Kinreask

Parish of Ballymacward

Paul Feeney

1st Edition O. S Map showing Holy Well location
https://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V2,565271,735540,9,7
Carving on marker at Kinreask
B. Doherty 2015

Kinreask Location Map

Kinreask derives from the Gaelic Cion riasc, which translates into “head of the fen or morass”.  There is another Irish translation of Kinreask as Chionn Riasca.  Other forms of the name are also listed as Kinreask (Andrew Browne, Esq.) (By. Sketch Map) (Honble. W. Le Poer Trench) (Larkin’s Co. Map) (Willm. Woods, Esq.), and Kinreasky (Bernard Browne, Esq.).

Down Survey

The Down Survey name for Kinreask is Killumersagan. Kinreask was owned in 1641 by Teige O’Kelly. Subsequently,  the Bishop of Clonfert (Protestant) owned the land in 1670.

Kinreask is located in the civil parish of Ballymacward, Barony of Tiaquin, and contained 38 “unprofitable” plantation acres  along with 110 “profitable” and “forfeited” plantation acres.

 O’ Donovan’s Field Name Books (1838)

Kinreask  is situated on the western side of the Civil Parish of Ballymacward in the barony of Tiaquin. It is bounded by Curskeagh Trench as well as Curskeagh Daly, Gurtahullia, Creeraun, and Gortbrack in same barony, and also  by Garrymore and Cave townlands in the barony of Kilconnell.

Kinreask (1838) was the property of Francis Davis who held it under a deed for ever. It contains 259a. 1r. 6p. of a flat and “middling good quality” land. Houses and roads are described as “in good repair”.  The amount of Co. Cess (valuation) was £10. 18. 3d in 1838.

Griffiths Valuation 1855

The area of Kinreask is  259 acres, 0 roods and 10 perches. The land value there in 1855 was £125 and 18 Shillings and 4 Pence. The total population of Kinreask in 1841 was 134 people reducing to 20 people in 1851. Three houses were occupied from 1841 to 1851. The Poor Law Valuation then was 205 Pounds.

The heads of household in 1855 were: Michael Larkin, John Larkin, John Finn, Michael Kilkenny, John Kelly, Barthololew Kilkenny, Patrick Flannery, Michael Dwyer, Owen Dwyer, John Kilkenny, Judith Kelly, Margaret Dwyer, Simon Larkin, Thomas Woods, Patrick Smyth, Patrick Kelly and James Flaherty.

Kinreask Census 1901

12 families comprising 59 residents lived in Kinreask in 1901. 11 houses were occupied.  All of the houses had permanent stone wall construction with “perishable” roof material, presumably thatched. All families were Roman Catholic. The census was completed on April 5, 1901.

Thomas Manning (64)  and Mary Manning (62) lived with their son Michael (26), as well as a grand daughter Mary (6). Thomas and Michael were both blacksmiths. The Mannings could speak both Irish and English. Michael and Mary could read and write. The Mannings lived in a two room third class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction. There were six  out offices with the house.

Michael Larkin (57), a farmer,  and his wife Bridget  Larkin (51),  lived with their daughter Ellen (17). The Larkins could speak both Irish and English. Michael and Ellen could read and write but Bridget could only read. The Larkins lived in a three room second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction with three windows to the front. Additionally, there were three out offices with the house.

Michael Dwyer (65), a farmer,  and May Dwyer (53) had a son, Michael (26), as well as a  daughter Sarah (21). The Dwyers could also speak both Irish and English.  They lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction. The house had three windows to the front and there were six outhouses adjacent to the family home.

Thomas Kilkenny (43), a farmer,  and his wife Bridget Kilkenny (27) had eight  children, John (15), Patrick (14), Liza (8), Mary (7), Honor (5), Bedelia (4), Margaret (2) and Thomas (7 months). All family members except the very young children could read and write.  Thomas and Bridget could also speak both Irish and English but no information is given on the other family members on this subject. The Kilkennys lived in a second class house of thatched roof and stone wall construction. There were three windows to the front of the house as well as four out offices adjacent to the family home.

Patrick Dwyer aged 70 lived alone. Patrick was an agricultural labourer. He could speak both Irish and English. Patrick lived in a fourth class house with one room and no windows on the front. The house was  of stone wall and thatched roof construction. There were no out offices.

Martin Hession (32), a sheperd,  lived with his wife Mary (30). They had three children, Patrick (10), Maria (5) and Thomas (2). Both parents could speak both Irish and English. The Hessions lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched construction. There were three windows to the front and two out offices beside the home.

Thomas  Flannery (84), a farmer, and his wife Weniford Flannery (83) lived with their son Patt (45).  Additionally, Patt’s wife Ellon (25) and their two children, Mary (2) and Weniford (1) lived there. Interestingly, Thomas and his wife Weniford only spoke Irish. Both Patt and his wife Ellon could read and write English.  The Flannerys lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction.  The house had three rooms and three windows on the front, as well as six out offices.

Martin Kilkenny (50), a farmer, lived with his wife Mary (38) and their seven children. There were four sons; Bartly (15), John (11), Bernard (4) and Martin (1), as well as three girls – Bridgit (9), Mary Anne (7) and Julia (5). All of the family could read and write English except for the youngest children, Julia, Bernard and Martin. Similarly, the whole family could speak both Irish and English, except the youngest three. The Kilkennys lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction. The house had three windows to the front, as well as four out offices.

Simon Larkin , a farmer, lived with his wife Delia as well as their six children. There were three daughters; Marg (19), Margaret (13) and Annie (5) as well as three boys, John (17), Patrick (15) and Martin (2). Simon’s sister, Kate (63) also lived with them. Everyone could speak both Irish and English, except Annie (5) and Martin (2). Similarly, everyone could read and write English except the youngest two children. The Larkins lived on a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction. The house had three windows to the front, as well as seven out offices adjacent to the house.

