Townlands - 07 / 15 - Lehenagh Beg

Leitheanach Beag  - Wide Open Space - 121 Acres
a.k.a. Small Meadow

Lehenagh Beg - 1947 OSi map

The problem with the naming convention of many Townlands in Togher and indeed their possible original Irish meaning is the phonetical spelling at the time of the Down Survey in 1656 and the separation of nearly 4 Centuries. Its actual meaning may be lost to history but locals from the last Century simply inferred that it like its bigger sibling was simply a meadow , albeit a smaller one. The Blog for simplicity's sake will use the Small Meadow and Big Meadow in describing the two Lehenagh Townlands. In 1301 it is known in the Irish Plea Rolls ( manuscripts kept by traveling Judges dealing with civil and criminal law cases during Medieval times ) as Lethnath ( so may have been part of its neighbour up until the early 17th Century when it may have been divided ) while the Down Survey of 1656 marks it as Lehenagh ; however in 1586 it was recorded as Lehennaghe and in 1706 as Leenagh but from the 1840s on it is standardized as Lehenaghbeg. Circa 1850s it becomes incorrectly Gaelicized as Leathanach Beag. 

Lehenagh Beg - ( Data from Townlands.ie )

Lehenagh Beg relies on 2 natural features for much of its boundary ( see end of article ) - The Glenmore River serves as its Eastern border while the Tramore River acts as its Northern border. This meadowland is bisected by Matthews Hill at its northern extremity which begins at Pouladuff Crossroads and carries over one of Togher's last remaining railway bridges ( under which the Cork Bandon railway line once ran ) which is known locally as Lehenaghbeg bridge and features an extremely rare benchmark inscribed into a block of limestone ( see photo below ) . The  Townland today is peppered with Industrial units but does still retain one or 2 old residences not least the O'Neill house which is characterized by its concrete patio fronting onto a sharp bend in the road. Another old structure though in a ruinous state is Hill Rest at the beginning of Matthews Hill which once overlooked the famous Celia's pub ( now long gone ). The Townland became part of the newly formed parish of Togher ( created by the Bishop of Cork ) in 1977 , coming from the old parish of St. Finbarrs West , like much of Togher , when that parish was formed in 1890. Hitherto it had been part of the old Civil Parish of St. Finbarrs. It has belonged to the Church of Ireland parish of Grange since 1838.

Lehenagh Beg railway bridge ( with benchmark )

O'Neill cottage , Matthews Hill , Lehenagh Beg

 

 

Historically , the townland was in the ownership of Richard Roch in 1641. However , following the Cromwellian Confiscations , by 1670 , it was now in the hands of James Lavallin. Today the Townland is made up predominantly of Sitecast Industrial Estate , Southside Industrial Estate and other units. However  following sale of land for development from the former Barrett/Geary owned farmland ; the new estate on the block , Manor Farm , is an ever expanding residential housing scheme in the Townland. Today , the Geary family are the sole remaining farmers. Ambrose Walsh, had a small farm across the road which extended most of the way back to lehenaghmore hill. Most of this was sold for the erection of industrial units with his family members securing small plots of land in which they still reside today in cottages.

Addresses ( Modern Era )


Manor Crescent
Farm Lawn

Farm Green
Brook Park
Brook Glen
Court Lawn East
Court Lawn West
Manor Road
Manor Village East
Manor Village West
Laharan Way
Laharan Green
Laharan East
Laharan West
Matthews Hill ( Various private builds )
Man made pond


Addresses/Structures ( Historical Era )


Gearys Farm ( formally Barretts Farm )( still present )
O'Neills cottage ( still present )
Lehenagh Beg railway bridge ( still present )
Hill Rest cottage ( derelict )
Tanning Yard ( demolished 1940s? )
Cork Bandon railway line ( removed )
Possible stone bridge behind Ideal Furniture store?
Pouladuff Crossroads

Boundary ( Shown in red on aerial photo )

From a point to the rear of Greenwood Estate following the Tramore River westwards to Pouladuff overpass and moving northwards down Pouladuff Road to Pouladuff Crossroads. Then following the Glenmore River northwards where it traverses the  curvature of the field system on its right and then folllowing a line back and around Coolkellure to Matthews Hill before bypassing O'Neill cottage before moving cross-country to the rear of Palmbury and Greenwood Estate to meet at the point started from by the Tramore River.

Boundary of Lehenagh Beg