Doon, County Cavan
Encyclopedia
Doon is a townland
in the Parish of Tomregan
, Barony of Tullyhaw
, County Cavan
, Ireland. The townland name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic placename “Dún” which means ‘A fort’. The oldest surviving mention of the name is in the 1609 Ulster Plantation map where it is spelled ‘Doone’. At the time of the Ulster plantation it was split into two townlands, Doon and Tennegh. In an Inquistion dated 20 September 1630 the two townlands were spelled ‘Downe’ & “Enagh” but by the Down Survey of 1655 both townlands were merged into Doon.
It is bounded on the north by Mucklagh
& Rakeelan
townlands, on the east by Annagh
townland, on the south by Derryginny
townland and on the west by Gortoorlan
townland. Its chief geographical features are the Shannon-Erne Waterway
and some drumlin hills reaching an altitude of 200 feet (61 m) above sea-level.
The major part of Ballyconnell
town is situated in Doon and the townland is traversed by the Bawnboy Road, Church Street, Main Street, Bridge Street, Preaching House Lane, Mucklagh Lane and the Border Road.
The townland covers 125 statute acres, including 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) of water. It formed part of the Manor of Calva which was granted to Walter Talbot in 1610 as part of the Plantation of Ulster
. The Hearth Money Rolls of 1664 list the occupiers of Ballyconnell as Thomas Gwyllym, John Squire, Henry Jordan and Denis Alarne, but this would have included both Doon and Annagh townlands as Thomas Gwyllym was the owner of Ballyconnell Castle and lived in Annagh. Griffith's Valuation
of 1857 lists about 90 landlords and tenants for Doon and Ballyconnell. The 1841 Census of Ireland gives a combined population of 671 for Doon and Ballyconnell, of which 333 were males and 338 were females, with 127 houses, of which 12 were uninhabited. Further information and a detailed map showing the location of each holding can be seen online. The 1851 Census of Ireland gives a combined population of 667, a decrease of 4 on the 1841 figure, due to the intervening Irish Famine of 1845–47, of which 331 were males and 336 were females, with 119 houses, of which 7 were uninhabited. The decrease was minimal compared to other townlands, due to work being available in the town. In the 1911 census of Ireland
, there are over 100 families listed in the townland and in Ballyconnell.
The historic sites in the townland are a double-court cairn erected c. 2,500 B.C. (Site number 31, page 7, Doon townland, in “Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan”, Patrick O’Donovan, 1995); a prehistoric ring-barrow erected c. 1,000 B.C. (Site number 107, page 22, Doon townland, in “Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan”, Patrick O’Donovan, 1995); Tomregan Church & Graveyard (erected in 1756 on the site of an older church built in the 16th century); The ‘Tomregan Stone’ Romanesque sculpture, carved c. 1150 A.D. (Site number 1641, page 195, Doon townland, in “Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan”, Patrick O’Donovan, 1995); Ballyconnell Courthouse (erected in 1833); Ballyconnell Methodist Chapel (erected in 1869); Ballyconnell Market House (erected in 1838); Ballyconnell Mill (erected c. 1720).
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
in the Parish of Tomregan
Tomregan
Tomregan civil parish straddles the international border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The chief town of the parish is Ballyconnell, County Cavan. Most of Tomregan's constituent townlands are situate in County Cavan, with the remainder in County Fermanagh...
, Barony of Tullyhaw
Tullyhaw
Tullyhaw is a Barony in County Cavan. The area has been in constant occupation since pre-4000 B.C....
, County Cavan
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland. The townland name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic placename “Dún” which means ‘A fort’. The oldest surviving mention of the name is in the 1609 Ulster Plantation map where it is spelled ‘Doone’. At the time of the Ulster plantation it was split into two townlands, Doon and Tennegh. In an Inquistion dated 20 September 1630 the two townlands were spelled ‘Downe’ & “Enagh” but by the Down Survey of 1655 both townlands were merged into Doon.
It is bounded on the north by Mucklagh
Mucklagh
Mucklagh is a townland in the Parish of Tomregan, Barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. The townland name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic placename “Muc Lach” which means ‘A place where pigs feed’. The oldest surviving mention of the name is in the 1609 Ulster Plantation map where it is...