John Finn (48) and Catherine Finn (50) lived with their three sons, Patt (27), Thomas (18) and John (12).  Also living there was their daughter, Bridget (25). John Finn was a farmer. Patt and Thomas were listed as farmer’s sons, while Bridget was listed as a farmer’s daughter. Catherine did not have an occupation listed and John (12) was listed as a scholar. All of the Finns spoke Irish and English. Additionally,  everyone could read and write English except Catherine who could read English. The Finns lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction. The house had three windows to the front as well as seven out offices adjacent to the house.

James Flaherty (78) lived with his son Patrick (11). James was an agricultural labourer and a widower. He could speak both Irish and English, but could not read English. Patrick was a scholar who could read and write English.  The Flahertys lived in a third class house of stone wall and thatched construction. The house had two windows to the front and no out offices.

Timothy  Kelly (50) was a farmer and lived alone. He could speak both Irish and English but could not read English. Timothy lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction. The house had three windows to the front and three out offices adjacent to the house.

Kinreask Census 1911

10 families lived in Kinreask in 1911 comprising 57 residents. All of the houses had permanent stone wall construction with perishable roof material, presumably thatched. All families were Roman Catholic. The census was completed on April 11, 1911.

Thomas Kilkenny (56), a farmer,  lived with his wife Bridget (38). They had 6 daughters; Mary (16), Bridget (14), Hanna (13), Julia (9), Catherine (5), and Rose (2), as well as three sons; Thomas (10), Martin (4) and William (6 months). Also, Bridget had 14 children in total according to the census, 13 of whom were still alive in 1911.
The Kilkennys lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction. The house had three windows to the front of the house, as well as four out offices adjacent to the house. The out offices consisted of a stable, a cow house,  a piggery and a barn.

Martin Hession (41), a shepard, and his wife Mary Hession (40) had six children – four boys; Patrick (20), Thomas (12), John (7) and Michael (2) and two girls, Maria (15) and Norah (10). Patrick was a labourer. The Hessions lived in a third class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction. The house had two windows to the front of the house., and four out offices adjacent to the Hession household, consisting of a stable,  a cow house, a piggery and a fuel shed.

Bridget Larkin (70) was the head of her household.  She was a widow and farmer.
She lived with her a son in law, Thomas Egan (33), along with a daughter in law, Ellen Egan (27). Thomas and Ellen were farmers. Bridget had three grandchildren, (Ellen was their mother) Martin (3), Julia (2) and John (9 months). The Larkin/Egans lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction with three windows to the front of the house, which also had four out offices adjacent consisting of a stable, a piggery, a cow house and a barn.

Michael Dwyer (76), a farmer, and his wife Mary Dwyer (74)  lived with their son, Mike (35), as well as a daughter, Sarah Goulding (30).  The Dwyers lived in a second class house (house #4) of stone wall and thatched roof construction. The house had three windows to the front of the house, and  five out offices consisting of a stable, a cow house, a piggery, a fowl house and a shed.

Michel Mannion (34) was a blacksmith, and lived with his niece Mary (16). Both spoke both Irish and English. The Mannions lived in a third class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction with two windows to the front of the house, which also had five out offices beside the house (house #5) consisting of a stable, a calf house, a cow house, a forge and a barn.

John Finn (59) was a widower and farmer.  He lived with his daughter, Bridget (32) as well as three sons, Patrick (35), Thomas (28) and John (22). The three sons were agricultural laborers. All of the Finns spoke both Irish and English. The Finns lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction. There were three rooms to the front of the house.  Additionally, there were six out offices adjacent to the house; a cow house, a calf house, a stable, a piggery, a barn and a shed.

Timothy Kelly  (71), a farmer, lived alone.  He could speak both Irish and English. Timothy lived in a third class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction. It had one room and one window to the front of the house, as well as one out office.

Simon Larkin (72), a farmer, was married to Delia Larkin (56). They had four children listed in the 1911 Census – two daughters; Marg (23) and Annie (15) as well as two sons, Patrick (24) and Martin (13). Everyone could speak both Irish and English. The Larkins lived on a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction. The house had three windows to the front, as well as seven out offices adjacent to the house – a stable, a cow house, a calf house, a barn, a piggery, a fuel shed, and a shed.

Martin Kilkenny (60), a farmer,  lived with his wife Mary (44). They had four sons, John (22), Bernard (13), Martin (11), and Patrick (1), as well as three daughters; Mary Anne (17), Julia (15), and Norah (7).  John was listed as a farmer’s son. Bernard, Martin and Norah were scholars. Both Martin and Mary could speak Irish and English. The Kilkennys lived on a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction. The house had three windows to the front, as well as five out offices adjacent to the house – a stable, a cow house, a calf house, a piggery and a barn.

Patrick Flannery (50), a farmer, lived with his wife Ellen (50).  They had four daughters, Mary (12), Bridgit (10), Winne (9) and Margaret (6), as well as two sons,  John (7) and Thomas (1). All of the family could speak both Irish and English. The Flannerys lived in a second class house of stone wall and thatched roof construction with three windows to the front of the house. There were also seven out offices consisting of a  stable, a barn, a cow house, a calf house, a piggery, a fowl house and a shed.

Recorded Monuments

The National Monuments Service indicates that there is a holy well in Kinreask. Tobair Maolle is situated in wet low-lying land beside a natural spring well. The Kinreask well consists of a small rectangular round headed slab (H.99m, W.35 m). The slab depicts a crucifixion scene and is dated 1762.

Ordnance Survey Maps of Kinreask can be viewed here.

This page was added on 19/12/2017.

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