Moneyveen

Paul Feeney

Mausoleum, Monaveen, Woodawn, 2014
B. Doherty

Moneyveen (commonly known as Monaveen) translates to Mhuine Mhin in Irish which means smooth thicket. It is located in the Parish of Kilconnell, Barony of Kilconnell in County Galway.  It lies in the North West of the parish, bounded by Hillswood, Cloonacolleen and Carhoomore townlands in Kilconnell parish, as well as by Tullawicky, Lower Liscune and Upper Liscune in the parish of Ballymacward in Kilconnel Barony.

Down Survey 1670

The Down Survey Name for Moneyveen was Carrowmore Muneveene.  John O’Kelly (Catholic) owned the land there in 1641; and in 1670 Peeter Martin, (Catholic) owned it.

Moneyveen contained 44 plantation acres of unprofitable land, and 135 plantation acres of profitable land, as well as 135 forfeited plantation acres.

1837  Tithe Applotment Books

The Tithe Applotment Books list the following heads of household in Moneyveen in 1837: Patt Conolly, John Prendergast, John Trench, and William Trench. The Tithe Applotment Books recorded the areas in each townland and the tithes (land taxes) payable on each holding.

O’ Donovan’s Field Name Books (1838)

The townland of Moneyveen was the property of Lord Ashtown held by deed for ever, but in 1838 W. and John French possessed it.  It contains 746a. 3r. 15p., about 1/7 of which is bog, the most part of the remainder are sheep walks,. Moneyveen is on the side of a hill and the land is of a good quality, while it has no inhabitants except two herds kept there by the Frenches. Additionally,  the amount of County Cess was £5. 0s. 3d. for the last half year 4th Oct., 1837.

The townland lies in the N. West of the parish, bounded by Hillswood, Cloonacolleen and Carhoomore townlands in this parish, as well as by Tullawicky, Lower Liscune and Upper Liscune in the parish of Ballymacward in Kilconnel Barony.

Other forms of the name are: Muine Mhin, Monaveen (Boundary Sketch Map, James Lambert, Esqr., Larkin’s Co. Map, Revd. W. Collis, Thos. Birmingham, Esqr., William French, Esqr.) ; Monyveen (Co. Alph. List, Inq. Temp. Gul. III, ); Monivea (Grand Jury Pamphlets), Monvoye (Inq. Temp. Eliz), Monevyne (Inq. Temp. Jac.).

Griffiths Valuation 1855

According to the Griffiths Valuation, the area of Moneyveen was 746 acres and 37 Perches while the land value was 400 pounds, 19 shillings 0 pence. In 1855 Patrick Raftery, John Kelly, Joseph Kelly, William Kelly, Lord Ashtown, and M.G.W.. Railway Secretary Henry Beausire occupied Moneyveen.

1841 – 1851 Census

The total population of Moneyveen in the 1841 Census was 85, which reduced down to only 6 residents in 1851. The total number of houses in the 1841 Census was 10 but only one house remained in 1851.

Census 1901 Moneyveen

Honor Finn (60), a house keeper, lived with her two sons, Peter (40), and Thomas (22). Both Peter and Thomas were farm labourers. All family members spoke Irish and English.
The Finns lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction with 3 windows to the front. Three out offices were adjacent to the house.

Teresa Hogan (32) , a seamstress, lived with her seven children. Teresa had two daughters, Lizzie (9), and Bridget (7), and five sons, Michael (8), John (5), Francis (4), William (2) and Phillip (2).  The Census lists Michael Hogan as the head of household. Teresa was born in County Longford.
The Hogans lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction with 4 windows to the front and 2 out offices adjacent to the house. Lord Ashtown owned the land on which the house was situated.

Thomas Dooley (29), a blacksmith, lived with his wife Teresa (25), a housekeeper, as well as their 3 children; John J (2), Michael (1), and Mary (2 months). Teresa could speak both Irish and English.
The Dooleys appeared to have lived in the same house as the Hogans above, which was a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction with 4 windows to the front as well as 2 out offices adjacent to the house. Lord Ashtown owned the land on which the house was situated.

