Baile na Tóna

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Baile na Tóna or Ballinatona is a townland of 54 hectares or 133 acres and in the early part of the 20th century, 90 individual fields were mapped in this townland.

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

Baile na Tóna is bordered by An Chathair Gheal (Cahergal) to the north, An Chúil Dorcha (Cooldurragha), Meall Uí Chorráin (Maulicarrane) and An Ráithín (Raheen) to the west and Cuas Chróinín (Cooscroneen) to the east and Míros (Myross) to the south

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

Baile na Tóna was interpreted by Bruno O'Donoghue as the place of the low-lying ground. Another interpretation is the place of the bottom which is probably similar. O' Donoghue also mentions a sub-townland called Méadal, which means a paunch or stomach. The name is based on the topography of the area - hilly and rocky and protruding like a belly - overlooking the bog and the road to Squince. The Méadal encompasses parts of Ballinatona and Cooscroneen. In previous times the townland was callled Baile na Thamhna by the people as there was no better place in the parish to grow grass for hay. According to Ó Dónaill and Dinneen , tamhnach means a green field.

History

Monastery: A Cistercian monastery was proposed but was never built in this townland.

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 workforce that were already weak and starving. The names were as follows: Denis Donovan, Patrick Fitzgerald, John Burke, Michael Driscoll, Joseph Donovan, Michael Savage

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 and a guide on how to interpret these can be seen here. These show that 7 of the 14 occupied houses in the townland at this time were Class 1. This means that they were slated dwelling houses built with stone or brick and lime mortar. Of these, four were described as medium (not new), but in sound order and good repair while the other three were medium, slightly decayed, but in good repair. The other seven houses were class 3 which meant that they were thatched houses with stone walls with mud or puddle mortar. Two of these were described as old (more than 25 years) but in repair while the remaining five were old and out of repair. All of the class 3 houses in the townland are between 5 foot 6 inches (!) and 6 foot tall which indicates that they were single storey at this time. The class 1 houses varied between 8 feet and 15 feet tall.

By the 1901 census, there are now just 9 occupied houses and all have walls of stone, brick or concrete. Five houses have a roof of slate, iron or tiles while the other four are still thatched. Eight of the houses have two, three or four rooms with one having just one window in front and another five having two windows in front which indicate that they are probably still single storey at this time. One has three windows in front and the other has five. The remaining house in the townland has ten, eleven or twelve rooms with ten windows in front.

When we advance to the 1911 census there is a further drop to 8 occupied houses and, not surprisingly, all have walls of stone, brick or concrete. Four houses have a roof of slate, iron or tiles while the other four are still thatched. Seven of the houses have two, three or four rooms with six of these having two windows in front which indicate that they are probably still single storey at this time. One has two, three or four rooms with three windows in front while the remaining house in the townland has seven, eight or nine rooms with eight windows in front.

Places of Interest

Lake: There is a lake called Lough Cluchir in the northwest corner of this townland.

Lios: There is a ringfort (lios) in this townland. A ringfort is a circular fortified settlement that were mainly built during the Bronze age up to about the year 1000.

Ballinatona Cottage: This was a cottage that was once occupied by Richard Townsend and later by the Welply family. It is now inhabited by a local family for many generations.

Willie the Wood's Hole: It can be seen along the roadside in Ballinatona.

Bóthar Chúisín: There was a shortcut called the Bóthar Chúisín (road of the small cove) between Ballinatona and Reen. It was very useful during bad weatherfor fishermen to access and move fishing boats to shelter. It was also used when Myross people needed to go to a funeral in Castlehaven or vice-versa. It is not currently accessible.

Interesting Placenames

There is a wood in this townland known as An Choill Mhór (the big wood)

Other old field names in this townland have been captured as follows: Páirc an Phóna (pound field - pounds were used to hold confiscated cattle), An Leac (sloping or stony field), An Lan, Talamh an Aitinn (aiteann gallda - furze ground - these were actually set in this field to feed horses), An t-Úbhallórd (the orchard), Páirc na h-Iothlan (haggard), Gróibhín Pháirc na h-Iothlan (grove of the haggard), Talamh na gCaorach (sheep's ground), Claisín na nGiorriacha (small field of hares), Páirc na gCaorach (sheep field), An Gróibin Thuaidh (north grove), An Urrainn (possibly can be interpreted as a shared field - another possibility is An Fheorainn which would be a grassy place) , Páirc na mBó (cattle field), Cnoc Páirc na mBó (hill of the cow field), Páircín Chéití (Katie's field), Tuar Nóra Ní Choilleain (Nora Collin's pasture), Gort na Cathrach (field of the stone fort maybe), Páirc an Tí (house field), An Pháirc Thoir (eastern field), Páirc na Teórann (the field at the border -it is on the Cuascroneen border), Gairdini Mhicíl Bhuidhe (fair Michael's gardens), Mic Páirc na Scoile (school field), Gairdín na Scoile (school garden), Cnoc na Gréine (the sunny hill), Páirc an Chnoic (hill field), Gairdin Máire Bheag (garden of small Mary), Pairc Mhurray (Murray's field), An Gairdín Grod (? garden), An Páircín Caol (small narrow field), Cnoc Sheáinn Bhig (small John's hill), An Gairdín Cluthar (sheltered garden), Garraí Ghearóid (Gerard's garden), Gleann an Linn (glen of the pool/well), Gort an Locha (field of the lake), Gairdín an Chéitínigh (Keating's garden), Páirc an Choilléir (quarry field), Garraí na nGabhar (goat 's garden), An Garraidhe Nua (new garden / potato field), An Pháirc Mhóir (big field), Gairdin an Tí (house garden), An Aillí Uachtarach (upper cliffs), An Aillí Íochtarach (lower cliffs), Gort an Phuirt (boggy field), Gairdín Jackie Mhóir (big Jackie's garden), An Charraig Dóighte (burnt rock), An Ródáil (meaning unknown), Páirc Nóra (Nora's field), Cúl Nóra (Nora's yard), Na Gairdíní (the gardens), Páircín an Bhóthair (the little field by the road),

