Civil Survey Notes - Ballingeer

Ballingeer

In the Civil Survey the following are recorded

Rory Hogan of Ballingeare gt.

John O Hogan of the same gt.

Mortagh O Hogan of the same gt.

Hugh O Hogan of the same gt.

We can then check these names / townland against the Hearth Money Rolls and also the transplantation decrees.

There is one very interesting decree in Simington’s Transplation to Connacht. It states that Joane, widow of Murtagh oge, and Philip Hogan, son and heir of said Murtagh. She is to transplanted to Galway, namely Leitrim Barony & the Parish of Ballynakill.

So from this we can put together a speculative tree

Mortogh Hogan m Joane ?

Son Philip Hogan.

It is likely that some of the other Hogans in the townland are also related to each other. By the time of the Hearth Money Rolls there are two Hogans still living in Ballingeer. Namely a John & a Conor. John Hogan could be the John O’ Hogan mentioned in the Civil Survey. As a note there is a Teige McMorrogh noted in the Hearth Money Rolls in Ballihilareagh and this is unidentified but may be very close to this townland. Could he be a son of Mortogh Hogan?

Did the Hogan’s go to Connacht? There a small number of Hogans in Ballynakill in the Griffiths Valuation but as parts of this are only on the other side of Lough Derg I would suggest this is inconclusive. There is no Hogan there with a larger than normal amount of land.

We look at the subsequent records from the Hearth Money Rolls on here.

https://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.com/2025/02/hearth-money-rolls-ballingeer.html

To briefly summarise these, the surname Hogan does carry on in the townland but the records just aren’t there to link them back to the 1600s records.

Hearth Money Rolls - Ballingeer

 

In the Hearth Money Rolls 1665
The following names were recorded in Ballingeer townland (Ballingire).

Even	Thomas
Conor	O'Hogane
John	O'Hogane

 

In the 1666-67 return the following are recorded.

Evan      Thomas

John      Hogane

Connor Hogane

John      Urvin

Dermott Bryan

Generally the first name in a townland seems to be the most important landowner. At least that is my impression.

So we have Even Thomas who must be an English settler and two Hogans, Conor and John common to both.  

We also have a John Urvin who may also be an English settler and Dermot O’Brien.

The next available "Census" for the area is the Tithe Appointment Books 1824 – I only have a scan of this from the Mikie Joy archive.

We have

? McInirney

Widow Carty & Seymour

William Kenny

Patt Sullivan

William Ryan

Thomas Brennan

John Ryan

Patt Keirse?

Martin Sheridan

Patt Kennedy

Hellibert & McKenerty (Kenestrsy)

Quigley & Ryans ?

Felton Watson

Batt? Clifford

? Ryan

William Carney

Patt Kenny

Mick Hogan

Martin McMahon

? Rolleston

Grazing Pasture

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16ghvJk9x432Zy6zSD3p_0bxT5SC8BtpB/view

Unfortunately the surname Thomas, Urvin or O’Brien do not survive but we do have a Mick Hogan remaining in the townland.

In the later Griffiths valuation a number of Hogans are listed. (see picture)

We have John, Michael & Patrick. Unfortunately these names are two common to link to the John and Conor in the Hearth Money Rolls in my opinion.   

The 1901 Census

https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tipperary/Castletownarra/Ballingeer/

Interestingly we find a father and son combination of John Hogans still in the townland.

And 1911 Census
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tipperary/Castletown/Ballingeer/

And it appears to be carrying on with a John Hogan aged 4 still in the townland (likely to be the grandson of the older John Hogan in 1901.

My own analysis of the rolls highlighting the Arra records.
https://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-hearth-money-rolls-in-half-barony.html?

Civil Survey Notes - Townlough

 

Townlough (Upper & Lower)

The following are recorded as owning land in Toumequane. The exact boundary differences between Toumeloghy & Toumequane I’m not certain of but they are close to the modern townlands of Townlough Upper & Lower.

Donogh O Bryen of Toumeloghy Gent

Teige o ffalvy of Curraghiviller gt.

Bryen O Bryen of Tomloghy Gent

Teige O Bryen of Tomloghy Gent.

Connor mcMorogh of Tomloghy gt.

Mortagh O Bryen of Coulebane Gent

Donogh O Bryon of Bellanaha Esqr &

Bryen O Bryen of Tomequane Gent.

Interestingly in Simingtons Transplantaion to Connacht we find a Conor McDonagh scheduled for transplantation from Tomlogha to Galway, namely Templetogher in the Barony of Ballymoe. There are some Briens in the Griffiths Valuation but really I think it is inconclusive due to the spread of the surname around Ireland.

Most likely I think he may be Donogh O Bryen of Toumeloghy’s son. We don’t see him in the later Hearth Money Roll for Townlough but there is a Connor McDonogh in Ballihilareagh and I think that may be a location in Townlough or very close.