Ellen Cahill (44) lived with her two daughters, Norah (18) and Mary (15); sons, Edward (16) and Thomas (14). The Census lists Ellen’s occupation as housekeeper and her place  of birth as County Clare. Edward was a shepherd and the other children were scholars.
The Cahills lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction with 2 windows to the front . Two out offices were adjacent to the house. Joseph Kelly owned the land on which the house was built.

Daniel Kelly (43), a shepherd,  lived with his wife Mary (39), a housekeeper, with 4 daughters Delia (12), Margaret (8) and Mary A (9 months), and 3 sons;  Patrick (10), John (6) and Michael (4). The Census lists the older children as scholars.
The Kellys lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction with 2 windows to the front as well as 3 out offices adjacent to the house. Patrick Raftery owned the land where the house stood.

Census 1911 Moneyveen

Peter Finn (53) lived with his wife Margaret (36) as well as their son Joseph (6) and daughter Annie (5). Also living there was Mary Concannon (73), a boarder. The Census lists Peter’s occupation as an agricultural laborer.

The Finns lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction with three windows to the front and two out offices adjacent to the house (a turf house and a shed). Lord Ashtown owned the land.

John Woods (39) lived with his wife Ellen (22), as well as Ellen’s brother,  Martin Furey (12). The Census lists John’s occupation as a Foreman Railway Porter. He was born in County Louth.

The Woods lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction with three windows to the front and two out offices adjacent to the house. Lord Ashtown owned the land.  This appears to be the same house as Peter Finn’s.

Michael Mc Donagh (55), lived with his four sons as well as three  daughters in house #2.  His sons were Thomas (35), John(25), Patrick (19) and James (14). The Census lists all their occupations as Agricultural Labourers. Mr. Mc Donagh’s daughters were Kate (25), Teresa (12) and Anne (4). Teresa and Anne were both scholars.
The McCormack family, whom the Census lists as “lodgers”,  also lived at the same location. Margaret McCormack (49) lived with her daughter, Ellen (13), and two sons, James (19), and Joseph (10). The Census lists James as an Agricultural Labourer, with Ellen and Joseph both as scholars.

The Mc Donagh house was a second class house of stone walled construction with the roof comprising slate, tiles or iron. The house had three windows to the front of the house as well as one out office, a shed.

Malcolm Livingston (31) lived at house number 3 with his wife Minnie (25). The Census lists Daniel’s occupation as a shepard. Both Daniel and Minnie were born in Scotland and of the Presbyterian faith.

The Livingstons lived in a second class house of stone walled construction with the roof comprising slate, tiles or iron. The house had four windows to the front of the house as well as seven out offices. The out offices consisted of a cow house, a calf house, a turf house, a fowl house, as well as three stables.

Elizabeth Sophia Somerville    (22) lived with her sister Martha (18) and her cousin William Hepenstall (13). The Census lists Elizabeth’s occupation as a National Teacher. Both Elizabeth and Martha were born in Armagh while William was born in Co. Wicklow. All three were of the Church of Ireland faith.

The Somervilles and William Hepenstall lived in a second class house of stone walled construction with the roof comprising slate, tiles or iron. The house had three windows to the front of the house as well as two out offices. The out offices consisted of a turf house, as well as a shed. Lord Ashtown owned the land where the house stood.

Ringforts in Monaveen

Recorded Monument GA073:138 (Ringfort and souterrain)  lies on the summit of a hillock in undulating grassland. A Circular rath (Diameter 34m) exists, in fair condition, defined by two banks and an intervening fosse. The inner bank survives at West and North; elsewhere a scarp forms the enclosing element. The outer bank survives intermittently and is best preserved at the south. A gap (Width 2m) at the east side appears original. Within the interior, a rectangular hollow (Length 9m), with a long axis running East -West, is possibly the remains of a souterrain. [The above description is derived from the published ‘Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II – North Galway’. ]

Recorded Monument GA073-139 (Ringfort) is located on a rise in undulating pastureland. A Circular rath (Diameter 33m) exists, in fair condition, defined by three banks and three fosses. The enclosing elements are best preserved from North East through East to South East. A field wall overlies the middle bank from North West to North; no visible surface trace of the outermost bank and fosse survives from South East through West to North East. A possible entrance gap exists at North North West. The above description derives from the published ‘Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II – North Galway’.

