Togher Townlands - Introduction

TOGHER , from the Old Irish - An Tóchar - meaning : " Causeway " , consists of 15 Townlands. In ancient times , they were self contained units of land which were created by using natural boundaries such as streams , rocky outcrops and hills. It must be remembered that the terrain was radically different and heavily wooded and not yet shired. This means simply  that fields were not laid out with ditches or hedgerows acting as boundaries , nor were there custom built roads or towns , the ancients living in circular mounds , some of which survive to this day. The original Gaelic settlers used descriptive names for their Townlands based on the topography and terrain to differentiate each division. Initially the Townlands had many diverse titles based on their size or measurement : Gneeve , Sessiagh , Ballyboe , Seisreagh & Ballybetagh. However , following the Norman invasion , the Old English for purposes of simplicity , referred to all as Townlands. The word Townland can be traced back to a mixture of Norse and Norman terminology. The Norse word - Tún and the Norman word - Tun became anglicized as Town ; whilst the word - Land belonged to both the Norse and Norman language and has found its way into the English dictionary. Therefore - TunLand was anglicised to Townland. Indeed , the word Tun , indicates an enclosed Meadow in old Norse and Norman , and is an apt description of the various divisions. The title Toher Meddow is used on the original Down Survey maps of the region and is the first recorded instance of the word by the English. All 15 Townlands would have come under the jurisdiction of the Ui Mc Ceir tribe who had largely died out or had become subsumed by Ostmen and Normans in later centuries. It is probable that some of the original names of the Townlands have also lost their meaning through anglization and some may even have been changed completely or sadly lost to the mists of time.

 

 OSi Map of Togher 19th Century

 

 

The majority of Townlands refer to physical attributes such as hills , bogs/meadows and rocks , while still others remind us of the eventual annexation of Church lands.  Allied to this are Sub-Townlands which may or may not have been original Townlands in their own right or later creations of the Normans - Ashgrove and Pouladuff being 2 such examples. Below are the names of the 15 Townlands of Togher. Note that those marked with an asterisk were either renamed or culled from existing Townlands to form new ones. This would have occurred during the Cromwellian Confiscations in the 17th Century. Of interest is the fact that the cluster of Townlands near the City are quite small with the Southernmost Townlands extending upwards to over a 1000 Acres. It may be the case that the larger Townlands were originally several smaller divisions and the surviving Townland names shorter versions of their parent units. The articles which follow on from this introduction will attempt to flesh out the individual Townlands in terms of geography , topography and local history.

 First draft of Down Survey 17th Century

showing Togher and other regions

Down Survey 17th Century

St. Finbarr's Parish showing Townlands

Ardmanning Beg *

Ardmanning More *

Clashduff

Killeenreendowney ( West )
Freagh & Vicars Acre *

Deanrock*

Lehenagh More 

Lehenagh Beg

Doughcloyne

Chetwynd *

Garrane Darragh

Gortagoulane

Knocknamallavoge

Knockalisheen

Kilmurriheen

Down Survey map of Togher 1650s

Shown above is the first map ever produced of the Togher region! This was drawn by William Petty , Surgeon General of the English Army. Undertaken in the years 1656-1658, the Down Survey of Ireland is the first ever detailed land survey on a national scale anywhere in the world. The survey sought to measure all the land to be forfeited by the native Catholic Irish/Old English in order to facilitate its redistribution to Merchant Adventurers and English soldiers as payment for their services during war. The Townlands were measured in Acres , Roods and Perches and categorized as Pasture or Arable. Bogland was subtracted from the equation which may have been part of several Townlands , so the measurements overall were not exact though close to the mark. It acquired its name from the fact that this was the first time that these territories had been committed to or put " down " on paper. The story of Togher then is the story of its Townlands: The following series will serve as an introduction to each of the 15 Townlands which make up the district of Togher.A brief history and mention of famous personages if any followed by a list of current addresses and historical addresses/structures if any and a detailed explanation of the boundary of the townland with maps and aerial photos both modern and historical. Click on link below to read about the first Townland in our series.

Ardmanning More