Corrasmongan

Corrasmongan () 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. The local pronunciation is Corasmonaghan.

Geography

Corrasmongan is bounded on the north by Bawnboy and Ballynamaddoo townlands, on the west by Kilsob townland, on the south by Muinaghan townland and on the east by Killycrin townland. Its chief geographical features are a wood, a stream and a dug well. Corrasmongan is traversed by the regional N87 road (Ireland), minor roads and rural lanes. The townland covers 117 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 in charge of church lands. There were seven ballibetoes in the parish of Templeport. Corrasmongan was located in the ballybetagh of "Balleagheboynagh" (alias 'Ballyoghnemoynagh'). The original Irish is ''Baile Na Muighe Eanach'', meaning 'The Town of the Marshy Plain'). The ballybetagh was also called "Aghawenagh", the original Irish is ''Achadh an Bhuí Eanaigh'', meaning 'The Field of the Yellow Bog').

Until the Cromwellian Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652, the modern townlands of Bawnboy, Muinaghan and Ballynamaddoo formed part of Corrasmongan, which also had a sub-division named ''Aghamoynagh'' ()

On 12 November 1590 Queen Elizabeth I of England granted pardons (No. 5489) to ''Tiernan O' Doylane of Corresmongan, horsekeeper; Edmond O'Doylan of Aghamoynaghe, cottier; Con O'Doylane of Aghamoynaghe, horsekeeper; Ferdorogh O'Doylane of Aghamoynaghe, husbandman; Brene O'Doylane M'Rowry of Aghamoynaghe, cottier and Patrick M'Echie of Aghamoynaghe, horsekeeper'' for fighting against the Queen's forces.

The 1609 Ulster Plantation Baronial Map depicts the townland as ''Cornesinongan''.

The 1658 Down Survey Map depicts it as ''Sr: Will: Parsons Land''.

In the Plantation of Ulster Corrasmongan was granted to the Graham family of Scotland. In a visitation by Sir George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes in autumn 1611, he states that- ''Sir George Greames and Sir Richard Greames 1,000 acres apiece in the Barony of Tolehagh as servitors, have taken possession but done nothing''. By 1613 the Grahams had progressed with building work. Sir Josias Bodley reported on 6 February 1613 that- ' By grant dated 26 June 1615, King James VI and I granted, inter alia, two polls in ''Corsmongan'' to Sir George Graeme and Sir Richard Graeme to form part of the ''Manor of Greame''. By 1619 Captain Nicholas Pynnar's Survey of Land Holders found that ''Sir Richard and Sir George Grimes have 2,000 acres. Upon this there is built a Bawne of Stone and Lime, 60 feet square and 10 feet high, with a little House in it.'' In August 1622 another survey found that- ' An Inquisition held at Cavan Town on 31 October 1627 found that ''Sir Richard Greames of Corrasmongan'' died on 7 November 1625 seized of, inter alia, one poll in ''Corrismongan otherwise known as Aghowvonagh. His son and heir Thomas Greames was aged 40 (born 1585) and married. Further that George Greames was also seized of one poll in Corrismongan and he died 9 October 1624. By his will dated 1 May 1615 he left his lands to his son and heir William Greames then 30 years old (born 1594) and unmarried''.

William Graham took part in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 as appears from the following deposition of William Reynolds of Lissanover-

''folio 260r''
'' William Reynolds Jur 6o Apr 1643 Will: Aldrich Hen: Brereton John Sterne: Cavan William Reinolds Jur 6o Apr 1643 Intw Cert fact opy at MS 832, fols 59r-59v'

A history of Richard and George Graham is viewable online.

After the Cromwellian Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652 the Graham lands in Corrasmongan were seized by the Government as a result of their participation in the 1641 Rebellion and were distributed as follows-

The 1652 Commonwealth Survey lists the townland as ''Crossmongan'' with the proprietor being ''Mr Thomas Worsopp'' and the tenant being ''William Lawther'', both of whom appear as proprietor and tenant for several other Templeport townlands in the same survey. The 1662 Hearth Money Rolls show no Hearth Tax payers in Corrasmongan.

A lease dated 10 December 1774 from William Crookshank to John Enery of Bawnboy includes the lands of ''Corresmuggan''.

The 1790 Cavan Carvaghs list spells the name as ''Corsmuggan''.

The Corrasmongan Valuation Office Field books are available for November 1839.

Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists twelve landholders in the townland.

Census

In the 1901 census of Ireland, there are five families listed in the townland, and in the 1911 census of Ireland, there are still five families listed in the townland.''Census of Ireland 1911''
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Antiquities

The chief structures of historical interest in the townland are

# The burial ground for Bawnboy Workhouse
# Stepping stones over the stream

References

External links

The IreAtlas Townland Data Base

{{Coord, 54.1206, -7.6643, display=title

Townlands of County Cavan