, 25 female)

1871: 8 houses (+1 unoccupied), 62 people  (34 male, 28 female)

1881: 8 houses (+1 unoccupied), 59 people, (33 male, 26 female)

1891: 9 houses, 47 people, (27 male 20 female)

1901: 9 houses, 38 people, (22 male 16 female)

1911: 10 houses, 39 people, (24 male 15 female)

2011: 36 houses (of which 7 were vacant), 90 people (47 male, 43 female)

The population of Woodpark increased from a low of 4 people (1 house) in 1851 to a high of 62 people (8 houses) in 1871 back to 39 people (10 houses) in 1911.

1821 Tithe Applotment Books

The Tithe Applotment Books do not record the names of any tenants in Woodpark in 1821. Ballinlee & Woodpark is recorded as the property of John French Esq., with 44 acres, and a further 40 acres entered as ‘bog’. Ballinakilla or Woodvillage is entered as consisting of 54 acres, with no occupier’s name given.

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

Griffiths Valuation shows the lands of Woodpark held from Mary Woodcock and George Stanford by John Scully, John Farragher, Thomas Duggan, William Keane, William Scully, Sabina Goaly, and Peter Newell. Peter Newell also held the vacant gate-house of Woodpark House.

Sale in Encumbered Estates Court, 1879

The townland of Woodpark was offered for sale by public auction at the Land Judges Court on the 25th November 1879 alongside the lands of Barranny, Ballylee, Shankill, Muckrush, Rabbit Island, Muckrush Island, Billybeg Islands and other Islands in Lough Corrib the property of Mary Hall (widow) and partners. Woodpark and Barranny were purchased by Peter Newell of Woodpark.

1871-1901 Deaths

1901 Census

The 1901 Census of Ireland records the following 9 households in Woodpark together with a National School and Roman Catholic Church (which was then under construction):

1. Patrick Newell, his wife Bridget, and Patrick Crow, servant.
2. Margaret Farragher [née Finnerty], her son Michael, and Bridget Scully, lodger.
3. Michael Scully, his wife Bridget [née Scully], their son John and daughter-in-law Bridget [née Murphy].
4. James Goaly, his wife Sarah [née Murphy], and their children Patrick, William, Bridget and Mary.
5. Margaret Keane and her children James and Honor.
6. Michael Duggan wife Anne [née Kavanagh], their son Thomas, daughter-in-law Mary, and grandsons Michael and John.
7. William Scully, his daughter Mary and son John.
8. Thomas Duggan, his wife Kate [née Newell], and their children Mary, William and Owen.
9. John Keane, his wife Honor, and their children William, Peter and Mary.

Other buildings:
10. Annaghdown National School
11. Annaghdown Roman Catholic Church (building)

All houses were built of stone walls with thatched roofs. Four were second class with 3 front windows, with one, Peter Newell’s, having 5 windows. The remaining 5 had 2  front windows and were of the third class. All had 2-4 rooms except for for Peter Newells which had 8-10 rooms. Seven households had a stable, cowhouse and piggery, while five had a barn and a carthouse and two had a calf house.

1911 Census

By 1911 there were ten households in Woodpark.  The new Roman Catholic Church and the Parochial House had been completed and the latter was occupied by Rev. Father Patrick Nicholson. The following households were recorded in the townland:

1. John Keane, his son William and daughter Mary.
2. Anne Duggan [née Kavanagh], her son Thomas, daughter-in-law Mary, grandchildren  Michael, John, Martin, Patrick.  Andrew daughter in law Mary grand children Thomas and Mary.
3. Ellen Murphy, her daughter Celia, son-in-law James Goaley and grandchildren Patrick, William and Bridget.
4. James Keane and his sister Honor.
5. John Scully and his wife Bridget [née Murphy].
6. John Scully and his wife Julia [née Crowe].
7. Margaret Farragher [née Finnerty] and her son Michael.
8. Kate Duggan [née Newell], her son William, daughter-in-law Mary [née Collins] and grandchildren Delia, Mary and Thomas.
9. Michael J. Fahey and his wife Mary.
10. Patrick Nicholson, servants Kate Egan and Martin Kavanagh, and George O’Reilly, visitor.

All of the houses  were of stone walls and thatched roofs; seven were of the second class, having three front windows; two were of the third class having two front windows, and one [Woodpark House] was of the first class having six front windows.

Eight of the holdings had a stable, a cowhouse and a barn. Seven had a shed, three a dairy and two had a fowl house while Woodpark House had three sheds, two cow houses, one calf house, one piggery, one barn, and one fowl house.