A statistical and agricultural survey of the county of Galway : with observations on the means of improvement

Front matter

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3 1833 03740 1053

STATISTICAL AND AGRICULTURAL SURVEY

Preface

I MUST begin by returning the most heartfelt thanks to my numerous friends in the county of Galway, for their unceasing acts of kindness in every respect, except in furnishing me with written information ; of that, I have not to acknowledge the smallest, but from the late Rev. Mr. Russell, Mr. D' Arcy of Clifden castle, Mr. D'Arcy of Galway, Mr. Blake of Merlin Park, Mr. Reddington of Ryehill, and the late Mr. Edmund Costello of Galway, to whom I feel particularly obliged : had every one to whom I applied taken the trouble to make even a small portion of Mr. Costello's research, this Survey would have been much more worthy of public approbation than I am but too conscious it is : of one thing I feel I can congratulate myself; that in no instance have I knowingly deviated from the truth. If I have been deceived into the insertion of what is unfounded, at their door who stooped to this meaness it must lie ; and if this humble attempt should ever be thought worthy of a second edition, I vi PREFACE.

shall be delighted to expose the fraud, and the author of it. At an early period I published in the Gahvay newspapers, and I also distributed many hundreds of letters with printed queries of those matters of which I wished to receive information, but I have unfortunately the same complaint to make that I had of the gentlemen and clergy of the county of Clare. In my Preface to the Survey of that county I expressed my hopes as follows : " I trust and hope I shall " not have the same complaint to make of the " gentlemen of the county of Galway, amongst " whom I expect a continuance of that polite- " ness and intelligence which I have formerly " experienced ; I have no fears on this head " from the inhabitants of that county." Alas ! I reckoned without my host.- Their " politeness and intelligence" no one ever doubted, but except in the very few instances abovementioned, I could not get a line. I need scarcely bring to the recollection of this county the many gentlemen who from their local knowi ledge, and the resources of good libraries, could

easily have furnished me with even heads only of the necessary information on each subject; but I regret to state that I found a languor, not to say a reluctance when I have pressed them,' and only as table talk have I been able to extract any information. I need not remark that the hours of conviviality are not in general those of inquisitive research, except as to the

PREFACE. vii

comparative excellence of different vintages, or the merit of different racers or hunters. I feel great pleasure in acknowledging that Mr. Bellew's extensive and choice library was ever accessible to me.*

The account of the minerals of Connamara from Mr. Nimmo's very scientific report to the Commissioners for improving the bogs of Ireland, will be found, I presume, highly interesting. It must be evident that in a work of this nature I could not dwell as long as I wished on the improvement of our extensive bogs, nor on planting, green crops, irrigation, draining, &c. ; they would each require a volume. It must be also equally evident what an arduous task I have undertaken, and from the little assistance I have received, how imperfect a work embracing such various subjects, must necessarily be. With this conviction I

* Had not some of the gentlemen and clergy of the county of Clare absolutely refused me the information I so often requested, I had avoided probably many inaccuracies, and perhaps some mistatements ; they must be sensible that I could write only from the information of others ; if I was deceived I cannot be accountable for what I published. I can solemnly assure them I was not influenced by any party motives ; a stranger unconnected in the county, could have no party views whatsoever to answer : on the contrary, as a professional man, it has probably been of no service to me. There are some characters, I understand, who instead of feeling any compunction for their ungentlemanlike behaviour, still pursue the same rude and vociferous mode of recrimination. I leave them to the laugh of their acquaintance.

viii PREFACE.

have waited thus long, and trespassed so much on the forbearance of the Royal Dublin Society, in hopes that a proper and enlightened view of the importance of the inquiry would have influenced the gentlemen of the county to have given me such information as would have enabled me to lay before the public a much more satisfactory view of the county, its manners and resources, than their indolence has permitted me to do. I am indebted almost entirely to my own research, which has been much retarded by a necessary attention to the duties of extensive professional engagements. When I reflect on the able reports drawn up by the clergy of Scotland, I turn with regret to the almost total neglect of my queries by those of this county whom I many years since applied to. They cannot say they had not leisure ; they cannot say they had no information to give, for they could have furnished me with a much more perfect kind than a stranger can possibly be. supposed to acquire. I am at a loss to account for this apathy. But I am not singular in this complaint, for in almost every Irish Survey the same is made. In Scotland, where those admirable surveys have been published, the protestant clergy have arduous duties to perform ; here, from the majority of the county being catholics, the protestant clergy have not the excuse that might have been

