An Bhráid

View Edit

An Bhráid or Brade is a townland of 243 hectares or 600 acres and in the early part of the 20th century, 155 individual fields were mapped in this townland.

It is located in the Civil parish of Myross and in the Roman Catholic parish of Castlehaven and Myross but in the electoral district of Castlehaven North .

An Bhráid is bordered by the following townlands: An Achaill (Aghills) to the west, Ardach (Ardagh) to the east, Bán Chlocháin (Bawnlahan) and Fornocht (Fornaght) to the south, North of the Coach Road /N71, it is bordered by An Chéim Mhór (Keamore) and Cill Pháidín (Kilfadeen) , both of theses are in Cill Macaibí / Kilmacabea parish. At its western border, it touches the upper reaches of Glandore Harbour along the deciduous woodland known by the poetic name of Bláth na Gréine.

OpenStreetmap contributors, with input from the Castlehaven & Myross History Society, have created a detailed townland map including all its minor placenames. Zoom in for further detail.

Etymology

An Bhráid can be interpreted as a sheltered neck of land. It can also be interpreted as throat as applied to a gorge or pass. In other places the word Bráid is used in connection with hills. Bruno O'Donoghue gave the spelling as Braighaid.

Many attempts were made by English settlers to anglicise An Bhráid including Bra in 1615, Brae in 1659, Bras in 1690 and Bryod in 1841 . The Ordinance Survey standardised these attempts c. 1841 with Brade. Today, the Placenames Database of Ireland lists the original An Bhráid and the anglicised Brade as the statutory spellings. Either version can be used as a postal address or for legal and other documents.

There were two sub-townlands in Brade. One is Bláth na Gréine and another is Cúil Ruadh

History

Myross Wood House: Click here to watch a video onMyross Wood House. Rev. Aurther Herbert of Cahernane House, Killarney, who was married to Helena Townsend, daughter of Richard Townsend of Castletownsend, became rector of Myross in the middle of the 18^th century. He purchased part of the Jervois estate where he built an elegant commodious residence of five bays which now forms the centre of Myross Wood House. He was responsible for bringing a rare species of fern called the “Killarney Fern". (Trichomanes Speciosum Willd) to Myross Wood.

Around the beginning of the 19^th century, the house was purchased by the Earl of Kingston and used as his home during the building of Mitchelstown Castle. He extensively enlarged the house around a courtyard and built 22 slated farmhouses and labourers’ cottages. He was also responsible for the upgrading of the Brade Road from the Pike Cross through the townlands of Brade and Bawnlahan to the top of Ardagh Hill in 1822. Upgrading the access to Glandore Harbour was another project he was associated with, as there were many hidden underwater rocks at that time. The Coppinger family resided there at some time and various Church of England rectors, including Rev Edward Thompson. The first Townsend owner of Myross Wood was John Sealy Townsend (1764-1853) who bought it from the Earl of Kingston in 1826. As it was an entailed estate, it had to be sold when William Tower Townsend died in February 1943 as he had no male heirs. The estate was bought by the Cleary family who, in 1946, sold off the house and some to the land to the Sacred Heart Missionaries who occupied it in 1947. It was initially a seminary, then a retreat house and evolved to become a warm, welcoming house dedicated to serving the local people. The altar in Castlehaven Church came from Myross Wood in 1976 after Fr Coombes re-modelled the church. Daily masses, novenas, garden fetes, courses etc. at Myross Wood were well attended by locals who cherished the venue until its closure in August 2020. It now operates as a Centre of Excellence for Climate Action and Sustainability (see below).

The Brade Ambush: According to Liam Deasy in his book "Towards Ireland Free" , Neilus Connolly the hero of Strangeways Jail, observed that five or six constables came to Skibbereen from Leap station on the first day of each month to collect their pay. He suggested to the Brigade Commander, Tom Hales, that if the Skibbereen men were supplied with five or six rifles and some cartridges they could ambush the party of constables with a view to capturing their rifles. The Brigade Commander approved the suggestion and arrangements were made to carry it out at the first opportunity that presented itself.

