Derrycassan

Derrycassan (from Irish: Doire an Cásain meaning either the "Path through the Oakwood" or "Cassan's Oakwood" (Cassan being an early Irish form of the present name Cassidy) is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Templeport and barony of Tullyhaw. The local pronunciation is Dorrahasson.

Derrycassan townland

Geography

Derrycassan is bounded on the north by Kilnavert and Corran townlands, on the west by Camagh, Sruhagh and Gorteen, Templeport townlands, on the south by Derryniggin in County Leitrim and Burren townland and on the east by Coologe and Toberlyan townlands. Its chief geographical features are Coologe Lake, Derrycassan Lake and Camagh Lough. Derrycassan is traversed by a public road and several rural lanes. The townland covers 498 statute acres.[1]

History

Medieval

The earliest surviving mention of the townland name is Doire Casáin, which appears in an interesting list of the rents due to the McGovern Chief, Maghnus 'Ruadh' Mág Samhradháin about 1400 A.D.[2] It reads as follows:

This is the portion of Doire Casáin- 18 kegs of butter and 8 cakes and half a beef at Christmas and a sheep in autumn and a sheep in summer and two kegs of butter in winter and 8 kegs of meal and as much again in autumn and a keg of butter for Mayday and a gallon of butter for his ploughman in summer.[3]

From this list we see that in 1400 the main type of farming carried on in Derrycassan was milk and beef cattle together with sheep.

A Roman poem from 91 A.D., the Thebaid by Publius Papinius Statius was translated into Irish as Togail na Tebe.[4] This Irish version was transcribed in 1487 in Derrycassan by Diarmaid Bacach mac Parthalain (Dermot "The Lame" MacPartland), in the house of his father, Fineen mac Parthalain. The introduction to the translation translates as

This book was written A.D. 1487, and in the same year died O'Reilly, to wit, Turlough, son of John; and in the same year were slain the sons of O'Rourke, to wit, Tiernan and Brian Roe, to wit, Tiernan was slain by the sons of MacDermot and by Muintir-Eolais in treachery, and Brian by a son of O'Rourke, to wit, by Owen, son of Felim, son of Donough, son of Tiernan; and in the same year was slain Tiernan Duv, son of Donough Blind-eye Tiernan by O'Donnell, to wit, by Hugh Roe O'Donnell; and in the same year was demolished the castle of O'Rourke, to wit, Felim, son of Donough by O'Donnell and by the sons of O'Rourke; and in the same year the fortress of Lough Oughter was taken possession of by the race of Donnell Ban O'Reilly. It was myself Dermot 'The Lame' MacPartland that transcribed this book, to wit, son of Fineen, son of Foirithe, son of Ferral, son of Farlane; and half of this book was written in the house of Fineen, to wit, in Derry Casan, and the other part of it was written in the house of the descendants of Brian of Tullyhaw, that is the mansion house (the McGovern castle in the townland of Ballymagauran), that is, of Felim, son of Tomas Og, son of Tomas Mor (Feidhlimidh mac Tomás Óg Mág Samhradháin was the chief of the McGoverns at the time the book was written); and it was finished in Inishowen upon Thursday during the feast of St Catherine. (Diarmaid Bacach mac Parthalain doscribh in leabar-sa .i. mac Fingin mic Foirithe mic Fergail mic Partalain & a tigh Fingin doscribad leth in lebair-sa .i. a Doire Casain & a tigh mic Briain Tellaigh-Echach dos-cribad in cuid ele de .i. a tigh arosa .i. Feilimid mac Tomais meic Fergail meic Tomais údh tigerna a Tellach Echach re linn in lebairsia do sgribad & ar iniss Eocinain docrichnuighedh e i nDardain re feil Catrina) And G is the Dominical Letter in that year and S the Golden Number. And the hospitality of Felim the son of Thomas the son of Fergus son of that Thomas lord of Tullyhaw during the time when this book was written. And at the same period there were two bishops in the bishopric of Kilmore, to wit, Cormac, son of the bishop Magauran, (Cormac Mág Shamhradháin) and Thomas son of Andrew MacBrady, (Tomás Mac Brádaigh) each one of them alleging that he himself is bishop there; and Felim, son of Donough, son of Tiernan is O'Rourke during the period of those bishops, and John son of Turlough son of John is O'Reilly at that time. And in the same year was slain Ua Mael-Shechlain, to wit, Laighnech Ua Mael-Shechlain, by Conn son of Art ua MaelShechlain. And may the blessing of God rest on the soul of him that wrote this book. And there was war between Magauran and O'Reilly, to wit, John O'Reilly, in that same year; and another war between the descendants of Teige O'Rourke, etc.[5]

Diarmaid Bacach mac Parthalain also wrote or transcribed the following, some in Tullyhaw, probably in Derrycassan.[6] (1) Tochmarc Becfhola or The Wooing of Becfola.[7] (2) Irish translations of romantic tales, lives of saints and other religious texts.[8] (3) Dán do Chormac Mág Shamhradháin Easpag Ardachaidh.[9]

