An Lisín Rua

This townland information is currently under construction and is unfinished. Any information that you have would be gratefully accepted at [email protected]

An Lisín Rua or Lisheenroe is a townland of 68 hectares or 167 acres and in the early part of the 20th century, 61 individual fields were mapped in this townland.

It is in the Electoral Division of Castlehaven North, in Civil Parish of Castlehaven and the Roman Catholic Parish of Castlehaven and Myross.

An Lisín Rua is bordered by Blúid Thiar (Bluid West), Fearann an Ghiolla (Farranagilla) and An Ré (Rea) to the east, Coill an Doire (Killaderry) to the south and An Rosach (Russagh) to the west.

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 Lisín Rua can be interpreted as the little red ring-fort. This is the interpretation given by Bruno O'Donoghue. The townland was sometimes called Lakemount which was also the name of a big house overlooking Lough Abisdealy

History

According to Ciarán White's article in Volume 1 of the Castlehaven & Myross History Journal, after the Battle of Tráigh Leacach in 1823, the inquest was started in Glasheenaulin and was then moved to Lakemount (which was a house in this townland) as it was a bigger venue. The inquest was held there between July 7th to 9th of that year.

In 1867 plans for a new road from the Lake Cross to the Tower Lodge were drawn up. O'Donovan of Liss Ard said that it would open up new industry in the area. However, once the road was completed, access through the Tower Lodge was permanently blocked off.

High boulders *************

Housing

As part of Griffiths Valuation in 1853, a survey of house quality was carried out to calculate what rates were due by each household. These were issued in 1850 in the form of house books and a guide on how to interpret these can be seen here. These show that 6 of the 10 houses in the townland at that time were class 3. This means that they were thatched with stone walls with mud or puddle mortar. Three of the six were described as medium (not new), deteriorated by age and not in perfect repair while the other three were old (more than 25 years) with one being in repair, one being out of repair and the other dilapidated and scarcely habitable. The other four houses in the townland were class 1. This means that they were slated and built with stone or brick and lime mortar. Three of the class 1 houses are described as old (more than 25 years) but in repair while the other was medium (not new), deteriorated by age and not in perfect repair. The class 3 houses are between 5 foot 6 inches and 6 foot 6 inches tall which indicates that they were single storey at this time while the class 1 houses are between 10 foot and 18 foot 6 inches tall.

By the 1901 census there were three occupied houses and all had walls of stone, brick or concrete with roofs of slate, iron or tiles. Two houses had two, three or four rooms with one having one window in front (which indicates that it was probably still single storey) and the other having five windows. The third house in the townland had five or six rooms with three windows in front.

When we advance to the 1911 census there are still three occupied houses in this townland and, not surprisingly, all three have walls of stone, brick or concrete with roofs of slate, iron or tiles. Two houses had two, three or four rooms with one having two windows in front (which indicates that it was probably still single storey) and the other having three windows. The third house in the townland had five or six rooms with five windows in front.

Places of Interest

Lough Abisdealy: This lake is in this townland. The origin of its name is not known. It is a source of water for a wide area of West Cork. According to Lankford, it was also known locally as Donovan's lake

There are no sites listed in this townland in the Historic Environment Viewer

Interesting Placenames

Besides the places mentioned above, we have also mapped the following field names in this townland: Deer Paddock (named because deer were kept there and it had high walls which are no longer there), Páirc na Páile (fieldof the pale?), An Pháirc Mhór (the big field), Páirc na Capaill (field of horses), Páirc na bPort (boggy field), An Branrack (meaning unknown) Check spellings on OSM *************

Lankford refers to a possible ringfort in the townland that was called the bán cam (meaning unknown). This is possibly the fort that the townland is named after.

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 placenames in this townland (or if you need to correct any or give further background information), please contact us at [email protected]

Folklore

According to Lankford, it was said that Lough Abisdealy was once known in Irish as Loch a'Bhúistéalaigh which can be interpreted as the lake of the butcher's yard. It was said that locals would kill sheep and dump the offal into the lake.

In Dick Raynor's website, he describes Lake Abisdealy as the "Lake of Monsters" as Edith Somerville wrote about a sheep-devouring monster that was once seen in the lake by locals on the way to mass (see linked article for further detail).

Families and Notable Residents

The Tithe Applotment books of 1825 list the following family names: Beamish, ? (perhaps Beamish labourers), Regan, Regan, Herran (?), Sweeny, Sullivan

Griffiths Valuation of 1853 lists the following family names: Callaghan, Collins, Sullivan. In addition, the following families were leasing land only: Fuller and The O'Donovan

The Census of Ireland of 1901 lists the following family names: Collins, Sullivan (with Donovan (sister)), Collins

The Census of Ireland of 1911 lists the following family names: Mahony (with Sullivan, Sheridan and Minihane (all servants)), Sullivan, Collins (with Casey (grand-daughter))

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
1825	Tithe Applotment	7	42 (est)		1825
1841	Census of Ireland	16	93
1851	Census of Ireland	3	26
1853	Griffith's Valuation	3	26 (est)		1853
1861	Census of Ireland	3	26
1871	Census of Ireland	4	23
1881	Census of Ireland	4	17
1891	Census of Ireland	3 (Incl. 1 unoccupied)	12
1901	Census of Ireland	3	15		1901
1911	Census of Ireland	3	15		1911

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

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 proprietor (titulado) of this townland at that time was Donogh McTeige. This townland was known as Lisinrow at that time and also contained part of Glanteige.

The proprietor of this townland in 1841 was Morgan O'Donovan of Douglas, Cork and his agent was Murtough Hanrahan of Cloughbane, Caheragh. It was all held under lease by George Beamish of Lisheenroe and mostly sublet to tenants without a lease.

In 1841 the soil was described as middling, producing middling crops of wheat, oats and potatoes with barley and flax.

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