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

Townlands - 05 / 15 - Freagh & Vicars Acre

An Fraoch - The Place of Heather - 22 Acres
Vicars Acre -  ( Appended Mid 18th Century - see article below )

 Freagh & Vicars Acre - 1890 OSi Map

Freagh as mentioned above was a heathery bog almost devoid of trees due to its waterlogged state. It acquired its English appendage circa mid 18th Century during the Penal Laws and the reorganisation of the Anglican Church in Ireland. It is the only Townland in Togher to have both an Irish name and an English name. In more modern times Vicars is used to denote the road which passes through its northern section ( with bizarrely Vicars Court Estate lying inside Deanrock ). The Townland is host to the modern housing estate Sheridan Park off Tramore Road , Togher Garda Station , Youngline Shoe Company ( now defunct ) and South Cork Industrial Estate and other smaller units. In the past its southern fringes which bordered the Tramore River were used as an osiery , having the local name of the Well Field ( or Wella ) due to a natural spring which erupted nearby ( today it is capped and piped into the Tramore River ). Its eastern terminus is marked by Casey's Cross.

Freagh & Vicars Acre - Aerial map 1951

Some of its past residents include a Ms. Edwards , Sullivan's and Fitzgeralds. However its most famous resident is Joe Murphy , 1920s hunger striker , who dwelt in the house which carries his name , just before Lee Metals. He was posthumously awarded the Service (1917-1921) Medal with Bar by the Lord Mayor of Cork in respect of his service during the War of Independence after campaigning by his grandniece Shirley Kelleher and the Togher Historical Association , some 99 years after his death at a ceremony in Cork's City Hall attended by the Chief of Staff of the defence forces and his family on 9 May 2019. A memorial was erected on his house in 1960 by former comrades.

Joe Murphy 1895 - 1920
Freagh & Vicars Acre , Togher

In the past Hangdog Road traversed its territory ( now Tramore Road ) and the Cork Macroom Direct Railway ( now South Ring Road ). Both have been reconditioned over the last 50 years to upgrade them from a dirt track and disused railway line respectively. A portion of the nearby Tramore River serves as its southern boundary. A portion of the old osiery is still intact as wet scrubland adjacent to Coffey's Field.

Freagh & Vicars Acre - ( Data from Townlands.ie )

Addresses ( Modern Era )

Tramore Road ( section of houses adjacent to Garda Stn. )

Sheridan Park
Togher Garda Station
South Cork Industrial Estate
U.C.C. Park & Ride ( former Youngline )
Casey's Cross

 

 

Addresses/Structures ( Historical Era )


O'Sullivans

Caseys

Fitzgeralds

Murphys ( Joe Murphy House )

Delaneys

Edwards

Well Field

Cork Macroom Railway

Hangdog Road ( now Tramore Road )

Boundary ( shown in red on aerial photo )


From a point at Joe Murphy house on Pouladuff Road moving in a southerly direction towards Casey's Cross and over Pouladuff Overpass to meet with the Tramore River following its course westwards before turning north across the South Ring Road and Tramore Road before moving through the rear gardens of Sheridan Park before skirting the filling station on Vicars Road and moving diagonally until it ends at the rear garden of Joe Murphy house on Pouladuff Road.

Boundary of Freagh & Vicars Acre

Click on link below for the next Townland in the series.

Deanrock

Townlands - 04 / 15 - Killeenreendowney

 

 Cillín Rí an Domhnaigh - Little Church of the King of Sunday - 189 Acres ( In Total )
( Pholl an Dubh - The Black Hole - insular name - see article ( below )

 

Though no Church survived the ravages of time , another school of thought considers that the Cil may have been Coill or Woods. Togher takes up the western portion of the Townland divided by the Pouladuff Road. It should also be noted that the insular name Pouladuff is used to identify a local placename by the houses fronting the road albeit shared with many other communities along the roads long stretch which takes in the modern suburbs of the Lough , Togher and Ballyphehane. Pouladuff is the anglicization of Pholl an Duibh or The Black Hole

 

 

Killeenreendowney ( West ) - 1927 OSi map

 

 