His brother Conall Ballach Mac Parthaláin (Conall "The Freckled" MacPartland) was also a scribe. He produced part of the manuscript Rawlinson B 513 Bodleian Library, Oxford, England.[10]

After 1600

The 1609 Baronial Map depicts the townland as Dirricasan.[11][12] The 1652 Commonwealth Survey spells the name as Derrecassan. The 1665 Down Survey map depicts it as Derrycashan.[13]

In the Plantation of Ulster by grant dated 29 April 1611, along with other lands, King James I granted the two polls of Dirricassan to the McGovern Chief, Feidhlimidh Mág Samhradháin.[14] The townland had been part of the McGovern chief's personal demesne for several hundred years before this and it was just a Surrender and regrant confirming the existing title to the then chief. This is confirmed in a visitation by George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes in autumn 1611 when he states that Magauran had his own land given him on this division.[15]

An Inquisition of King Charles I of England held in Cavan town on 4 October 1626 stated that the aforesaid Phelim Magawrane died on 20 January 1622 and his lands including two polls of Derricassan went to his son, the McGovern chief Brian Magauran who was aged 30 (born 1592) and married.[16]

The McGovern lands in Derrycassan were confiscated in the Cromwellian Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652 and were distributed as follows-

The 1652 Commonwealth Survey lists the proprietor as John King & others.

In the Hearth Money Rolls compiled on 29 September 1663[17] there were three Hearth Tax payers in Dirilussno- James Meeke, Robert Turner and Shane O'Killyn.

A grant dated 1667 from King Charles II to James Thornton included 191 acres and two roods in Derrycassan.[18]

A grant dated 7 July 1669 from King Charles II to John, Lord Viscount Massareene included five acres in Derrychashen.[18]

A deed dated 8 June 1730 by John Johnston of Currin refers to lands in Derryhassan.[19]

The 1790 Cavan Carvaghs list spells the townland name as Derrycassar.[20]

In the 1825 Registry of Freeholders for County Cavan there were six freeholders registered in Derrycassan- Thomas Breden, Patrick Gannon, Francis Logan, Owen M'Dermott, Edward Maher and Myles Rorke. They were all Forty-shilling freeholders holding a lease for lives from their landlord. William Blashford of Lissanover.

The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list one hundred and forty five tithepayers in the townland.[21]

In 1833 two people in Derrycassan were registered as a keeper of weapons- Thomas Bredin and William Lauder.[22]

The Derrycassan Valuation Office Field books are available for November 1839.[23][24][25][26]

Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists sixty eight landholders in the townland.[27]

Census

Year	Population	Males	Females	Total Houses	Uninhabited
1841	253	132	121	48	0
1851	191	105	86	43	4
1861	151	75	76	36	0
1871	135	71	64	29	0
1881	116	60	56	24	0
1891	98	49	49	23	1

In the 1901 census of Ireland, there are twenty nine families listed in the townland.[28]

In the 1911 census of Ireland, there are twenty two families listed in the townland.[29]

Antiquities

The chief structures of historical interest in the townland are:

1. An earthen ringfort.[30]
2. An earthen ringfort.[31]
3. A crannóg in Derrycassan lake. An ancient stone axe was found there in 1935 and is now in the National Museum of Ireland.[32][33]
4. A crannóg in Derrycassan lake.[34][33]
5. A medieval Bullaun Stone is located in the townland, which local tradition claims is a cure for warts.[35][36]
6. In 1863 a small, very perfect, copper battle-axe, 61 inches long, and 3 inches wide, with four rivets and an iron weapon-tool, adze-shaped on one side, and hatchet on the other, 9 inches long were found in Derrycassan.[37]