Also there is a rock called Carraig na hUrrainne (carraig is a rock and, as above urainne could possibly be a shared field or a grassy place). There is also a rough area at the south of the townland known as Leaca na Stríneach which possibly means the slope of the waste-land. Also the wetland between Ballinatona and Myross is known as Currach na Meaise (marsh of ?). There is a hill known as Cnoc Pheaidi Bhui which can be interpreted as fair (blond?) Paddy's hill

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

Willie the Woods: Willie the Woods was an illegitimate son of a member of the Townsend family from Ballinatona whose life (hidden away from society) and botched burial meant that his ghost had to be reckoned with for generations to come. The full story is available in The Manuscript Collection on duchas.ie.

Old Saying: "Baile na Tamhna srónach a maruigheadh na muilt" so says an old saying about Ballinatona

School: In penal times there was a school here which has given its name to the the following - Páirc na Scoile (the school field) and Gairdín na Scoile (the school garden)

Wells:

There were a least six wells in this townland.

1. Tobar Gleann an Lin (well of the glen of the pool)

2. Tobar na h-Urraine (wll of the shared land/grassy place - also known as Maguires' Well as it was near their house)

3. Tobar Páircín an Tobair (well of the field of the well)

4 Tobar an tSrutháin (well of the stream)

5. Monks Well

6. Tobar Mháire Ni Chearbhaill (Máire Ní Chearbhaill was a bean feasa (wise woman or a faith healer) who dwelt in Ballineen but travelled around West Cork at night with na Daoine Maithe ( good people/fairies) performing cures. She was supposed to have used the water from this well when making her potions. Her arch enemy was the evil woman known as the "Foxy Woman". This lady was blamed for causing people to fall or for sicknesses that befell people. She also turned up when people were dying and the last report was sometime in the 1960s when a dying woman saw her appear outside her window. She was possibly associated with one family - the O'Donovan Rua

Lough Cluhir: There are a number of stories in relation to Lough Cluhir. It is said that it was created by St. Bridget after she was refused milk by a local chieftain. It was also said that there was an ollphéíst (monster) that lived in the lake. Click here for further information

Magical Ship: It is said that a magical ship is seen on Lough Cluichir every seven years. It was also said that Íomhar O'Donnabháin (from Castle Ivor) rode a white horse around the lake on every full moon.

Enchanted Palace It is said that Ivor O'Donovan still lives in Lough Cluhir in an enchanted palace deep beneath the lake

Myross Poem: According to Lankford an old poem about Myross refers to the following:

Baile na Tóna agus paróiste Mhiodhruis

Meall Uí Chorráin agus dá Rinn theas

An t-Oileán Árd agus an t-Oileán Íseal

Oileán Molua agus Oileán Brighde

(Ballinatona and the parish of Myross, Maulicarrane and the two South Reens, High Island and Low Island, Horse Island and Rabbit Island)

Families and Notable Residents

The Tithe Applotment books of 1829 list the following family names: Donegan, Donegan, Syms, Donegan, Townsend, Driscoll, Driscoll, Donovan

Griffiths Valuation of 1853 lists the following family names: Warren, Mahony, Mahony, Donovan, Donovan, Mahony, Regan, Connell, McGuire, Collins, Dunnigan, Dunnigan (Donegan?),

The Census of Ireland of 1901 lists the following family names: Donovan, Donovan, Donovan, Donegan, Donegan, McGuire, Sullivan, Cormac, Connell.

The Census of Ireland of 1911 lists the following family names: Cormac, Donovan, Donegan, Donovan (with Connell (grand-daughter)), Donovan, McGuire, Donegan,Hennessy

There was a well-known Irish teacher in the early 20th century called Pat O'Connell that was born in that townland. He taught in the school in the old hall in Castlehaven and also in Dooneen. He is said that he sometimes encountered fairies when passing Lough Cluchir

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	8	40 (est)		1829
1841	Census of Ireland	21 (Incl 2 unoccupied)	120
1851	Census of Ireland	11	68
1853	Griffith's Valuation	13 (Incl. one unoccupied)	65 (est)		1853
1861	Census of Ireland	14	65
1871	Census of Ireland	11	82
1881	Census of Ireland	10	85
1891	Census of Ireland	8	56
1901	Census of Ireland	9	48		1901
1911	Census of Ireland	8	39		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 Hugh McKnogher (possibly McConnor). This townland was known as Knocknahilly at that time. There was another sub-townland called Hannelohee and the main proprietor of this was Daniell O'Donovan. Part of this sub-townland is in Ballinatona today.

The proprietor of this townland in 1841 was Richard Townsend of Castletownshend who occupied a part and let the remainder to tenants at will at lump rents. It was later acquired by Daniel Welply in an encumbered estate sale. (The Encumbered Estates' Court was established to facilitate the sale of Irish estates whose owners were unable to meet their obligations because of the Great Famine, regardless of whether the land was entailed. (Entailment was the restriction of land by limiting inheritance to the owner's descendants or to a particular class)

In 1841, the soil was described as light, producing wheat, oats and potatoes. Fuel was described as scarce and the prevailing names were Donovan and Driscoll.