Other possible connections between the Civil Survey and the HMR include Conor McMorogh. There is a Conor McMortagh listed in the Hearth Money Rolls.

There is also a Teige McDonogh – again possibly a son of Donogh O Bryen of Toumeloghy & perhaps brother of Conor.

There is also a Dermot McTeige, there is a small possibility that he could be a son of the above Teige McDonogh.

In Ballihilareagh we also have Teige McMorrogh, he could be a relative of Conor McMorogh / McMortagh.

For an area with nearly all O’Briens as owners in the Civil Survey, in the later records there are little to no record of O’Briens in the townland. So although Conor McDonogh O’Brien may have survived transplantation, the O’Briens did not prosper in the townland.

One interesting surname from the Hearth Money Rolls that did continue is Helebert and we can see more about that and later records here.

https://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.com/2025/02/hearth-money-rolls-townlough.html

Hearth Money Rolls - Townlough

 

In the Hearth Money Rolls
The following names were recorded in Townlough townland (Tomloghy / Tomlough).

In the 1665 record the following are listed

Diogenes	Edwards
Teige	McDonnogh
John	White
Owen	O'Helibirt
Conor	McMortagh

 

In the 1666-67 the following are recorded

Diogenes	Edwards
Dermott	McTeige
Teige	McDonnogh
John	White
Owen	Helbert
Connor	Hogan
Turloe	Bryan

 

Generally the first name in a townland seems to be the most important landowner. At least that is my impression.

So Diogenes or more likely Denis Edwards seems to be the most important landowner in the townland. It is likely that he is an English settler to the area.

McTeige and McDonnogh may be “descendants of” and are likely to be Gaelic in origin. Similarly Hogan and Bryan / O’Brien.

White is more than likely another English settler. A very interesting one is O’Helibirt / Helbert. I haven’t found a definite source for its origin. However it is a very rare name in Ireland as we can see from this map of instances in the 1901 census. https://www.barrygriffin.com/surname-maps/irish/helebert/

This would suggest to me that it may not be a Gaelic name but in 1665 it has an O’ added to it!

In the next “census” is the Tithe Appointment Books circa 1824, thanks to Joann Hinz who provided me with a copy of the relevant section.

Lower

Mr Standish Parker

John Nix

Upper

Denis Foley

Patt McCormack

Patt & William Hanelly

Widow McCormack

James Joy

John Hourigan & Partners

Daniel Hourigan & Partners

Daniel Hourigan

? Division

In the Griffiths Valuation Heleberts and Briens both appear in Townlough Upper. The rarity of the name would suggest that this Helebert is likely to be a descendant of Owen Helbert in 1666-67.

In 1901 we find the following

https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tipperary/Castletownarra/Townlough_Upper/

https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tipperary/Castletownarra/Townlough_Lower/
And again in 1911
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tipperary/Castletown/Townlough_Upper/

https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tipperary/Castletown/Townlough_Lower/

By 1901 / 1911 there are no Heleberts or Briens / O’Briens recorded. However Heleberts do continue in the area to this day.

 

My own analysis of the rolls highlighting the Arra records.
https://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-hearth-money-rolls-in-half-barony.html?

 

There is one location I have not been able to identify for certain - Ballihilareagh

 

From the locations beside it, it is likely to be in Castletownarra and possibly close to Townlough / Cloneybrien.

 

In this return there are only 3 names.

Mathew Bryan

Teige McMorrogh

Connor McDonogh 

Civil Survey notes - Cloneybrien

 

Cloneybrien

The Meadow or pasture of the O’Briens. In the Civil Survey the following were recorded as owning lands here.

Daniell O’Bryen of Clonybryen gent.

Bryen O’ Bryen of Clonybryen gent.

Bryen O’Bryen is listed as owning this land in descent from his father Donogh McTeige O’ Bryen.

Initially I had thought that it could be Donogh O’Brien of Bellanaha or possibly a grandson of Teige na Buile O’Bryen.

There is a Donal Mac I Brien who dies in 1606 (he was the Brother of Donogh O’Brien of Bellanaha). Could this Daniell who owns land here be a son or actually him?

However we see below that none of these quite fit.

These names are important when we look at other records in connection with the area.

In the Hearth Money Rolls of Cloneybrien we find a number of O’Brien (or variants) recorded.

There is a Marews, Mathew, Bryen and William noted in 1665 and a Marcus & Kenedy record in 1666/67.

It is likely that Marews & Marcus are the same name.

Byren O’Bryen may be the Bryen O’Bryen listed in the Civil Survey.

Looking at Simington’s Transplantation to Connacht. It is difficult to make out the various O’Briens that were listed to be transplanted. However the “O’Briens of Ryninch” article in Annals of Arra Vol. 2 points towards a book by O’Hart that lists some of these O’Briens more clearly but without their destinations in Connacht.

