Gortahurk, Tomregan civil parish
Gortahurk (from Irish: Gort an Choirce, meaning "field of the oats"), is a townland in the civil parish of Tomregan, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It was also part of the barony of Knockninny.
Etymology
The oldest surviving mention of the name is in a grant dated 1620 where it is spelled ‘Gortkorky’. Spellings in later grants are 1659 – Gortecorke.[1]
Geography
It is bounded by the townlands of Tonymore, Gortaree, and Knockateggal and borders County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland to its west. Its chief geographical features are Slieve Rushen mountain on whose eastern slope it lies reaching to an altitude of 359 metres above sea-level and some mountain streams.
History
Gortahurk covers an area of 390 statute acres. The townland formed part of the ballybethagh of Calvagh in medieval times. At the beginning of the 17th century it was owned jointly by Bryan McPhilip O’Reyly and Edward Rutlidge but was confiscated by the Crown in the 1609 Ulster Plantation and it formed part of the half-territory of Aughrin which was granted to Sir Hugh Culme in 1610. Culme later relinquished his claim to the Crown, perhaps because there was confusion at the time as to whether the townland formed part of County Fermanagh or County Cavan. By an order of the Lord Deputy dated 14 October 1612 the townland was granted, inter alia, to Lady Margaret O’Neill, the widow of Sir Hugh Maguire deceased. In 1641 and also in 1670 it was owned by Sir William Balfour (general).
The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list the following tithepayers in the townland- Drum, Connolly, McGauran, O'Neill, Moran, Caffrey, Clarke.[2]
In 1841 the population of the townland was 107, being 58 males and 49 females. There were eighteen houses in the townland, all were inhabited.[3]
In 1851 the population of the townland was 81, being 40 males and 41 females, the reduction being due to the Great Famine (Ireland). There were fifteen houses in the townland, all were inhabited.[4]
Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists thirty-eight occupiers in the townland.[5]
In 1861 the population of the townland was 74, being 36 males and 38 females. There were fifteen houses in the townland and all were inhabited.[6]
In 1871 the population of the townland was 49, being 24 males and 25 females. There were fourteen houses in the townland, one of which was uninhabited.(page 606 of census)[7]
In 1881 the population of the townland was 42, being 15 males and 27 females. There were eleven houses in the townland, all were inhabited.[8]
In 1891 the population of the townland was 37, being 17 males and 20 females. There were ten houses in the townland, of which one was uninhabited.[9]
In the 1901 census of Ireland, there are eight families listed in the townland.[10]
In the 1911 census of Ireland, there are eight families listed in the townland.[11]
Antiquities
The only historic sites in the townland are some old freestone quarries.