PREFACE. ix

made there. I am by no. means inclined to impute it to a want of intellect or less virtuous propensities than their neighbours, for I am happy to bear testimony to the full possession of both by the clergy of every persuasion. We must then consider it to proceed from the same cause that has influenced the other gentlemen of the county, indolence.* Had they a proper feeling on this subject, the survey should never have been committed into my hands, and I had been saved a very irksome task, and one by which I shall probably be a loser to an amount that I should be ashamed to mention ; but I was induced, at an early period, by the solicitations of a partial friend, to undertake it, and a regard to the fulfilment of my promise alone has impelled me to give it birth. I most heartily congratulate the county that I have not much to say on the subject of road jobbing ; and I trust the rising generation of Grand Jurors will scout this disgrace to the names of Christian and gentleman out of their jury-room. What a delightful thing it must be to the proud feelings of Connaught men to be told by a Judge " Gentlemen of the Grand Jury, I " most heartily congratulate you on the total

* I was weak enough to think that every person to whom I enclosed the list of queres would travel with it in their pockets, and note down every thing they observed tending to throw any light on such qucre !

x PREFACE.

" abolition of road-jobbing ; and that you " seem now to feel that consideration for the " distresses of your poorer fellow-subjects, " which should actuate every gentleman. I " trust I shall always have to praise you for " making those roads, which are merely for n your own convenience and pleasure, out of " your own pockets. I most sincerely hope " I shall never hear of presentments for vi- " siting roads, (as they are properly called by " the country people) constructed from the " public purse."

As in the Survey of Clare, 1 have avoided here a description of gentlemen's seats. The reason must be obvious to those who know that in very many of them I have been concerned in the embellishment or improvement. Were I to point out the defects of any place, it would, independent of its rudeness, proprobably be said my motive was the hope of being called in to amend them. On the other hand, I could not stoop to natter the proprietor of a place into an idea that it possessed picturesque merit, when perhaps it was composed of tame screens and circular clumps. If a man is satisfied with his hobby, it would be very ungracious, not to say cruel, to put him out of conceit with him ; in fact, it would be a difficult task. The only remark I shall make is, that I have not seen any place, in any part of Ireland, that could not be much

PREFACE. xi

improved, especially by thinning. I wish that any thing I could urge would induce the landed proprietors to emulate those noble plantings in Scotland. I imagine nothing of this kind has as yet been attempted in this county, though many parts of it are equally adapted for it as those of Scotland. I trust I have thrown some useful light on the fisheries, a matter highly deserving of the marked attention of not only those proprietors who have estates on the sea-coast, but of every landed proprietor, and more especially the merchants of Galway, who have now the high road to wealth opened to them by the legislature. I hope they will meet the offer by energy, and not only in this branch, but in' the export of butter, and that trade in beef and pork, which by some former mismanagement they lost.* I have given copies of the charters of Queen Elizabeth (rectifying and confirming those of Richard the Second, Richard the Third, Edward the Fourth, Edward the Sixth, and Henry the Eighth; and that of King Charles the Second.

I have been favoured by a kind friend with copies of several other charters, for, exclusive

* I am delighted that one enlightened merchant, Mr. Maclachlan, has this year (1823) slaughtered a considerable number of cattle for exportation. It is to be hoped this renewal of a former trade will not be damped by sending any but the very best description of beef.

xii PREFACE.

of those I have given, there are those of Richard the Second, Richard the Third, Henry the Sixth, Edward the Fourth, Edward the Sixth, James the Second, and probably some others, but I did not think myself warranted in laying my friends under contribution for what probably most of them would consider merely literary curiosities, except by a few in Galway. I trust it will be perceived that I have avoided the insertion of much corporation matter with which I have been favoured, that would be considered agreeable by those only engaged in party, and any observations of mine must not be in prejudgment of a question with the merits of which I must be very imperfectly acquainted, and I do not write to serve any party. On the never-dying subject of tribes and non-tribes of Galway, I have given the arguments on both sides j professing a perfect neutrality j I have, I trust, many friends of each party.