The first of July was the date chosen for the attack and the position selected was a good one on the main Leap-Skibbereen road at Brade. Sam Kingston, the Battalion Commander, sent out dispatches to all nine Companies of the Battalion requesting them to send the best shots among the Company officers, the object being to enable all Company staffs in the Battalion to have some experience of being under fire. Twenty-seven men mustered for the ambush, together with Sam Kingston and Pat Harte, the Brigade Quartermaster. Writing of the engagement many years later Neilus Connolly describes it thus:

"We had slugged cartridges made from home made blackpowder for conscription (resistance) in 1918. They had been stored in Madranna slate quarry for more than two years, with the result that powder was damp and useless, and worse still, we could not extract the cartridges because they were swollen by the damp air underground. a few of the cartridges made some kind of a splutter which was sufficient to give our position away to the R.I.C. and they had the time of their lives, the five of them, giving rapid fire until we got away in disorder through the wood, so that our first clash with the enemy was a hopeless failure"

In the Karen Minihan book "More Extraordinary, Ordinary Women", she mentions that Cumann na mBan member, Tess Buckley of Gortbreac, prepared supplies for the “party of men” who took part in the Brade ambush outside Leap village on the Skibbereen / Clonakilty road. Patrick O’Sullivan was Q/M of the Skibbereen battalion of the Volunteers. He was the brother of the well-known Adjutant General Gearóid O’Sullivan, close contact of Michael Collins and he was the man who raised the flag over the GPO during the Easter Rising in 1916. Patrick was one of the party involved in the ambush at Brade in early July 1920 and he outlines this event in his Witness Statement dated 23rd August, 1956*. He states that twenty men were involved, armed with shotguns. Hidden inside the ditch, they opened fire on a group of nine RIC men on bicycles on patrol. Although shots were fired, a failure of their ammunition led to the Volunteers’ withdrawal. Two men were arrested immediately and others went “on the run”. Tess wrote that she looked after men on the run that were involved in the Brade ambush and “ran dispatches” for them

Famine: The book, "The Famine Story" lists the men from this townland that were working on the Myross Relief Scheme on 28th August 1846 during the Great Famine. These were public works that involved hard labour for a low wage for a workspace that were already weak and starving. The names were as follows: Tim Collins, Denis Crimeen, Michael Donovan, Jeremiah Hegarty, Richard Burchill, Thomas Harrington, J. Casey (not employed), Paddy Donovan, Phil Donovan, Jerry Donovan, Richard Casey, Jer Sullivan, John Mahony, Jer Crowley, John Harrington

A notice which was once attached to a wall underneath Poll Gorm BridgeMyross Wood House

Grotto and waterfall

Brade House: Brade House was associated with the Jervois family, who had a holiday house on Rabbit Island and later by a Swanton family. The house is now occupied by an O’Neill family. See below for more detail

An Teampall Bán: On a lofty eminence above the wood of Myross are the remains of the Church of the Union (Church of Ireland), which was left to fall into decay in 1827 on the building of the new Protestant church in the townland of Listarkin. It is said to occupy the site of the Abbey De Fonte Vivo or "the clear spring,” founded by the Cistercian monks, but this is disputed by many historians who claim that Abbeymahon Abbey in Timoleague is the actual site. Better known as the White Church or Teampall Bán, it was built on the orders of Bishop Downes, circa 1700, to allow the Protestant community to abandon the pre–Reformation Church at Myross Island Graveyard which had fallen into disrepair. In 1878, it cost £1 to dig and close a grave at the Teampall Bán --- 1/3 the price of a coffin. Even though the common belief is that it is a Protestant graveyard, there are in fact many Catholics interred there as well. Members of a Casey family in Drimoleague, formerly of Brade, were being interred there up to the late 1930’s. There have also been occasional burials in recent years.

Needlework School: The 1826 education report, an inquiry into Irish primary education before the establishment of the national school system, lists a needlework school in Brade. 3 Protestant and 22 Catholic girls attended the school. No books were used.

The Old Road: This was the original road that ran from Skibbereen to Cork. It went through Forenaght, down by Staley's Crossroad and on past the Teampall Bán. You had to pay a toll at the Pike Cross to get onto the Coach Road.

