
Bellaleenan () is a
townland
A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...
in the
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
of
Templeport
Templeport () is a civil parish in the barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. The chief towns in the parish are Bawnboy and Ballymagauran. The large Roman Catholic parish of Templeport containing 42,172 statute acres was split up in the ...
,
County Cavan
County Cavan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is based on the hi ...
,
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of
Templeport
Templeport () is a civil parish in the barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. The chief towns in the parish are Bawnboy and Ballymagauran. The large Roman Catholic parish of Templeport containing 42,172 statute acres was split up in the ...
and barony of
Tullyhaw
Tullyhaw (, which means 'the Territory of Eochaidh', an ancestor of the McGoverns, who lived ) is a Barony in County Cavan in Ireland. The area has been in constant occupation since pre-4000 BC. Located in the northwest of the county, it h ...
.
Geography
Bellaleenan is bounded on the north by
Culliagh and
Torrewa
Torrewa () is a townland in the
civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Corlough and barony of Tullyhaw.
Geography
Torrewa is bounded on the west by Drumlaydan townland and on the east by B ...
townlands in
Corlough
Corlough () is a Roman Catholic parish situated in the historical barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. It derives its name from Corlough townland, in which the parish church is situate. It formed part of the larger parish of Templepo ...
parish, on the west by
Drumlaydan
Drumlaydan () is a townland in the
civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It is also called Bonebrook locally. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Corlough and barony of Tullyhaw.
Geography
Drumlaydan is bounded on the north by ...
townland in
Corlough
Corlough () is a Roman Catholic parish situated in the historical barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. It derives its name from Corlough townland, in which the parish church is situate. It formed part of the larger parish of Templepo ...
parish, on the south by Sraloaghan,
County Leitrim
County Leitrim ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the village of Leitrim, County Leitr ...
and
Ballymagirril townlands and on the east by
Stranadarragh
Stranadarragh () is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Templeport and barony of Tullyhaw.
Geography
Stranadarragh is bounded on the north by Drumlougher townland, on th ...
and
Drumlougher
Drumlougher () is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Templeport and barony of Tullyhaw.
Geography
Drumlougher is bounded on the north by Gortnacargy and Teeboy townlan ...
townlands. Its chief geographical features are the
River Blackwater, County Cavan
The River Blackwater () rises in the Cuilcagh Mountains, in the townland of Gowlan, Parish of Killinagh, Barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan. It then flows in a south-east direction and ends in Ballymagauran
Ballymagauran (), historically kno ...
, forestry plantations and dug wells. Bellaleenan is traversed by minor roads and rural lanes. The townland covers 222 statute acres.
History
In medieval times the McGovern barony of Tullyhaw was divided into economic taxation areas called ballibetoes, from the Irish ''Baile Biataigh'' (Anglicized as 'Ballybetagh'), meaning 'A Provisioner's Town or Settlement'. The original purpose was to enable the farmer, who controlled the baile, to provide hospitality for those who needed it, such as poor people and travellers. The ballybetagh was further divided into townlands farmed by individual families who paid a tribute or tax to the head of the ballybetagh, who in turn paid a similar tribute to the clan chief. The steward of the ballybetagh would have been the secular equivalent of the
erenagh
The medieval Irish office of erenagh (Old Irish: ''airchinnech'', Modern Irish: ''airchinneach'', Latin: '' princeps'') was responsible for receiving parish revenue from tithes and rents, building and maintaining church property and overseeing t ...
in charge of church lands. There were seven ballibetoes in the parish of Templeport. Bellaleenan was located in the ballybetagh of Ballymackgonghan (Irish = ''Baile Mac Eochagain'', meaning 'McEoghan's Town').
The 1609 Baronial Map depicts the townland as part of the four polls of ''BMcGoagh'' (an abbreviation of Ballemagoechan).
In the
Plantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster (; Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster Scots: ) was the organised Settler colonialism, colonisation (''Plantation (settlement or colony), plantation'') of Ulstera Provinces of Ireland, province of Irelandby people from Great ...
by grant dated 13 March 1610, King
James VI and I
James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 M ...
granted ''four polls of Ballemagoechan to Cahell M'Owen O Reyly''. The four polls consisted of 1 in Bealaghlyan, 2 in Acoylagh (modern day townland of Culliagh) and 1 in Cronarry (modern day townland of Cronery), totalling 200 acres. The said Cathal O'Reilly was the nephew of two chiefs of the O'Reilly clan- Aodh Connallach mac Maolmhordha who was chief from 1565–1583 and Eamonn mac Maolmhordha who was chief from 1596–1601. He was also a brother of Cathaoir O'Reilly who received lands in
Kildoagh
Kildoagh () is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Templeport and barony of Tullyhaw.
Geography
Kildoagh is bounded on the north by Kilsob and Muinaghan townlands, on t ...
townland and first cousin of Donill Backagh McShane O'Reyly who was simultaneously granted lands in
Burren (townland)
Burren is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Templeport and barony of Tullyhaw.
Geography
Burren is bounded on the north by Derrycassan and Coologe townlands, on the w ...
.
An Inquisition of King
Charles I of England
Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland from 27 March 1625 until Execution of Charles I, his execution in 1649.