I have given a specimen of Galway poetry, that I flatter myself will be enjoyed by every lover of genuine humour. Since that period, we have had plenty of coarse satire, some daubing, some rhyming, but no poetry. It must be evident to every person of the least reading, that though I have not stopped to acknowledge it, I have drawn largely on several authors, particularly on Dr. Ledwich, Butler's Lives of the Saints, Grose, and any others

PREFACE. xiii

that were likely to enlighten my suhject. I trust therefore, that any living authors whom I have quoted may not be offended, nor think I could be mean enough to stoop to such acts of piracy, or vain enough to think I could escape detection. The fact is, that many of my notes were taken at moments of such great hurry, that the names of many of the authors have escaped my recollection. I may say with great truth, Non mi ricordo.

To Mr. Hardiman's admirable History of Galway I am deeply indebted for many articles that his indefatigable research has brought to light, and which the difficulty of acquiring put out of my reach. I must confess, had I seen his excellent book at an earlier period, probably the town of Galway would have been left entirely to him ; but my Survey had been so far advanced, and so much of the town affairs intermingled with those of the county at large, that I had neither time nor indeed inclination to make a new arrangement. I flatter myself that from the union of Mr. Hardiman's book and mine, there will be found a more perfect county report than has hitherto appeared in Ireland. To Mr. Hardiman the town of Galway, and indeed the literary world, are highly indebted. To appreciate the intense labour and expense of his research through the different offices of record, a man must have been an author and in a similar situation.

xiv PREFACE.

Most sincerely do I wish him that remuneration which a discerning and grateful public should bestow ; and I cannot think that any person of this province, where such multitudes are descended from the Galway families, can be so destitute of taste, or even curiosity, as to be without the book ; and even to those who are unconnected with the county I can promise a high treat,, if indefatigable research, exquisite arrangement, manly style, and unimpeached veracity can deserve it.

To Mrs. Blake of Merlin Park I feel highly indebted for procuring me an inspection of the old map of Galway at Castle-Mount-Garret, (a fac simile of which Mr. Hardiman has published) ; also for communicating the old corporation book in her possession, from which much useful and entertaining matter has been extracted. • I shall feel highly honored by receiving the

corrections of any person better acquainted with the county than I can pretend to be ; they shall be gratefully acknowledged if this work should ever be thought worthy of a second edition.

.

HELY DUTTON.

Mount Bellew, Castle Blakeney.

AD VJSJR TISEMEN T.

From an extensive and very varied practice, and an attentive study of the higher branches of Landscape Gardening, the Author hopes he may claim the notice of his countrymen.

His designs for Water, and its picturesque accompaniments, he trusts, are more from Nature than those usually executed in Ireland, and perhaps even in England, if we may judge from the tame frontispiece to Mr. Pontey's new work " The Rural Improver," which, it may be reasonably concluded, is a chosen specimen of his practice, and of English taste.

In thinning plantations, so little known or attended to in Ireland, he endeavours to unite future profit with picturesque effect, and gives instructions for pruning plantations, which any intelligent hedge carpenter can execute, and thus spread this grossly and obstinately neglected, but highly necessary practice, for those who have a due regard for the interests of posterity.

XVI

A very considerable experience in draining and irrigation enables him in many cases to lessen the expense, by making each contribute to the benefit of the other.

The plan he has for some time adopted, of giving occasional visits by the year, has been found so very satisfactory, he is induced to extend it, by which a very considerable saving in expence will be obtained by those who have extensive designs in contemplation.