References

1. "IreAtlas". Retrieved 29 February 2012.
2. L. McKenna (1947), The Book of Magauran
3. Leabhar Méig Shamradháin, the MacGovern Poembook by Nollaig Ó Muraíle, in "Culture and society in early modern Breifne/Cavan", Dublin 2009.
5. Togail na Tebe: The Thebaid of Statius:, ed. George Calder (Cambridge: University Press 1922).
6. Diarmuid O Laoghaire, "Beathai naomh iasachta sa Ghaeilge" (unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University. College Dublin, 1967), p.xxx.
7. Bhreathnach, Máire. A new edition of Tochmarc Becfhola in Ériu 35 (1984) Pages 59–91.
8. "Irish translations of romantic tales, lives of saints and other religious texts. 156 ff. vellum mainly 9x6 1/4 ins. with ornamental initials. Scribe (in part): Diarmaid bacach Mac Parrthaláin, bar. Tullyhaw, co. Cavan, c. 1487; partly written in house of Niall Ó Siaghail (Ballysheil, par. Gillen, bar. Garrycastle, Offaly?) c.1484; with 16th c. additions by Brian Ó Maoilchonaire for (Brian ballach?) Ó Ruairc, Leitrim". sources.nli.ie.
9. Dán do Chormac Mág Shamhradháin Easpag Ardachaidh by Gearóid Mac Niocaill in Seanchas Ardmhacha, vol. 4, no. 1 (1960-61), pp. 141-146.
10. Ó Con Cheanainn, Tomás: Scríobhaí ‘Leabhar Mhuintir Laidhe’ agus ‘Rosa Anglica’, in Éigse 37 (2010), pp. 112–118.
11. National Archives Dublin:
12. "Templeport Development Association - 1609 Baronial-Map". www.templeport.ie.
13. Trinity College Dublin: The Down Survey of Ireland.
14. Chancery, Ireland (11 April 1800). "Calendar of the Patent Rolls of the Chancery of Ireland". A. Thom – via Google Books.
16. "Inquisitionum in Officio Rotulorum Cancellariae Hiberniae Asservatarum Repertorium". command of his majesty King George IV. In pursuance of an address of the house of Commons of Great Britain (an Ireland). 11 April 1829 – via Google Books.
17. The Hearth Money Rolls for the Baronies of Tullyhunco and Tullyhaw, County Cavan, edited by Rev. Francis J. McKiernan, in Breifne Journal. Vol. I, No. 3 (1960), pp. 247-263
18. "Commissioners of Public Records in Ireland : fourteenth and fifteenth reports with appendix, 1824-25". HMSO. 11 April 1825 – via Internet Archive.
19. "Memorial extract — Registry of Deeds Index Project". irishdeedsindex.net.
21. Tithe Applotment Books 1827
22. "Templeport Registered to keep Arms". www.bawnboy.com.
27. - Derrycassan
28. "National Archives: Census of Ireland 1911". www.census.nationalarchives.ie.
29. "National Archives: Census of Ireland 1911". www.census.nationalarchives.ie.
30. Site number 505 in Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan, Patrick O'Donovan, 1995, where it is described as- Marked 'Fort' on OS 1836 and 1876 eds. A slightly raised, formerly oval-shaped area enclosed by a substantial bank and a wide, shallow fosse from NNW-E-SE. Elsewhere, site has been largely levelled. Original entrance not recognisable. Internal area slopes quite steeply from NE-SW.
31. Site number 506 in Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan, Patrick O'Donovan, 1995, where it is described as- Situated on SSW slope of a high drumlin ridge overlooking Derrycassan Lough c. 40m to S. Raised oval area (int. dims. 38.3m E-W; c. 28m N-S) enclosed by an earthen bank which is substantial from W-N-E and more poorly defined elsewhere, and a wide, deep fosse. At E the perimeter has been defaced as a result of the erection of a field boundary. An earlier report (OPW 1969) noted that the original entrance was at E.
32. Site number 1536 in Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan, Patrick O'Donovan, 1995, where it is described as- Situated in a reed-and-scrub-covered area on what is presently the N shore of a channel linking Derrycassan and Coologe Loughs. During the cleaning of a drain in 1992, a number of vertical timbers were revealed some of which were pointed, while others had possible mortices. Nearby there were horizontal timbers and deposits of stone and peat. It is believed (OPW 1992) that the remains represent the edge of a circular crannóg (diam. 25m-30m).
33. White, Kevin. "The Plain of Blood, A Study of the Ritual Landscape of Magh Slecht, Co. Cavan" – via www.academia.edu. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
34. Site number 1537 in Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan, Patrick O'Donovan, 1995, where it is described as- Not marked on OS 1836 or 1876 eds. Small oval island (dims. c. 30m WNW-ESE; c.20m NNE-SSW) in Ballymaguaran Lough, c. 200m from the shoreline.
35. Site number 1639 in Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan, Patrick O’Donovan, 1995, where it is described as- Irregularly shaped earthfast stone (max. dims. 0.85m x 0.75m) with a circular bullaun (diam. 0.23m; D 0.18m) in its upper surface at one end, accompanied by three shallow depressions (dims. 0.05-0.06m) roughly arranged in an arc. Tradition that it was a cure for warts (local information).
36. "megalithomania: Derrycassan (Cavan) :: Bullaun Stone :: Visit notes". www.megalithomania.com.
37. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 1864, Vol. 8, p.328

External links

• The IreAtlas Townland Data Base
• Diary of a Derrycassan farming family in the 1940s

1. Salvador Ryan, ‘Wily women of God’ in "Cavan’s late medieval and early modern devotional collections", in Brendan Scott (ed.), Culture and society in early modern Breifne/Cavan (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2009) ‘Wily women of God’ in Cavan’s late medieval and early modern devotional collections’, in Brendan Scott (ed.), Culture and society in early modern Breifne/Cavan (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2009)