The western portion ( Togher ) of the Townland of Killeenreendowney , is sandwiched between the Togher and Pouladuff Roads , with its middle portion squeezed between Deanrock and Freagh & Vicars Acre ; with its remainder known as Killeenreendowney " East " lying in the neighbouring Suburb of Ballyphehane. Its name harkens back to perhaps pre - Patrician times or early Celtic Christianity , though there are advocates for the Druidic tradition as well. The Townland was most probably gifted to the early Celtic Christians by the ruling Ui Mc Ceir tribe who peacefully absorbed many interlopers down through the centuries. Following Norman occupation , the townland was briefly known as Galway's Town a.k.a. Galveston or Galweiston which appears in later medieval records as a sub-denomination of the Townland.  It is the only Townland which still has a religious namesake going back many millennia. The Down Survey of 1658 lists it as " Killinringdowny ". The blog looks at the possible site of an ancient church here.The land for a long time had an association with St. Mary's of the Isle.

 

 

1951 Aerial Map of Killeenreendowney

 

The Galway family are mentioned in a lease dated 1547 , and Galwaystown alias Killeen is given as their address. It is possible that this was a sub-denomination of the Townland though where it was located exactly is unknown. However by 1641 the greater part of the Townland is in the possession of George Gould. Following the Cromwellian Confiscations , all land was granted to Alexander Piggott whose family would hold it for the next 2 Centuries and more. In 1825 , a property known as Togher Farm came on the market. The intention being to convert it from a dairy farm to a market garden to cater for the expanding population of the City. This farm would eventually be bought by Paddy Long in the 1920s who held it until the early 1960s when it was bought by compulsory purchase order for corporation housing schemes. The Townland itself was sporadically purchased in piecemeal fashion by both private and corporation bodies during the 1950s , 1960s and 1970s for various housing schemes. The sole original connecting road between Togher Road and Pouladuff Road was the Hangdog Road , now Tramore Road , having its name changed by general consensus in 1960 , although the " Passage " albeit a dirt track which traversed the " Plots " was a secondary route. Edward Walsh Road , Vicars Road and the South Ring Road would follow in 1964 , 1968 and 1994 respectively. The Townland itself also boasts a Post Office. Rather bizarrely , both Ardmanning Avenue and Ardmanning Lawn are sited in Killeenreendowney.

Killeenreendowney ( West )
- data from Townlands.ie

Addresses ( Modern Era )

 

All houses fronting Togher Road ( starting from a point opposite Brookfield Lawn ) to the corner of Rose Lawn and thereafter from  just after Leaca Ban to Scout Hall and the Tramore River

All houses fronting Pouladuff Road ( from a point on the corner of Pearse Road junction ) on the western side down to Lee Metals and thereafter from west of Sheridan Park to the Tramore River

Boston Park

Ardmanning Lawn

Ardmanning Avenu
Pouladuff Post Office

Patrick Trahy Road

Patrick O'Donoghue Road
Michael Fitzgerald Road

Edward Walsh Road

Charles Daly Road

Marieville

The Acre

Deanwood Place

Willow Place

Woodlawn Mews

Dean Bastible Court
Tramore Road ( from Togher Road to before Sheridan Park )
Scout Hall
Coffey's Field

South Ring Road 

 

 

Addresses/Structures ( Historical Era )

 

The Plots ( Built over )

The Passage ( Built over )

The Laurels*
Leaca Ban*

The Citadel ( Demolished )

Marieville*

Sarahville *
Pouladuff Motors ( now Lee Metals )
Kelly's Lane ( now Willow Place )
Hangdog Road ( now Tramore Road )
Togher Railway bridge ( demolished 1975 )
Pouladuff Railway bridge ( demolished 1986 )

 

 

Boundary ( shown in red on aerial photo )

 

From a point near the houses on Pouladuff Road ( western side ) down from Pearse Road to Lee Metals following a diagonal line across Vicars Road to the land in front of Deanvale Place and curving around the Industrial Estate and around Woodlawn Mews and following a direct line through Tramore Road and the South Ring Road to the Tramore River. Following the Tramore River westwards back to the Togher Overpass bridge and northwards along the Togher Road to the corner turning into the rear gardens of  Willow Place and through the rear gardens of Woodlawn Mews before turning north through the rear gardens of Deanvale Place and following a line straight on through Vicars Road and around the rear gardens of Roase Lawn onto the Togher Road and then following a line up Togher Road before turning through the rear gardens of Boston Park to arrive at the point on Pouladuff Road.