Housing

As part of Griffiths Valuation in 1852, a survey of house quality was carried out to calculate what rates were due by each household. These were issued in the form of house books (Pg 1, Pg 2, Pg 3, Pg 4) and a guide on how to interpret these can be seen here. These show that 25 of the 38 occupied houses in the townland at this time were Class 1. This means that they were slated dwelling house built with stone or brick and lime mortar. Of these, fourteen were described as medium (not new) with seven of these being in sound order and good repair, three being slightly decayed, but in good repair while the other four were deteriorated by age and not in perfect repair. The other eleven class 1 houses were old (more than 25 years) with eight described as being in sound order and good repair, while the other three were slightly decayed, but in good repair. The other thirteen houses in the townland were class 3 which meant that they were thatched houses with stone walls with mud or puddle mortar. Four of these were described as old (more than 25 years) but in repair while eight were old and out of repair and the remaining one was old and dilapidated, scarcely habitable. In addition to all of these houses there were two basements listed in Brade at ths time and both were described as medium, slightly decayed, but in good repair. All of the class 3 houses in the townland are between 5 foot (!) and 6 foot 9 inches tall which indicates that they were single storey at this time. The class 1 houses varied between 6 feet and 25 feet 6 inches tall.

By the 1901 census (Pg 1, Pg 2) there are now just 22 occupied houses and all have walls of stone, brick or concrete. Sixteen houses have a roof of slate, iron or tiles while the other six are still thatched. One house has just one room and one window in front. Eighteen houses have two, three or four rooms with twelve having just two windows in front (which indicate that they are probably still single storey at this time) with four having three windows in front, one with four and another with five windows. Another house has five or six rooms with six windows in front while a further house has seven, eight or nine rooms and fourteen windows in front. The remaining house in the townland has ten, eleven or twelve rooms with seventeen windows in front.

When we advance to the 1911 census (Pg 1, Pg 2) there is a further drop to 21 occupied houses and, not surprisingly, all still have walls of stone, brick or concrete. Seventeen houses now have a roof of slate, iron or tiles while the other four are still thatched. One house still has just one room and one window in front. Sixteen houses now have two, three or four rooms with ten having just two windows in front (which indicate that they are probably still single storey at this time) with four having three windows in front, one with four and another with five windows. The other four houses have five or six rooms with two, four five and six windows in front respectively.

Places of Interest

Bláth na Gréine (Blossom Of The Sun) is the name given to the woods in the north-east corner of the townland. They are compiled of Myross Wood and Brade Wood.. Sean Ó Coileáin wrote a poem with this name so this might the reason that the wood got its name. As mentioned above, Bláth na Gréine is also a sub-townland.

Loch Staley is the name of the lake in this townland it is also partially in Forenaght and Aghills. There is also a crossroads in Forenaght (very close to the Brade boundary) that is called Staley's Crossroads

Myross Wood House: This was formerly leased by Rev. Edward Thompson. It was also said that it once had a landlord that would imprison people in the cellar for stealing sticks from the wood unless they paid one penny per inch. The MSC (Sacred Heart Missionaries) were keen that Myross Wood House would continue to serve the community and to this end it is currently being leased by CECAS. This is a Centre of Excellence for Climate Action and Sustainability whose vision is to have a positive influence on addressing climate change. It aims to do so by attracting and showcasing academic and commercial organisations to present cutting-edge solutions to the complex problems presented in implementing actions on climate and biodiversity and an enhanced circular economy.

Brade House: In the 17th century Captain Samuel, Barnstaple, Devon took possession of the lands of Brade. Circa 1680 he built Brade House for his son Joseph following his marriage to Elizabeth Freke of Bandon. It was probably Joseph who was responsible for the building of the first bolting mills (machine for sifting flour) in County Cork which was built in Leap some time after 1688. It had only a short life due to a lack of capital and a shortage of water in summer. Joseph died in 1737 and some time afterwards part of the estate was sold to the Rev. Arthur Herbert, Rector of Myross, on which he built Myross Wood House as his residence. Brade House was still occupied by the Jervois family in 1814 but in 1837 it was the home of Rev. Edward Thompson who was leasing it from either the Jervois family or John Townshend who bought it from Samuel Jervois. In 1850 it was being leased by John Swanton whose son disposed of the place in 1901. Kathleen Townsend then leased the house to Andrew Collins of Skibbereen for a number of years and it was eventually bought by the O' Mahonys of Kilkileen, Aughadown. The son Jeremiah married Angel Hurley of Dunmanway. Although he tried to sell the property in the 1920s the family stayed there until the 1960s