Charles was born ...
held in Cavan Town on 31 March 1635 stated that ''Cahell O Reily was seized in his lifetime of, inter alia, one poll of Bealaghlynan. He died 1 January 1634 and his son Hugh O'Reily had reached his majority and was married''.
The O'Reilly lands in Bellaleenan were confiscated in the Cromwellian Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652 and were distributed as follows-
In the Hearth Money Rolls compiled on 29 September 1663 there was one person paying the Hearth Tax in ''Ballylenan- Phelemy McKelagher''
The 1652 Commonwealth Survey lists the townland (spelled ''Balleleanan'') as belonging to Lieutenant-Colonel Tristam Beresford and a further confirming grant dated 3 November 1666 was made by King
Charles II of England
Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and King of Ireland, Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685.
Charles II was the eldest su ...
to the aforementioned
Sir Tristram Beresford, 1st Baronet which included, inter alia, 96 acres-2 roods-32 perches of land in ''Gortnegloigh or Gorteengloigh alias Ballymagough or Ballynegough''. By grant dated 11 September 1670 from King Charles II of England to said Sir Tristram Beresford, the said lands of ''Gortnegleigh or Ballymagough'' were included in the creation of a new ''Manor of Beresford''.
On 10 April 1716,
Marcus Beresford, 1st Earl of Tyrone
Marcus Beresford, 1st Earl of Tyrone (16 July 1694 – 4 April 1763), known as Sir Marcus Beresford, 4th Baronet, until 1720 and subsequently as The Viscount Tyrone until 1746, was an Anglo-Irish peer and politician.
Early life
He was the only ...
the son of the aforesaid Sir Tristram Beresford, granted a lease for lives of certain lands, including ''Ballylenan'', to James Kirkwood of ''Owen Gally'' (
Owengallees
Owengallees () is a townland in the civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Templeport and barony of Tullyhaw.
Geography
Owengallees is bounded o ...
).
In a marriage settlement made 18 Oct 1718 with his wife Katherine (née Lowther), the said James Kirkwood settled the lands, including ''Ballilenam'', on his children.
Katherine Lowther's sister-in-law, Jane Lowther (née Beresford), was the daughter of the aforesaid Sir Tristram Beresford, which is probably how the lease came about. James Kirkwood was son of Reverend James Kirkwood, Chaplain to King
William III of England
William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 1650 – 8 March 1702), also known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of County of Holland, Holland, County of Zeeland, Zeeland, Lordship of Utrecht, Utrec ...
, Prebendary of
Kilskeery
Kilskeery () is a small village and civil parish in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is between Ballinamallard and Trillick. In the 2021 census, it had a population of 55 people. Kilskeery is within the Omagh District Council area.
The Ball ...
and Rector of
Magheracross
Magheracross is a townland and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It extends in area from just north of Enniskillen to the border with County Tyrone and includes a small enclave in County Tyrone. The ...
parishes in County Fermanagh from 1693.
The 1790 Cavan Carvaghs list spells the townland name as ''Bellalinan''.
Lowther Kirkwood of Mullinagrave, parish of Templeport, Co. Cavan, gentleman made the following will-
The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list eighteen tithepayers in the townland.
The Bellaleenan Valuation Office Field books are available for October 1839.
Griffith's Valuation
Griffith's Valuation was a boundary and land valuation survey of Ireland completed in 1868.
Griffith's background
Richard John Griffith started to value land in Scotland, where he spent two years in 1806–1807 valuing terrain through the examin ...
of 1857 lists thirteen landholders in the townland.
On 6 July 1857 the Incumbered Estates Commission published the following notice:
In the Matter of the Estate of James Brien, Geo. Brien, Edward Brien and Francis Brien, Owners. Exparte by Isabella Crummer, Petitioner. The commissioners having ordered a Sale of the Lands of Shanadaragh and Curnagunlogh, Cullegh, Drumlohgher, Drumledin, Sananaragh, and Drumledin, and Corlough, situate in the Barony of Tullyhaw, and County of Cavan, held under lease dated the 10th April, 1718, from the Bishop Raphoe, for lives renewable for ever, and which Lands are included in the denominations of Ballymagord, Owngally, Gortneglough, Drumedin or Ballylennin'', in said lease mentioned:
Census
In the
1901 census of Ireland
Nineteen or 19 may refer to:
* 19 (number)
* One of the years 19 BC, AD 19, 1919, 2019
Films
* ''19'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film
* ''Nineteen'' (1987 film), a 1987 science fiction film
* ''19-Nineteen'', a 2009 South Korean film
* ''Dician ...
, there are ten families listed in the townland
and in the
1911 census of Ireland, there are thirteen families listed in the townland.
Antiquities
The only structure of historical interest in the townland seems to be
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick (; or ; ) was a fifth-century Romano-British culture, Romano-British Christian missionary and Archbishop of Armagh, bishop in Gaelic Ireland, Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Irelan ...
's Well, where a pattern was held on the first Sunday in July up to the 1950s, to mark the festival of
Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh, Lughnasa or Lúnasa ( , ) is a Gaels, Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. Traditionally, it is held on 1 August, or abo ...
.
References
External links
The IreAtlas Townland Data Base
{{Authority control
Townlands of County Cavan