Combining Simington & O’Hart I think I have identified Cunogh as being Cone Ibryne in the Civil Survey which is Cloneybrien.

If this is correct then we find a Bryan Mc Daniel Bryan and a Marcus Mc Daniel Bryan listed for transplanted to Connacht.

However the Bryen that owned the land is Bryan McDonogh McTeige O’Brien (according to the Civil Survey). So unfortunately that doesn’t tie up as neatly as I hoped. (Bryan can’t be the son of Donogh (Denis) if he is the son of Daniel (Donal).)

What we do find however is that a Marcus & a Bryen are listed for transplantation to Connacht.

It is possible that there were a few Brien O’Briens in this townland. If so, it will make creating a speculative descent tree difficult.

In Simington - Marcus and Bryen are listed to be transplanted to Galway, the Barony of Ballymoe and the parish of Boyounagh. In Boyounagh there is only one Brien listed in the Griffiths Valuaton and that is a Patrick Brien in Lisheenaheltia. He is a very small tenant farmer.

Going by the Hearth Money Rolls we still find a Marcus and Bryen O’Bryen in Cloneybrien so maybe they never went or if they did, didn’t stay long. There is also a Kenedy Byren (and Mathew & William).

Mary Fitzgerald – author of The McKeogh Family Story has suggested in personal communication that the later name Kendall could be an anglicisation of Kennedy as a first name.

There is an interesting reference to a Kendall O’Brien

"In about 1780 a writer records that a genealogical Irish manuscript copied in the year AD. 1714 finds that John O'Brien was then the representative of this branch, and still enjoyed a part of the family estate, which was called Cluain-i-Brien in Ara, where he resided.

The writer was informed that one Kendal O'Brien was living then and was John O'Brien's grandson and heir."

Pg 38 From the History of the O'Briens by Donough O'Brien. 

From the "Ireland, Indexes to Wills, Probate Administration, Marriage Bonds and Licences, 1591-1866" there is a marriage license for the Diocese of Killaloe in 1759 between Kindall O'Brien and Mary Waller. Another record places him in Landsdown (the one near Portroe!) in 1775.

So this link would even be stronger here as it is the correct townland. Does the timeline fit for John O'Brien circa 1714 to be a son of Kenedy O'Brien listed in the Hearth Money Rolls (1666-67) and then for Kendall to be John's grandson? 

In the later census data – the name O’Brien isn’t very prominent in the townland. (It appears to disappear out of the townland for a time). There are some O’Briens living there in the 1901 and 1911 censuses.

https://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.com/2025/02/hearth-money-rolls-cloneybrien.html

Hearth Money Rolls - Cloneybrien

 

In the Hearth Money Rolls 1665
The following names were recorded in Cloneybrien townland (Cloanjbrind / Clone Bryan).

Marews	Bryen
Mathew	Bryen
Teige	O'Minoge
Wm	McEgane
Thomas	Leneger
Conor	O'Currine
Bryan	O'Bryen
Rory	O'Flanury
William	O'Birrin

For Cloneybrien there seems to be 2nd return or maybe an add-on in 1666-67

Recorded are

Marcus	Bryan
Teige	Minoge
Daniell	Casie
Edmund	Kenedie
John	O'Howrane
Connor	O'Courneene
Kenedy	Bryan
William	McEgan
William	Banane
Noreen	Ne Tane

Generally the first name in a townland seems to be the most important landowner. At least that is my impression.

So Marcus O’Brien is listed first in both and so must be of importance. However Marews / Marcus is the only of that name recorded in the half-barony so you would wonder if it is a correct first name.

Teige O’Minogue is third on the 1st list and 2nd of the 2nd list so again maybe of a higher than average rank. William McEgan appears on both lists also. We have a Conor O’Currine / O’Courneene. The exact surname for that today I’m not completely sure, possibly Curran?

There is the unusual surname Leneger and also an O’Byrne. In the 2nd list there is a Kennedy, Horan, Casey, Flannery, O’Brien and possibly a Bannon? One of the few ladies recorded is in this townland Noreen Ne Tane. Again I’m not certain of the surname there. We also have the interestingly named Kennedy Bryan or O’Brien.

 
The next available "Census" for the area is the Tithe Appointment Books 1824 – I only have a scan of this from the Mikie Joy archive.

John Quigley

? Barrett

Ned Dwyer

Michael Minogue

Rodger Meara

Salmon & Toohy

Ryan & Partners

Doyle & Quigley

John Quigley

? Starr

?

Thomas Carroll

? Leo

John Darcy

Larry ?

Darby Carrol

Quin & W Hicky

? Moloney ?