Church: There is a ruined Church of Ireland (Anglican) church with adjoining graveyard in this townland. It was known as An Teampallín Bán (Little White Church). It is believed to have been built in the 18^th century and closed around 1830 (when new churches in Myross and Kilmacabea were opened)

School: There was a needlework school in this townland in the 1820s. This was built by the Earl of Kingston and the teachers were Jane Hore (Protestant) and Mary Shea (Catholic).

Lios: There were four small ringforts (lios) in this townland according to Denis O' Mahony in his book "From West Cork to Anjou". A ringfort is a circular fortified settlement that were mainly built during the Bronze age up to about the year 1000. There is another field in the townland called The Lios Field so it is likely that there was another ringfort there at some point.

Fulacht Fiadh: There were two fulacht fiadhs in this townland. They were cooking pits and were typically constructed during the late Bronze Age (c. 1500 – c 500 BC). There was also a circular enclosure and a hut site nearby.

Interesting Placenames

There is a field in this townland documented by Lankford as Liverpool. The source of this is not known - perhaps a supporter of English soccer teams!

Other old field names in this townland have been captured as follows: The Church Field, The Lawn, The Flat Field, The Orchard Field, The Quarry Field, Bog Field, Wood Field, Cottage Field, Páirc na Locha (can be interpreted as the Lake Field - got its name as there is a lake next to it), Lynch Field, Sandy Field, Well Field, The Yellow Field, The Pitch, The Meadow, The Acre, Bridge Field, Gravel Pit Field, The Lios Field (lios is a ringfort/fairy fort), Cross Field, Jane's Field, Páircínalán (possibly the lawn field), Róstaigh (probably Roches), Cualabaraigh (unknown - maybe the heifer's corner which would be Cúl a' Bhearaigh), Hanlaí (Hanleys maybe), Sceallán Upper (meaning unknown), Sceallán Lower, Seangraph Upper (upper old grubbed field,) Móinteán (rough area, moor), The Upper Field, Páirc na Baelige (unknown), Cúradín (cuirdín can be interpreted as a wild carrot or parsnip), The Flat Field, Cúisteel (unknown), Dick's Wood, Mullach (Mullach usually means a field with a hill or a peak), The Haggard, Clós (Can be interpreted as a yard)

If you want to see the actual locations of any of these, go to detailed townland map on Open Street Maps. If you know any other field names or place names in this townland (or if you need to correct any or give further background information), please contact us at [email protected]

Folklore

Poll Mo Lady: There is a sad story in the schools collection which discusses how Poll Mo Lady got its name in penal times after the owner of Myross Wood House coerced a young girl into spending the night with him in order to spare her brothers life.

An Teampall Bán: There is another unlikely story which relates to how the harbour in Leap came to be silted up after the nuns who lived in An Teampall Bán were defiled by sea raiders. According to the story part of God's revenge for the wicked deed committed was "That Leap would no longer be a navigable harbour."

An Teampall Bán church ruin

Bláth na Gréine: The following poem is found in the School's Collection

(I)

Sé bláth na gréine is breaghtha in Éirinn,

A's ná tráchtfadh aon thar Loc Léín 'na dháíl,

Mar a tigeann sluaighte caol-mharc chun chuain ó'n gaoth ann,

A's gur luascadh ar ghéagaibh dá aoirde a mbárr,

Bíonn an eala ag pléidhreacht a's an breac ag léímrig,

'S ar aoibhinn aerach guth gadhar cois trágha,

A's gabhann an Mhéíl ann agus cóistí ag tréán-rith,

'S ar óg fhear céad ann tá an ball chomh breágh.

(II)

Tá mná ceóíl na ndéith ann Apollo ar aon ghuith,

'S an t-ubhall fuair Bhénus ar ghéíg ann d'fás,

Fé ndear an léir-venios (?) úd cath na Traé theacht,

De dhéascaibh Hélen d'fhuaig Minealás.