Chapter I. Geographical State And Circumstances

Sect. Page

1. Situation and extent - *

2. Divisions _ _ r - 5

3. Climate - - - - 7

4. Soil and surface - - - * *

5. Minerals _ - - 27

6. Water 50

Chapter II. Agriculture

Sect. PaS*

1. Mode of Culture - - - 60 Extent of it, and of each species of grain

sowed - - 68

2. Course of Crops - - - 74

3. Use of Oxen — how harnessed - 83

4. Nature and use of implements of husbandry 87

5. Markets for grain - - - 9a

6. Use of green food in Winter - 9?

b xviii CONTENTS.

Chapter III. Pasture

Sect. Page

1. Nature of it - - - 104

2. Breed of cattle — how far improved, and

how far capable of further improvement 110

Markets or fairs for them - - 118

List of fairs - - - - 120

3. General prices , - ^ - - 122

4. Modes of feeding, and how far housed in

5. Natural grasses - - - 128

6. Artificial grasses - - - 134

7. Mode of hay-making . ? - - 136

8. Dairies — their produce and management 140

9. Prices of hides, tallow, wool, and quan-

tity sold - - - - 144

CHAPTER IV. FARMS, i

2. Farm houses and oflices - - 149

3. Nature of tenures — general state of leases,

!and particular clauses therein - 152

4. Taxes or cesses paid by tenants - 158 5. Proportion of working horses and oxen to

the size of farms - - - 159

6- General size of fields and enclosures 161

7. Nature of fences - 163

8. Mode of draining - 169

9. Nature of manure — Irrigation - 174

CONTENTS. xix

Chapter V. General Subjects

Sect. Page

2. Number and size of towns and villages 196

3. Habitations, fuel, food, and clothing of

the lower ranks, and their general cost 340

4. Prices of labour, wages, and provisions 358

5. State of tithe — its general amount - 363

6. Use of beer or spirits, whether 'either or

which is encreasing ' - - 366

7. State of roads, bridges, &c. - 369

8. Navigations and navigable rivers - 381

9. State of fisheries - - 383

10. State of education, schools, and charitable

institutions "".'-' - - 405

11. State of resident and non-resident pro-

prietors - - - 411

12. State of circulation of money or paper 417

13. State of farming and agricultural societies 419

14. State of manufactures — whether encreasing 423

15. State of mills of every kind - 432

16. State of plantations and planting - 434

17. State of the effects of the encouragement

heretofore given by the Royal Dublin Society, particularized in the annexed list, and any improvement which may occur for future encouragement, particularly for the preservation of trees when planted - - - 444

18. State of nurseries in the county, and ex-

tent of sales - - - 448

19. Price of timber, and state of it in the

country - ^50

- xx CONTENTS.

Sect. Page

20. Quantity of bog and waste ground — the

possibility and means of improving them,

and the obstacles to their improvement. 454

21. Habits of industry, or want of it amongst

the people - - - 460

22. Use of the English language, whether ge-

neral, or how far encreasing - 463

23. Account of towers, castles, &c. or places

remarkable for any historical event 464

24. List of parishes - 474

25. Abbeys — ecclesiastical divisions — resident

26. Whether the county has been actually sur-

veyed - 509

27. Weights and measures, liquid or dry;

in what instances are weights assigned

for measures, or vice versa - 512

28. Morals, manners and customs of the

people - - - 516

29. Concluding observations - - 525

Appendix

Page

Tribes and non-tribes - 3

The Pope's Bull - - 26

Charter of Queen Elizabeth - - 32

Charter of King Charles II. 62

Battle of the Chaunters - - 94

Petition of Cornelius O'Clummughan - 102

[ Mr. Knight's directions for making cider 110

A STATISTICAL AND AGRICULTURAL

SURVEY,

Sfc Sfc

Section I. Situation And Extent

THE County of Galvvay is situated on the western coast of Ireland : its greatest length is about seventy-five miles, and breadth about forty. On the west it is bounded by the great Atlantic ocean ; on the north by part of the counties of Mayo and Roscommon; on the east by a part of the counties of Roscommon, Westmeath, and King's county ; and on the south by a part of the counties of Clare and Tipperary, and the bay of Galway. It is generally estimated to contain 775,525 plantation acres ; but probably, like that of other counties-it is an erroneous calculation, for by Mr. Nimmo's estimate, the three baronies of Moycullen, Bally nahinch, and Ross, alone contain 350,000. A map upon a large scale has been lately published by the late Mr. Larkin, at the desire of the Grand Jury. Amongst many other useful purposes the true contents will be ascertained,