? & ? Carroll & Matt Ryan

Garry ?

Michael Roche

? Foley

? Leo & Ward

? McDanal

Rolleston mountain

? ?

Patrick Barrett

Rolleston Meadow

Rolleston pasture

Daniel Carroll

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16ghvJk9x432Zy6zSD3p_0bxT5SC8BtpB/view

Surprising considering they were broadly Gaelic surnames, only Minogue is still there in the Tithe appointments (There are a few I haven’t been able to transcribe, if you can please put them in the comments). So it is a possibility that Teige and Michael could be of the same line.

In the later Griffiths valuation none of the Hearth Money Roll names seem to reappear and Minogue also drops out of the townland. (See pictures)

See the 1901 census

https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tipperary/Castletownarra/Cloneybrien/

And 1911 census
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tipperary/Castletown/Cloneybrien/

In the 1901 we do have an O’Brien reappear and also in the 1911 an O’Brien and Kennedy.

My own analysis of the rolls highlighting the Arra records.
https://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-hearth-money-rolls-in-half-barony.html?

 

Castles ./ Tower-houses in Tipperary

 

Heat-map of density of Castles in Tipperary

What County has the most Tower-Houses in the Rep. of Ireland? 

Surprisingly Tipperary has the most Tower-Houses with 161 with the next highest being Cork with 133. 

One possible explanation is geography and that the midlands were known as March-lands. Armies naturally marched through them on the way to battle. To try and counter-act this the local leaders needed to be able to with-stand a short siege and hope that the army would pass through. 

There was also a high concentration of Anglo-Norman settlers in South Tipperary that needed to defend against possible aggressors in the more Gaelicized North of the County. 

The county is also the biggest inland county so it may be that an Anglo-Norman south combined with that size might just mean they had more tower-houses but that by density they don't necessarily have the most. 

Civil Survey Notes - Pallas More & Pallas Beg

 

Pallas More & Pallas Beg

In Pallas there was a Mac I Brien castle and an important earthen fort that was also likely to be associated with the Mac I Briens.

https://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-pailis-as-kingly-residence-north.html

The Castle is recorded in the Civil Survey thus

“Upon the sd. Lands stands a Ruinous Castle, wth. The priviledge of a Courte leete and Courte Barron to be held twice a yeare for the Tennts. of the Demeane of Donogh O’ Bryen by Pattent, as wee are informed./

And likewise a ffaire to be held once every years on the 18^th of October.”

In the Civil Survey the following are recorded

Donogh Brien' of Belanaha Esqr

Richard Earle of Corcke English Protestt.

Lewes Walsh of Thurles Esqr

Mathew Slattery of Palicebegg Gt

Phillipp O Slattery of Palicebegg

There are some interesting comparison with the Hearth Money Rolls. Firstly there must be a connection between Lewis Walsh of Thurles and Patrick Welch recorded here.

If you look at the record for Moneroe it records that Lewis Walsh purchased land there from “in fee

to him and his heires from Margarett Bryen als Terrill & hir husband & More Bryen Spinster

Sisters of Onora Wailsh all three being Daughters and coheires of Mortagh Bryen of Castletowne

and of the other third pte of the sd. three ptds in right of his wife Onora”.

 

So I think for the Walshes we may have this small tree

 

Lewis Walsh m Onora Byren of Castletown

Likely Sons –Patrick Walsh of Pallas (HMR) – Edmond Walsh of Carrigatoher Esqr (HMR) – possibly James Walsh of Castletown (HMR)

For the Byrens

Father Murrough (Bishop of Killaloe) (of Onora)

Mortagh Bryen of Castletown married Onora Bryen

Daughters Margarett Bryen m Terrill – More Bryen (Spinster) – Onora Byren m Lewis Walsh of Thurles

 

So that was a lot to show that Patrick Walsh mentioned was likely to be a son of Lewis Walsh.

There is a Daniel M Donnogh listed in the HMR for Pallas Beg. There is a small chance that is a relative of Donogh O’ Byren of Bellanaha. (Going by the Mc son of convention).

Similarly in Pallas Beg we find a More O’Brien and also two McDonagh – a Connor & Dermott. Could they be sons of Donogh O ‘ Byren of Bellanaha. Conor McDonagh owned a forge, I think that would make him unlikely to be a son of Donogh O’Byren of Bellanaha who is an Esqr.

Next we find a Conor Slattery in the HMR, as we see above there are two Slatterys listed as landowners in the Civil Survey Matthew & Philip. This is a rare surname in the Civil Survey & HMR (the only instance of each) and you would think there has to be a close connection here.

In Lisboney there is an early gravestone to a Matthew Slattery –

None of the surnames above remain in the townlands.

https://thetipperaryantiquarian.blogspot.com/2025/02/hearth-money-rolls-for-pallas-more.html