Recorded Monument GA073-140 (Ringfort) lies on a hillock in undulating grassland. A poorly preserved circular platform exists (Diameter 27.6m) defined by a scarp (Height 3m). A probable souterrain (GA073-140001-) exists in the interior on the South West quadrant . An L-shaped hollow exists, its long axis running North-South. At its North end, it turns sharply to the West and continues for a short distance on an East-West axis.

Recorded Monument GA073-141001 (Ringfort) is located on a rise in undulating grassland. A circular rath (Diameter 27m), in fair condition exists, defined by two banks and an intervening fosse. The fosse and outer bank survive only at East and South West. A rectangular hollow, long axis running North East-South West, is visible in the South West quadrant of the interior; a possible souterrain.

Recorded Monument GA073-142001] (Ringfort) appears on a hillock in undulating grassland. A poorly preserved circular rath (Diameter 24.3m) exists defined by two banks and an intervening fosse. The outer bank does not survive at West or North. In the North West quadrant of the interior is a rectangular hollow (Length 7m), with a  long axis running North East-South West; a possible souterrain.

Recorded monument GA073-143001 (Ringfort) is located on a slight rise in rolling pastureland. A circular rath exists (Diameter 33m), in fair condition, defined by an inner berm-like feature, an intervening fosse and outer bank. The fosse and outer bank survive only at the  South. The present form of the inner enclosing element may well be the result of the construction of a burial ground (GA073-143003-) which occupies the whole interior of the rath. Its boundary wall occupies the perimeter of the interior and may well overlie an original inner bank. A gap at South West appears modern.

Trench Mausoleum

Recorded Monument GA073-143003 (Burial ground) is located within a ringfort (GA073-143001). Named on the 1st ed. of the OS 6-inch map as ‘Trench’s monument’, it is also named on the 3rd ed. (1933) of same as a burial ground. It is known locally as a Trench’s Mausoleum. The final resting place of the Trench family of Woodlawn House, it was last used for internment of ashes of 7th Baron Ashtown in 2010. A massive and well-preserved castle-like structure, it comprises a circular curtain wall (D c. 32m, H c. 3m) crowned by stepped crenellations, the merlons of which are punctuated by cross-shaped loops. An ornamental entrance at the North gives access to the interior which is occupied by a centrally placed circular tower (D c. 10m, H c. 15m) and a number of graveslabs. An arched doorway opens into the roofless interior. The wall of the tower is capped by a string course surmounted by plain crenellations. The interior contains a vault.

Recorded Monument GA073-144 (Enclosure) is located on a slight rise in marshy pastureland. A poorly preserved circular enclosure (D 22m) exists defined by a bank of which no visible surface trace survives at the South East.

Recorded Monument GA073-145 (Ringfort) is located on a ridge in grassland, approximately 100m North of the townland boundary. It is a poorly preserved pear-shaped enclosure (N-S 76m, E-W 76m) defined by two banks and an intervening fosse. The inner bank is visible at the North and South; elsewhere a scarp forms the enclosing element. The fosse and outer bank survive from the South West to the North. A causewayed-gap (Width 3.5m) at the North West may indicate the original entrance. Within the South East quadrant of the interior is a CBG (GA073-145001). Its presence, when coupled with the size of this monument and its proximity to the townland boundary, raises the possibility that it could be an early ecclesiastical enclosure.

[The above description is derived from the published ‘Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II – North Galway’. ]

Childrens’ Burial Ground

There is a childrens’ burial ground in Moneyveen [GA073-145001-] in the South East quadrant of an enclosure (GA073-145). It is a  pear-shaped unenclosed area (N-S 13m, E-W 6m), the interior of which is occupied by small and large set limestone blocks aligned in rows running North -South.

The above descriptions are derived from the published ‘Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II – North Galway’. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999).

OSI Maps

This is a link to the Ordnance Survey of Ireland website. It displays the original OS map from the 1840s.

 

 

 

This page was added on 09/01/2019.

Comments about this page

  • Fascinating research, very thorough and gives a really interesting picture of the townland.

    By Brid Mercer (16/02/2020)

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