Gortaree
Gortaree is a townland in the Civil Parish of Tomregan, Barony of Knockninny, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.
Etymology
The townland name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic placename “Gort a Righ” which means ‘The Field of the King’. The oldest surviving mention of the name is in a grant dated 14 October 1612 where it is spelled ‘Gortoerie’. Spellings in later grants and depositions include Gortery (1620), Gartharee (1643) and Gortery (1659).[1]
Geography
It is bounded on the north by Aghyoule and Aghintra townlands, on the east by Aghindisert & Derrintony townlands, on the south by Ummera and Knockateggal townlands and on the west by Gortahurk & Tonymore townlands. Its chief geographical features are Slieve Rushen mountain on whose eastern foothills it lies reaching to an altitude of 360 feet above sea-level and some mountain streams. The townland is traversed by the B127 Ballyconnell Road and some minor lanes. Gortaree covers an area of 280 statute acres.
History
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.[2] In the 1641 Rebellion John McCorry of Gortaree was listed as one of the Irish rebels so he must have been a tenant of Balfour's.[3]
The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list the following tithepayers in the townland- Quinn, Drum, Rooney, Burke, Graves, McGauran, Clarke, McGuire, Wallace.[4]
In 1841 the population of the townland was 124, being 63 males and 61 females. There were twenty-three houses in the townland, one of which was uninhabited.[5]
In 1851 the population of the townland was 96, being 52 males and 44 females, the reduction being due to the Great Famine (Ireland). There were eighteen houses in the townland, two of which were uninhabited.[6]
Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists twenty-four occupiers in the townland.[7]
In 1861 the population of the townland was 89, being 46 males and 43 females. There were twenty-one houses in the townland, of which two were uninhabited.[8]
In 1871 the population of the townland was 96, being 42 males and 54 females. There were twenty-one houses in the townland, of which two were uninhabited.(page 606 of census)[9]
In 1881 the population of the townland was 84, being 45 males and 39 females. There were sixteen houses in the townland, all were inhabited.[10]
In 1891 the population of the townland was 77, being 39 males and 38 females. There were seventeen houses in the townland, one of which was uninhabited.[11]
In the 1901 census of Ireland, there are twenty-two families listed in the townland.[12]
In the 1911 census of Ireland, there are nineteen families listed in the townland.[13]
Antiquities
The only historic site in the townland is Gorteen House.
References
External links