Is ann do thraochadh Néro aerach,

An Rí actéan de thruim daonacht mná,

An geilt sa téígehann ar díth nuair théíd siad,

Go dtighid chun chéíl ann gan moill sa bpáírt

(III)

Tá cúirt breágh aolmar ann gan éisling.

gurbh aoibhinn péarlaí trí gréin na scáil,

Mar a mbíonn tighearnaí réímeach agus Iarlaí i gcéinte

Ag tigheacht in agaidh a' lae ann i gcóir é planndáíl.

Tá mná ceóíl na ndeith ann an Pollo ar aon ghuith

Is Cúpid (?) claon ann le searc don áit

Gach tor in aoinneacht ag lúb' ar ghéagaibh

'S as ann a bhí an Pheoneix a's é ins gach áít.

(IV)

Thall cois trágha ann ta Lady Herbert,

Ag liagh na dtáínte bíonn tnáite tinn,

Clann gan máthair mná na ngarlach

In am an ghádhtair beir biadh gus leigheas.

De préachaibh ád fhuil na bprionnsaí tháinig,

De ionnsuí Clár Luirc d'fúigh cách faoí mheidhir

De na tighernaí stairúil ó Cill Áirne,

Do thoigh an áit seo le breághthacht an bhaill.

Fairies: There is also a story in the Leap Schools collection about the existence of fairies in Brade

Na Sióga ar an Droichidín

Bhí fear na chomhnuí sa léim, thíos ag an gcé, thíos in aice muileann na léime, agus bhí sé ag obair taoibh a phágh do ceann éigin de na Swantonaig bhí sa bhrághaid ach pé obair bhí ar siubhal d'fhan sé ann ana dhéanach an on oidche seo; is dóigh liom gurbh amhlaidh bhí an oidche ró-fhliuch agus d'fhan sé déanach thall féachaint a' dtiormóchadh sé; agus é ag teacht abhaile, nuair a tháinig sé chun a' ball go nglaodhann siad an droicidín air, bhí an bóthar lán de daoine roimis, agus píobaire ag seinnt dóibh. Dubhart ceann acu leis go gcaitheadh sé rinnce agus do sheasamh sé amach agus do rinnc sé an Ceannuí Súgach dóibh. Nuair a bhí an rinnce críochnuithe aige do chuir sé a lámh na phóca agus do thug sé dá phinginn do'n phíobaire, agus bhí sé ag imteacht abhaile, agus dubhairt ceann acu leis "siad" adhubairt sé sé "bí san am ceadhna imbáireach ag droicead maol na léime". Níl fhios agam-sa ná ag aoinne eile anois cá bhfuil droichead maol na léime, murar bé an droichead sin lastuaidh de'n pholl mhór. Níor chuala a thuille mar gheall ar an bhfear so, ach is dócha gur tháinig sé airís imbáireach. Sé sin an bóthar is uaignighe ar domhan .i. ó'n mBrághaid soir go cros-bhóthar a' Cé, nach bfuil scéalta mar gheall ar socraidí ar an mbóthar san gach aon oidhche fós.

The Fairies on the Little Bridge

There was a man living in Leap, down beside the quay, and he was working for one of the Swantons of Brade and whatever work he was at, he stayed on very late this particular night; I think it's the way the night was very wet and he stayed on late to see would it dry up; and as he came away home, when he came to the place they call the little bridge, the whole place ahead of him was full of people and a piper playing for them. One of them said to him that he would have to dance so he stood out for them and danced the 'Ceannaí Súgach' (the Merry Merchant) for them. When the dance was finished, he put his hand in his pocket and he gave two pennies to the piper as he was coming away home, and one of them said to him, 'Stop' [he said], 'be here again tomorrow at the bald [unprotected?] bridge of Leap'. Now I don't know nor does anyone else know where the bridge of Leap is unless that it's the bridge over the large hole [gorge]. I heard no more about this man but I suppose he came again the following day. That's the loneliest road in the world - from Brade east to the crossroad at the quay, and aren't there stories about funerals on that road every night still.

