Smúrán

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

Smúrán or Smorane is a townland of 176 hectares or 436 acres and in the early part of the 20th century, 174 individual fields were mapped in this townland.

It is in the Electoral Division of Skibbereen Rural, in Civil Parishes of Castlehaven and Creagh ?? and the Roman Catholic Parish of Skibbereen ?? (Conor for 1854 history)

Smúrán is bordered by Cuileannach (Cullenagh) and Doire Liath (Derryleigh) to the east, Tuairín na Saileán (Tooreennasillane) to the north, Gort na Cloiche (Gortnaclohy) and An Lorga (Lurriga) to the west and Leitir an tSinlis (Lettertinlish) 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

Smúrán may come from Smórán which was interpreted by Bruno O'Donoghue as burnt land. It is said that heather and weeds were burnt here to encourage the growth of grass. Alternatively Smúrán is the name applied to water impregnated with oxide of iron.

History

This townland was part of Castlehaven up to around 1854. At that time, the parish priest in Castlehaven died and the bishop took the opportunity to re-draw the Roman Catholic parish boundaries and moved the townlands of Adrigool, Cullenagh, Derryleigh and Smorane out of the parish. However we have decided to include them for historic purposes.

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 (Pg 1, Pg 2) and a guide on how to interpret these can be seen here. These show that ten of the fourteen houses in the townland at this time are class 1 which means that they were slated and built with stone or brick and lime mortar All ten are described as medium (not new) with nine being slightly decayed, but in good repair while the other is deteriorated by age and not in perfect repair. The remaining four houses are class 3 which mean that they are thatched with stone walls with mud or puddle mortar and one is old (more than 25 years) and in repair while the other three are old but out of repair. The class 3 houses listed areas being between 5 foot (! ) and 6 foot 6 inches high so were single storey at this time while the class 1 houses are between 7 foot and 15 foot tall.

By the 1901 census, there is a reduction to just 6 houses in this townland and all had walls of stone, brick or concrete with roofs of slate, iron or tiles. Four houses have two, three or four rooms with three having just two windows in front (which indicate that they are probably still single storey at this time) while the other has three windows in front. One house in this townland has has five or six rooms with seven windows in front while the other has ten, eleven or twelve rooms with nine windows in front.

When we advance to the 1911 census, there are now 7 houses in this townland and all have walls of stone, brick or concrete with roofs of slate, iron or tiles. Six houses have two, three or four rooms with one having just two windows in front (which indicate that they are probably still single storey at this time) while two have four windows and three have five windows in front. The final house in this townland has seven, eight or nine rooms with four windows in front.

Places of Interest

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.

The ringfort mentioned above ismapped on the Historic Environment Viewer.

Interesting Placenames

No field-names have been mapped in this townland. Please contact us at [email protected] if you know any.

The N71 runs through this townland.

Folklore

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Families and Notable Residents

The Tithe Applotment books of 1825 list the following family names: Ross, Sullivan, Sullivan, Herlihy

Griffiths Valuation of 1853 lists the following family names: Herlihy, Herlihy, Ross, Driscoll, Clarke, Courtney, Sullivan

The Census of Ireland of 1901 lists the following family names: Hegarty (with Murphy (servant)), Levis (with Carey and Donoghue (both servants)), Coakley (with Barry (visitor) and Barry (servant)), Minihane, Barry (with Whooley (brother-in-law)), Driscoll (with 3 x O'Neill (daughter, son-in-law and grand-daughter))

The Census of Ireland of 1911 lists the following family names: Hegarty (with Murphy (servant)), Swanton, Coakley (with Macken and Herlihy (both servants)), Levis (with Bryan and 2 x Farrer (all servants)), Minihane, Sullivan, Collins (with Regan (brother-in-law) and Byrne (servant)), Barry (with Wholey (brother)), Herlihy, Collins

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	4	30 (est)		1825
1841	Census of Ireland	9	76
1851	Census of Ireland	8	60
1853	Griffith's Valuation	7	49 (est)		1853
1861	Census of Ireland	9	51
1871	Census of Ireland	10 (Incl. 1 unoccupied)	59? (hard to read)
1881	Census of Ireland	8	56? (hard to read)
1891	Census of Ireland	7	43
1901	Census of Ireland	6	33		1901
1911	Census of Ireland	13	69		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. At this time the proprietor (titulado) of this townland was Teig Mac Dan Carthy. The townland was known as Smorane at this time.

The proprietor of this townland in 1841 was Sampson French of Cobh and his agent was Gilbert Ross of Smorane. It was all held by tenants with about half under lease.

In 1841 the soil was described as middling, producing light crops of wheat, oats, barley and potatoes, and also a little fax