Gortnaleck () 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
Gortnaleck is bounded on the north by
Cloneary
Cloneary () 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
Cloneary is bounded on the ...
townland, on the west by
Rosehill, Templeport
Rosehill 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
Rosehill is bounded on the north by Ray, Templeport and Cloneary townlands, ...
townland, on the south by
Camagh
Camagh () 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 ''Commagh''.
Geography
Camagh is bounded on the north by ...
townland and on the east by
Kilnavert
Kilnavert (or Kilnavart) () 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. The present local pronu ...
townland. Its chief geographical features are Gortnaleck Lough, dug wells and a stone quarry. The 1836 Ordnance Survey Namebooks state-''The soil is intermixed with limestone'' (which limestone is probably what gave the townland its name). Gortnaleck is traversed by the national secondary
R205 road (Ireland), minor public roads and rural lanes. The townland covers 95 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. Gortnaleck was located in the ballybetagh of Ballymagauran. The historical spellings of the ballybetagh are Ballymackgawran & Ballimacgawran (Irish = Baile Mhic Shamhráin = McGovern's Town).
The 1609 Baronial Map depicts the townland as part of ''Kilcrooghan''.
The 1652 Commonwealth Survey spells the name as ''Gortnelecke'' and also lists ''Killecrooghan''.
The 1665 Down Survey map depicts it as ''Gortneleck''.
William Petty
Sir William Petty (26 May 1623 – 16 December 1687) was an English economist, physician, scientist and philosopher. He first became prominent serving Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth of England, Commonwealth in Cromwellian conquest of I ...
's 1685 map depicts it as ''Gortneleak''.
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 29 April 1611, along with other lands, 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 one poll of ''Gortneleck'' to the McGovern Chief,
Feidhlimidh Mág Samhradháin
Feidhlimidh Mág Samhradháin, the Second, (anglicised Felim or Phelim McGovern) d. 20 January 1622, was head of the McGovern dynasty and Baron or Lord of Tullyhaw barony, County Cavan from before 1611 until his death on 20 January 1622.
Ancest ...
. The townland had been part of the McGovern chief's personal demesne for several hundred years before this and it was just a
Surrender and regrant
During the Tudor conquest of Ireland (c.1540–1603), "surrender and regrant" was the legal mechanism by which Irish clans were to be converted from a power structure rooted in clan and kin loyalties, to a late-Feudalism, feudal system under t ...
confirming the existing title to the then chief. This is confirmed in a visitation by
George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes
George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes (29 May 1555 – 27 March 1629), known as Sir George Carew between 1586 and 1605 and as The Lord Carew between 1605 and 1626, served under Elizabeth I during the Tudor conquest of Ireland and was appointed Pre ...
in autumn 1611 when he states that ''Magauran had his own land given him on this division''.
An Inquisition of King Charles I held in Cavan town on 4 October 1626 stated that the aforesaid Phelim Magawrane died on 20 January 1622 and his lands including one poll of ''Gortnaleck'' went to his son, the McGovern chief
Brian Magauran who was aged 30 (born 1592) and married.
In the
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 was an uprising in Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, initiated on 23 October 1641 by Catholic gentry and military officers. Their demands included an end to anti-Catholic discrimination, greater Irish self-governance, and ...
William Reynolds of ''Lisnaore'' made a deposition about the rebellion in
Lissanover
Lissanover () 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
Lissanover is bounded on the north by Keenagh, Templeport and Munlough ...
which referred to two rebels from ''Gortneleck, Daniel McGowran and his son Edmund McGowran'', as follows-
''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 59r59v'
The McGovern lands in Gortnaleck were confiscated in the Cromwellian
Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652
The Act for the Settling of Ireland imposed penalties including death and land confiscation against Irish civilians and combatants after the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and subsequent unrest. British historian John Morrill wrote that the Act and a ...
and were distributed as follows-
The 1652 Commonwealth Survey lists the proprietor of Gortnaleck as ''Hugh McFadeene'' and the proprietor of Killecrooghan as ''John Boyd''.