B

J and many false returns of lands paying cess will be rectified : great abuses of this nature have been detected by Mr. Davis of Hampstead, who has accepted the troublesome office of high constable for this very purpose. When the maps of each barony are published, the best lines of roads will be easily pointed out, and many jobs prevented; at the same time, I must confess this county is far behind some of their neighbours in this species of mean frauds so disgracefnl to the character of a gentleman.

The South Islands of Arran, at the entrance of the bay of Galway, contain about 7000 acres, and are the property of Mr. Digby; they let, or did let for about j€2000. per annum, and the rents well paid. The largest island alone contains 4607 acres, Innismore 1338, and Innis Leer 909. Their chief trade consists in fresh and cured fish, feathers, a superior kind of yearling calves, much sought after by the Connaught graziers : formerly might be added great quantities of whiskey and smuggled goods of many kinds. Arran was anciently called the blessed* No less than ten monasteries were built by the pious Endeus, besides thirteen churches ; and so great were the number of Saints and Hermits interred here, that the writer of the life of St. Kieran thus expresses himself: " In qua insula multitudo virorum sanctorum manet, et innumerabiles sancti, omnibus incogniti, nisi solo Deo omnipotenti, ibi jacent !" The family ot Gore purchased these islands from Erasmus Smyth, and derive their earldom from this island, which was formerly in that of Butler ; they are called South Isles, to distinguish them from one on the coast of Donegal, called the North Isle of Arran. A lighthouse has lately been erected on the large island. These islands are called by Ptolemy Ganganii, — a corruption of the Irish words Cean-gan : Cean signifies a head or promontory, and gan, external, — the people of the external promontory. Burrin, in the county of Clare, opposite to these islands, had the same appellation from JPtolemy. The cattle on these islands are sometimes greatly distressed for fresh water, in so much that, in IS 10 and 1821 every beast was brought to Cunnemara until the rains had supplied the wells. There are vast numbers of blackbirds and thrushes, but no frogs (as I am informed) in any of the islands. At a very remote period these islands were inhabited by the Druids ; many of their altars and other remains are visible, and there are strong proofs that they were at this period covered with woods.

The late Mr. Richard Kirwan seemed to think that the bay of Gal way was originally a granite mountain, shattered and swallowed up by some dreadful convulsion that left a vast mass of granite, called the Gregory, standing on limestone rocks, one hundred feet at least above the level of the sea. This curious circumstance occurs very frequently in the calcareous region in the neighbourhood of Galway, probably occasioned by the same convulsion that also gave entrance to the sea between the islands of Arran, according to O'Flaherty.

In the great island of Arran may be seen the remains of a fort, called Dun JEngus, so called from JEngus of the Huomarian family, who flourished a little before the birth of Christ under Mauda, queen of Connaught. This island was formerly the residence of St. Ende, and afterwards of a multitude of Anchorites and holy men ; ever since it has been called, by tradition of the inhabitants, the Down of Conquovar, the son of Huomar who flourished at the same period with iEugus. It is mentioned in the Ogygia.that the bay of Galway was anciently called Lough Lurgan : the sea broke through between the islands of Arran, and formed it into the

b2 present bay of Galway : this rests on the testimony of Mr. O'Flaherty. He says also, that the Belgians gave names to the following places : Lough Kime^ at present Lough Hacket, above the Moy-sneang, in the rectory of Muntir-Morogkow, in the barony of Clare Galway; Rhintumuin, in Madrigia, a peninsula on the south of Galway; also Loughcoutra, near Gort; Lough Buadha, Lough Baa, Loughrein, Loughfinney, Loughgrene, Lough riach, in the barony of Moenmoy, now Clanrickard.