& Rakeelan
Rakeelan
Rakeelan is a townland in the Parish of Tomregan, Barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. The townland name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic placename “Rath Caolain” which means ‘Keelan’s Fort’...
townlands, on the east by Annagh
Annagh
Annagh is a townland in the Parish of Tomregan, Barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. On the 1609 Ulster Plantation map it is split into two townlands named Shannaontra and Shannaititr...
townland, on the south by Derryginny
Derryginny
Derryginny is a townland in the Parish of Tomregan, Barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. The townland name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic placename “Doire Goinimhe” which means the ‘Oakwood of the Sand’, which possibly derives either from the sandbanks which form along the rivers running...
townland and on the west by Gortoorlan
Gortoorlan
Gortoorlan is a townland in the Parish of Tomregan, Barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland. The townland name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic placename “Gort Urlainn” which means ‘The Field of the Spear-Shaft’. An alternative meaning which has been suggested is ‘Field of the Forecourt’...
townland. Its chief geographical features are the Shannon-Erne Waterway
Shannon-Erne Waterway
The Shannon-Erne Waterway is a canal linking the River Shannon in the Republic of Ireland with the River Erne in Northern Ireland. Managed by Waterways Ireland, the canal is in length, has sixteen locks and runs from Leitrim village in County Leitrim to Upper Lough Erne in County Fermanagh...
and some drumlin hills reaching an altitude of 200 feet (61 m) above sea-level.
The major part of Ballyconnell
Ballyconnell
Ballyconnell is a town in County Cavan, Ireland. It is situated on the N87 national secondary road at the junction of four townlands Annagh, Cullyleenan, Doon and Derryginny in the parish of Tomregan, Barony of Tullyhaw. The town has an altitude of 55 metres above sea level...
town is situated in Doon and the townland is traversed by the Bawnboy Road, Church Street, Main Street, Bridge Street, Preaching House Lane, Mucklagh Lane and the Border Road.
The townland covers 125 statute acres, including 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) of water. It formed part of the Manor of Calva which was granted to Walter Talbot in 1610 as part of the Plantation of Ulster
Plantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
. The Hearth Money Rolls of 1664 list the occupiers of Ballyconnell as Thomas Gwyllym, John Squire, Henry Jordan and Denis Alarne, but this would have included both Doon and Annagh townlands as Thomas Gwyllym was the owner of Ballyconnell Castle and lived in Annagh. Griffith's Valuation
Griffith's valuation
Griffith's Valuation was a survey of Ireland completed in 1868. -Griffith's background:Richard John Griffith started to value land in Scotland, where he spent two years in 1806-1807 valuing terrain through the examination of its soils...
of 1857 lists about 90 landlords and tenants for Doon and Ballyconnell. The 1841 Census of Ireland gives a combined population of 671 for Doon and Ballyconnell, of which 333 were males and 338 were females, with 127 houses, of which 12 were uninhabited. Further information and a detailed map showing the location of each holding can be seen online. The 1851 Census of Ireland gives a combined population of 667, a decrease of 4 on the 1841 figure, due to the intervening Irish Famine of 1845–47, of which 331 were males and 336 were females, with 119 houses, of which 7 were uninhabited. The decrease was minimal compared to other townlands, due to work being available in the town. In the 1911 census of Ireland
Census of Ireland, 1911
The Census of Ireland, 1911, was a census that covered Ireland, and was conducted on Sunday 2 April 1911 as part of a broader Census of the United Kingdom. A census of Ireland had taken place every ten years beginning in 1821 until 1911. The next census would not take place until 1926 due to the...
, there are over 100 families listed in the townland and in Ballyconnell.
The historic sites in the townland are a double-court cairn erected c. 2,500 B.C. (Site number 31, page 7, Doon townland, in “Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan”, Patrick O’Donovan, 1995); a prehistoric ring-barrow erected c. 1,000 B.C. (Site number 107, page 22, Doon townland, in “Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan”, Patrick O’Donovan, 1995); Tomregan Church & Graveyard (erected in 1756 on the site of an older church built in the 16th century); The ‘Tomregan Stone’ Romanesque sculpture, carved c. 1150 A.D. (Site number 1641, page 195, Doon townland, in “Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan”, Patrick O’Donovan, 1995); Ballyconnell Courthouse (erected in 1833); Ballyconnell Methodist Chapel (erected in 1869); Ballyconnell Market House (erected in 1838); Ballyconnell Mill (erected c. 1720).