Mullynagolman
Coordinates: 54°4′56″N 7°34′44.5″W / 54.08222°N 7.579028°W
Mullynagolman is a townland in the Parish of Tomregan, Barony of Loughtee Lower, County Cavan, Ireland.
Etymology
The townland name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic placename Mullach na gColman which means ‘Summit of the Pigeons’. The oldest surviving mention of the name is in the will of John Armstrong dated 1757 where it is spelled Mullinagollinan. The will of Alexander Faris dated 1766 spells it as Mullinagolinan. The 1790 Cavan Carvaghs list spells the name as Mullagh.[1] Ambrose Leet's 1814 Directory spells the name as Mullinagorman.[2].
Geography
It is bounded on the north by Cloncollow and Carrigan townlands, on the east by Aghavoher and Clifton, County Cavan townlands, on the south by Berrymount and Aghaweenagh townlands and on the west by Fartrin townland. Its chief geographical features are Togher Lough, the Rag River and a drumlin hill reaching to 300 feet (91 m) above sea-level. Mullynagolman is traversed by Slievebrickan Lane and Ardlougher Lane. The townland covers 109 statute acres, including 11 acres (45,000 m2) of water.
History
It formed part of the termon lands belonging to Tomregan Roman Catholic Church which were granted to the Protestant Bishop of Kilmore in 1610 as part of the Plantation of Ulster. By a lease dated 6 April 1612 the said bishop granted the lands to Sir Oliver Lambart of Kilbeggan, County Westmeath and Sir Garret Moore, 1st Viscount Moore of Mellifont, County Louth. On 17 July 1639 the bishop re-granted the lands to Charles Lambart, 1st Earl of Cavan. In the 1740s the bishop leased the land to John Jones for 21 years. This lease was renewed to his descendant John Copeland Jones on 20 May 1843. In the 1860s the holder of the lease was David Fielding Jones.[3]
The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list the following tithepayers in the townland- Armstrong, Story.[4]
In 1829 a Sunday school was kept in the townland, funded by the Hibernian Sunday School Society.[5]
The Ordnance Survey Name Books for 1836 give the following description of the townland-Mullach na g-colman, 'hill of the pigeons'. South of parish. Protestant bishop's land. Lease held by Jones. Rent 16 shillings to £1 per arable acre. Comfortable inhabitants. Produce oats, flax and potatoes.
In 1841 the population of the townland was 60, being 30 males and 30 females. There were nine houses in the townland, one of which was uninhabited.[6]
In 1851 the population of the townland was 17, being 7 males and 10 females, the reduction being due to the Great Famine (Ireland). There were three houses in the townland, all were inhabited.[7]
Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists the landlords of the townland as Jones and Armstrong & the tenants as Armstrong and Givin.[8]
In 1861 the population of the townland was 15, being 8 males and 7 females. There were three houses in the townland, all were inhabited.[9]
In 1871 the population of the townland was 22, being 10 males and 12 females. There were three houses in the townland, all were inhabited (page 279 of census).[10]
In 1881 the population of the townland was 12, being 5 males and 7 females. There were two houses in the townland, all were inhabited.[11]
In 1891 the population of the townland was 9, being 4 males and 5 females. There were two houses in the townland, all were inhabited.[12]
In the 1901 census of Ireland, there are five families listed in the townland.[13]
In the 1911 census of Ireland, there are four families listed in the townland.[14]
Antiquities
The historic sites in the townland are the remains of Tomregan Monastery, Church, Round Tower and Graveyard famous for their association with St. Bricín & Cenn Fáelad mac Aillila . The County Cavan Ordnance Survey Memoirs of 1835 state ‘Before the present church was erected at Ballyconnell about 80 years ago, there existed a former church, the ruins of which, consisting of a few stones, may be seen in a field in the lands of Mr.Berry’ (Site number 1689, page 205, Mullynagolman townland, “Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan”, Patrick O’Donovan, 1995); A medieval Togher or causeway at the Rag River outlet of Togher Lake (Site number 176, page 33, Cloncollow/Mullynagolman townland, “Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan”, Patrick O’Donovan, 1995); A medieval crannóg in Togher Lough (Site number 1585, page 188, Mullynagolman townland, “Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan”, Patrick O’Donovan, 1995); and Mullynagolman House. The Ordnance Survey Ortho map dated 1995 seems to show underlying structures in the soil.[15]