In the Hearth Money Rolls compiled on 29 September 1663 there was one person paying the Hearth Tax in the townland ''Gartnebacke- Hugh McFadin'' (i.e. the same person mentioned in 1652 above).
Two grants dated 30 January 1668 were 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 ...
as follows- Firstly ''one cartron of land in Gortnelecke containing 29 acres to Hugh McFaden''. This was the same man mentioned in the Commonwealth Survey and Hearth Rolls above. Secondly to ''Mary Boyd in the parte of ye cartron of Kilcrohan containing 34 acres 0 roods 6 perches at an annual rent of £0-9s-2 1/4d''
In the Templeport Poll Book of 1761 there was one person registered to vote in ''Gortnaleg'' in the
1761 Irish general election
The 1761 Irish general election was the first general election to the Irish House of Commons in over thirty years, with the previous general election having taken place in 1727. Despite few constituencies hosting electoral contests, the election w ...
- Richard Hazard. He lived in Garden Hill,
County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of six counties of Northern Ireland.
The county covers an area of and had a population of 63,585 as of 2021. Enniskillen is the ...
but owned a freehold in Gortnaleck. He was entitled to cast two votes. The four election candidates were
Charles Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont
Charles Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont, KB, PC (Ire), (6 April 1738 – 20 October 1800) was an Anglo-Irish politician who served as one of the Postmasters General of Ireland. Charles was briefly styled as the Baron Coote between February 1766 ...
and Lord Newtownbutler (later
Brinsley Butler, 2nd Earl of Lanesborough
Brinsley Butler, 2nd Earl of Lanesborough, PC (Ire) (4 March 1728 – 24 January 1779), styled The Honourable until 1756 and Lord Newtown-Butler from 1756 to 1768, was an Irish politician and peer.
He was the son of Humphrey Butler, 1st ...
), both of whom were then elected
Member of Parliament for
Cavan County
County Cavan ( ; ) is a county in Ireland. It is in the 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 historic Gaelic territory of East Breffny (''Bréifne''). Cavan C ...
. The losing candidates were
George Montgomery (MP)
George Leslie Montgomery (c. 1727 – March 1787) was an Irish politician.
Montgomery sat as Member of Parliament (MP) for Strabane from 1765 to 1768. He purchased the seat from John McCausland of Strabane for £2,000 after the death of the ...
of
Ballyconnell
Ballyconnell () is a town in County Cavan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is situated on the N87 road (Ireland), N87 national secondary road at the junction of four townlands: Annagh, County Cavan, Annagh, Cullyleenan, Doon (Tomregan) and Der ...
and
Barry Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham
Barry Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham PC (Ire) (1723 – 7 October 1800), styled The Honourable Barry Maxwell from 1756 to 1779, was an Irish peer and politician. He succeeded as the 3rd Baron Farnham in 1779, and was later created the 1st Visco ...
. Hazard voted for Maxwell and Montgomery. Absence from the poll book either meant a resident did not vote or more likely was not a freeholder entitled to vote, which would mean most of the inhabitants of Gortnaleck.
The 1790 Cavan Carvaghs list spells the name as ''Gortnabeck''.
The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list four tithepayers in the townland.
In 1833 one person in Gortnaleck was registered as a keeper of weapons – James Lauder.
The Gortnaleck Valuation Office Field books are available for 1839–1840.
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 four landholders in the townland.
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 four families listed in the townland.
In the
1911 census of Ireland, there are only two families listed in the townland.
Antiquities
The chief structures of historical interest in the townland are
# An earthen ringfort.
# An enclosure.
[Site number 1374 in "Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan", Patrick O’Donovan, 1995, where it is described as-''Marked 'Fort' on 1836 and 1876 eds. Situated on a low knoll adjacent to Gortnaleck Lough. Not visible at ground level''.]
# A crannog in Gortnaleck Lough.
# A
Lime kiln
A lime kiln is a kiln used for the calcination of limestone (calcium carbonate) to produce the form of lime called ''quicklime'' (calcium oxide). The chemical equation for this reaction is: CaCO3 + heat → CaO + CO2
This reaction can tak ...
References
External links
The IreAtlas Townland Data Base
{{coord missing, County Cavan
Townlands of County Cavan