Families and Notable Residents

The Tithe Applotment books of 1829 list the following family names: Jervan (Jervois), Burke, Donovan, Canty, Cremeen (a McCarthy sept), Reely, Sullivan, Burchill, Canty, Bohane, Donohue, Dineen, Cassey (Casey), Coppinger.

Griffiths Valuation of 1853 lists the following family names: Burk/Burke, Dineen, Mahony, Dineen (land only), Swanton, Donovan, Sullivan, Townsend, Sullivan, Launtry, Sullivan, Sullivan, Browne (land only), Coghlan, Collins, Cremmins (a McCarthy sept), McCarthy, Cremmins (a McCarthy sept), Hegarty, Burchill, Burchill, Hegarty, Burchilll. There was also a burial ground here (Rev M.F.S. Townsend)

The Census of Ireland of 1901 lists the following family names: Herlihy (with McCarthy (wife)), Donovan (with Woods (grandson)), Daly (with Jeremy (boarder)), Townshend (with Sullivan (visitor), Cullinane (cook), Daly, McCarthy and Copithorne (all servants)), Cullinane (with Collins (servant)), White (with O'Driscoll (grand-daughter)), McCarthy, Driscoll, Herlihy, Collins, Regan, Swanton (with Collins (servant)), Dineen (with Hayes (nephew)), Burke (with Collins (niece)), De Burgh, McCarthy, Burchill, Burchall, Hegarty, Hegarty, Hegarthy, Brien (with Burchill (mother-in-law)) (22 households in 24 houses)

The Census of Ireland of 1911 lists the following family names: Beamish (with Connell and McCarthy (both servants)), Collins (with Brien (servant)), Dineen, Hegarty, Lordan, Brien, Hegarty, McCarthy (with Connor (brother-in-law)), O'Herlihy, McCarthy (with Mahony (boarder)), Driscoll, Regan (with Walsh (niece)), Collins, Jermy, Bromley, Sullivan, Cullinane (with Collins (cousin)), Donovan, Herlihy, Donovan, Hegarty (21 households in 24 houses)

Towards the end of 1930 the combined population of Brade and Bawnlahan was 76 , living in 21 households and all of the same religious persuasion.

Mick Herlihy who fought in the Kilmichael ambush with Tom Barry was born in Brade on the 6th September 1897.

Diarmaid Mathúna was a local Brade poet one of whose poems "Aisling chaoin do theangmhaigh linn" can be found along with two by Séan Ó Coileáin - "An Bhráid" and "Myross Wood" -in Éigse Chairbre by Bláthnaid Ní Chatháin

Note: the term 'with' refers to a person or persons of a different family name staying in the house. This may have been an in-law or other relative, a guest, or a farm labourer/housekeeper or domestic servant.

Demographics and Landholding

		Occupiers*	Population	Change	Link to record
1829	Tithe Applotment	14	240 est.		1829
1841	Census of Ireland	52 (Incl. 6 unoccupied)	266
1851	Census of Ireland	35 (Incl. 8 unoccupied)	149
1853	Griffith's Valuation	28 (Incl. 9 unoccupied)	130 est.		1853
1861	Census of Ireland	27 (Incl. 1 unoccupied)	156
1871	Census of Ireland	26 (Incl. 2 unoccupied)	155
1881	Census of Ireland	26	141
1891	Census of Ireland	28 (Incl. 2 unoccupied)	114
1901	Census of Ireland	24	87		1901
1911	Census of Ireland	24	74		1911

*Occupiers generally equate to households having a house and land but may also include households having houses but no land and unoccupied houses.

Between 1656 and 1658 the Down Survey mapped all areas of the country to track ownership of land after much had been granted to followers of Cromwell after the war of the 1650's. The most prominent proprietors (titulados) of this townland at that time were Murtagh McDaniell and also Donovane who was described as an Irish papist. This townland was called Braide at that time.

According to Lankford the proprietors in 1841 were Samuel Jervis of Castletownshend (who let to tenants - one with a lease and the rest at will) and John SaleyTownsend of Dublin whose agent was Thomas Brien of Dunmanway who let to one tenant at will with the rest let at lump rents

In 1841 the soil was described as argillaceous (substantial amounts of clay) producing oats and potatoes. Fuel was described as scarce and the prevailing names were Bourke and Dineen.