A very curious natural production occurs at Barna, that would seem to countenance this assertion of the Ogygia; many feet, probably ten, below, high water •mark, may be seen on the strand a turf bog of several feet in depth, in which are the stumps and roots of large trees, and many branches of oak and birch intermixed. On this bog there are rocks of many tons weight. The same phenomenon occurs at the west side of the island of Omey, which is very far advanced into the boisterous Atlantic ocean. Probably few things in natural history are more worthy of scientific investigation, whichever of the following cases may be considered : — 1st, The tides cannot formerly have risen so high on this coast as at present; 2d, The land must have extended an immense distance into the Atlantic ocean farther than at present, to enable trees of such magnitude as those at the island of Omey and at Barna even to exist, or the winds from the west must have been of a very different nature from those that prevail at present. It must also be recollected that woods must have existed to produce the bog. At a still earlier period we mio-ht cut the Gordian knot, by saying these bogs were formed before the deluge ; but I wish some of my scientific friends to help me to untie it.

OF THE COUNTY OF GALWAY.

Section II. Divisions

The County is comprised in the following sixteen baronies :

Athenry, Bally nah inch, Half Ballimoe, Clare,

Clonmacow, Downamore,

Leitrim,

Longford,

Moycullen,

Ross,

Tiaquin.

At a remote period this county was thus divided amongst tribes of families :

Clankonow

Clan Fargail

Hy-maine

Maghullen (Moycullen )

Lilanchia (now the barony of Longford)

Hy-Fiacria Aidne amongst the Burkes.

O'Hallorans.

O'Dalys & O'Kellys.* O'Flahertys.f

O'Maddens.

Clanrickard.

• At a still more remote period, the O'Layns were lords of this territory, which was then called Moy-Sachnoly.

f Moycullen is the birth place of Roderick O' Flaherty who wrote the Ogygia. where he says, — " This is my native roil and patrimony, enjoyed " by my ancestors time immemorial. There was a manor exempted by " a patent from all taxes ; it likewise enjoyed the privilege of holding a " a market and fairs, and was honored with a Seneschal's court to deter- " mine litigations ; bnt having lost my father at the age of two years, I " sheltered myself under the wings of royalty, and paid the usual sum for " my wardship. But before I attained the proper age of possessing my " fortune, I was deprived of the patronage of my guardian, by the detestable

Conmacnemara, or the chief tribe on the great sea, comprehending the western parts of the county of Galway on the sea coast ; it was also called Conmacne-Ira, or the chief tribe in the west; and Iar-Connaught, or West Connaught; likewise Hy-Tartagh, or the western country, the chiefs of which were denominated Hy- Flaherty, or O'Flaherty, that is, the chief of the nobles of the western country. It contained the baronies of Morogh,* Moycullen, and Ballynahinch.

The meaning of the word Galway has been differently s construed. Some say it is derived from Gal, a stranger, and Ibv, a territory ; the country of strangers. It is also called Galliv, rocky or stony ; also, Galmhaith, (Galway,) pronounced Galiv, a rocky barren country. In Syriac, Galmitha ; in Chaldean, Galmodh — durus silex, figurate, pro sterilitate solitudinis. At some former period, in one of the Pope's bulls, it is called " the village of Galway." Many think it took its name from Gaillimh, or Galiv, the daughter of Breasaily who was drowned here ; and in the old map of Galway, published in 1651, (of which a copy is given in Mr. Hardiman's admirable history of Galway,) the rock near which she was drowned is delineated : the map, how-

•• execution of my king. Having completed ray nineteenth year, and the " prince half a year younger, then I was compelled to take refuge in a *• foreign clime. The Lord wonderfully restored the prince to his crown, " with the approbation of all good men, without having recourse to hostile " measures ; but he has found me unworthy to be reinstated in the pos- " session of my own estate. — Against thee only, O Lord, have I trans- " gressed; blessed be the name of the Lord for ever !" The estate mentioned here, I am informed, is now possessed by Mr. Lynch of the Casde in Galway. Note, Mr. Hardiman says he was born at Park, near Galway, and died in 1718, aged eighty-nine.