Gortmullan
Gortmullan 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 Mhaoláin” which means ‘Maolán's Field’. It might also mean ‘The Field of the Mill’. The oldest surviving mention of the name is in a grant dated 14 October 1612 where it is spelled ‘Gortmonylan’. Spellings in later grants are 1629- Gartmolan and 1659 –Gorttmoylan.[1] Ambrose Leet's 1814 Directory spells the name as Gortmullen.[2].
Geography
It is bounded on the north & west by Knockateggal townland, on the east by Ummera & Gortineddan townlands and on the south by the international border with County Cavan and the Republic of Ireland. Its chief geographical feature is Slieve Rushen mountain on whose eastern slope it lies reaching to an altitude of 270 metres above sea-level. The townland is traversed by the B127 Border Road to Ballyconnell and some minor lanes. Gortmullan covers an area of 315 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. An Inquisition held at Newtownbutler on 20 January 1629 found that Thomas Duffe McCorie was seized of the lands of, interalia, Gartmolan. In 1641 and also in 1670 it was owned by Sir William Balfour (general).[3]
The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list the following tithepayers in the townland- Kiernan, Prior, Drum, McGuire, Bennett, Farrell, McGauran, Lauder, Whittendale, Clarke, Thompson.[4]
In 1841 the population of the townland was 112, being 53 males and 59 females. There were twenty-one houses in the townland, all were inhabited.[5]
In 1851 the population of the townland was 95, being 47 males and 48 females, the reduction being due to the Great Famine (Ireland). There were eighteen houses in the townland, one of which was uninhabited.[6]
Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists thirty-one occupiers in the townland.[7]
In 1861 the population of the townland was 108, being 51 males and 57 females. There were nineteen houses in the townland and all were inhabited.[8]
In 1871 the population of the townland was 82, being 44 males and 38 females. There were sixteen houses in the townland, of which one was uninhabited.(page 606 of census)[9]
In 1881 the population of the townland was 70, being 44 males and 26 females. There were fourteen houses in the townland, all were inhabited.[10]
In 1891 the population of the townland was 83, being 41 males and 42 females. There were fourteen houses in the townland, all were inhabited.[11]
In the 1901 census of Ireland, there are fourteen families listed in the townland.[12]
In the 1911 census of Ireland, there are eighteen families listed in the townland.[13]
The Outsider, is a book about growing up in Gortmullan in the 1950s by Peter Quinn (GAA President).
Antiquities
The only historic sites in the townland are some stone quarries.
See also
References
External links