Killeenreendowney satellite view 2010

 

Click on link below for the next Townland in the series.

 

Freagh & Vicars Acre

Townlands - 01 / 15 - Ardmanning More

Ard Manách Mór - Great Height of the Monk ( Monk's Height ) - 20 Acres

Ardmanning More - 1890 OSi map

 

 

Aerial photo - 1951
 

There is , like its sister Townland of the same name , Ardmanning Beg , much speculation as to the origin or indeed the actual meaning of the name. Strangely it does not show up in the Down Survey of 1658 , but does make an appearance in the historical record in 1654 two years previously as Ardmanyg. It may have been a sub-Townland of either Clashduff or Deanrock at some point in antiquity. There may be credence in the statement of the area as being the residence of a monk given its close proximity to the neighbouring Townland of Killeenreendowney which had an ecclesiastical association , whether that be Christian or Pagan. It is known that the local Gaelic tribe of the Ui Mc Ceir would donate land to new religious bodies to foster friendship. Manning may have come about due to Anglicization of the original Irish and the mispronunciation of Manách. Ardmanyg is a closer English pronunciation of Ardmanách. The height in question ( Ard ) obviously refers to its topography having an elevated view of both Togher and The Lough.

 

Ardmanning More ( data from townlands.ie )

 

Ardmanning is an elevated tract of land with many subterranean streams emptying both into the Lough and further downhill on its south facing side towards the Glasheen Stream and the old bog. At one time it was the most densely wooded region given its small size at 20 acres. Historically it was in the ownership of Pierce Gold as per the Civil Survey of 1641. He had the land partially rented out to a Capt. Phil Parker who was his tenant on 7 acres. It would seem that the Captain stayed little more than a decade. There is little historical data for the 18th Century though it is likely a family called Newenham were thought to live there. The Chinnerys , next to appear in the annals , show up around 1770. The lands passed to their nephew James Baggs in 1788 who would rent it out to several tenants. By 1850 it is in the hands of Hugh Delacour. John Coholan was the last landlord of Armanning More when in 1958 , he sold his land to Denis McCarthy builder , who constructed the 132 strong Earlwood Estate. This was completed in 1963 with many of the buildings fronting onto Togher Road being bought out ( and demolished ) with the construction of Ireland's FIRST suburban shopping centre and garage. Thankfully some of the old stone walls survive , hidden in plain sight. Sadly in 1968 , a resident of Earlwood Estate , J.B. O'Rourke lost his life in the infamous Tuskar Rock plane crash. In 1971 , Timothy J. O'Sullivan of 2 Earlwood Estate became Lord Mayor. He passed away in 1997. Even though he hailed from Togher , it was the tradition that the R.C. Parish from which he came was noted as his region. Togher up to 1977 was part of the Lough Parish , so it wouldn't be until 1983 when John Dennehy from Deanrock became Lord Mayor that Togher was mentioned. Therefore it can be stated that Togher has fielded 2 Lords Mayor.

Timothy J. O'Sullivan & wife Kathleen

Addresses ( Modern Era )

Earlwood Estate
Shopping Centre
Hanley's Garage

Addresses/Structures ( Historical Era )

Minnie's Orchard demolished circa 1960s ( walls partially survived )
R.I.C. Barracks demolished 1971
Ardmanning House demolished 2013

Boundary ( shown in red on aerial photo )

A point on Togher Road beginning opposite Boston Park and traversing the rear gardens of Earlwood Estate and turning sharply southwards to a point between Earlwood Estate and Hillside Drive. A line is then followed through the rear gardens of this part of the Estate to a point on Hazel Road where the line turns in a brief southerly direction before turning back through the rear gardens between Hazel Road and Earlwood Estate in a curved trajectory to a point on Togher Road , where the line moves up Ardmanning Hill to the initial point opposite Boston park. All land contained within the boundary line is deemed to be in the Townland of Ardmanning More.

Boundary of Ardmanning More

 

Click on link below for next Townland in the series
 

Ardmanning Beg

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