Enaghbeg

Enaghbeg (Irish: An tAonach Beag) is a townland located in the Barony of Tirawley, in the County of Mayo. It is in the Electoral Division of Deel, in Civil Parish of Crossmolina. Agriculture is the primary economic activity.

The townland is situated west of Crossmolina and north of the N59 main road to Belmullet. Enaghbeg borders the following other townlands: Ballinlabaun to the south; Freeheen to the east; Gortnahurra Upper to the west; Knockbaun to the east; Polladoohy to the west; Rathmore to the north and Tobermore to the south. It has an area of 1,622,994 m² / 162.30 hectares / 1.6230 km². This is equivalent to 0.63 square miles or 401.05 acres / 401 acres, 0 roods, 8 perches.[1]

History

The townland is mentioned in 1757 in a public announcement in Pue's Occurence, an 18th century Irish newspaper. The announcement makes reference to a legal dispute between two local landlords - George Jackson as plaintiff and Roger Palmer the elder and Roger Palmer the junior as defendants. The townland, along with neighboring districts, were put up for sale to resolve the dispute. In the announcement, Enaghbeg was also referred to as Lenagh.[2]

A number of residents are recorded as paying Tithes - taxes to the established Church of Ireland - in the Tithe Applotment Books of 1833. Prominent family names appearing in the register include Gill, Ruane, Mullen, Sweeney and McLoghlin.[3] Fifteen households are recorded in the 1901 census.[4]

On January 17, 1902, a number of men from Enaghbeg created a serious disturbance on Fair Day in Crossmolina. Patrick Sweeney from Enaghbeg was arrested for being drunken and disorderly. Several family members and neighbors attempted to rescue him from arrest. The initial attempt was successful and a number of RIC Officers were injured during the rescue. Sweeney was subsequently re-captured. The police identified a number of ringleaders who were implicated in the rescue attempt. They were later summoned to the Crossmolina Petty Sessions on a variety of public order offenses. The local parish priest - Monsignor O'Hara - pleaded on behalf of the accused, telling the court that he "had never known a better behaved or peace loving people" as those now in the dock. Several of the accused was sentenced to prison sentence is ranging from 1 to 3 months.[5]

Agricultural disputes

Given the heavy dependence on agricultural activities in Enaghbeg, rent arrears, land disputes between neighbors, and conflicts with cattle dealers were common and occasionally led to litigation. In 1930, Peter McGoff of Enaghbeg sued his neighbor Francis Kilroy and the grounds of obstruction. The cause of the dispute was a poorly worded deed arising out of sale of land in 1922. The deed did not adequately specify rights of access to various small land holdings within the townland. McGoff lost the case.[6]

in 1928, two Enaghbeg tenants, Dan Sweeney and Paddy Sweeney - were among a number of individuals from Crossmolina who were sued for non payment of Conacre rents by their landlord. Although a conacre rent was essentially a short term lease on a piece of land, the arrears in question had build up over many years. The judge was in no hurry to hear the case and decided to adjourn the matter to an unspecified later date.[7]

In 1940, an Enaghbeg farmer - James McHugh - sued Jack Moran, a cattle dealer from Ballyhaunus for the recovery of £25 10s for breach of warranty in the sale of five calves. McHugh claimed that the calves were diseased at the time of sale. McHugh received compensation for two of the calves he purchased.[8]

In 1936, the residents of Enaghbeg, along with those in the neighboring Townlands of Pulladoohy and Rathmore petitioned the Mayo County Council regarding flooding caused by the Enaghbeg river. The Irish land commission has started to drain the nearby bog, pumping the excess water into the river. This caused flooding of the farmland upstream. The residents asked the Council to widen the river and clear debris.[9]

Places of interest

Enaghbeg National School

The townland had a National school, which was built in 1896 at a cost of £381. It replaced an earlier school, in Rathmore, which was built in 1833. Enaghbeg and Richmond National Schools were amalgamated in 1971.[10]

Megalithic tomb
Megalithic tomb

Enaghbeg has the remains of a megalithic portal tomb in a field by the road that runs through the center of the townland. The site is scheduled for inclusion in the next survey of National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.[11]

Enaghbeg River

A tributary of the Deel river that runs through the townland.

Notable people

Robert Gill - A locally renowned bone setter who lived to the age of 106. He died in January 1930 and came from a long line of family bone setters. Although he lived relatively close to Ballina and it's railway station, he reportedly had never seen a train. His death was announced in a number of Irish local newspapers.[12][13]

Patrick (Isaac) Sweeney - Won £5,000 after gambling a penny on the football pools in 1948. Although Sweeney was born in Enaghbeg, he won the cash while living in London.[14] In 2019 prices the winning was worth £183,167.[15]

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References
  1. "Irish Townlands". 4 July 2020.
  2. "George Jackson, Plaintiff". Pue's Occurence. 12 July 1757. p. 3.
  3. "National Archives of Ireland - Tithe Applotment Books". 6 July 2020.
  4. "Ireland census 1901 - Enaghbeg, Mayo". National Archives of Ireland. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  5. "ATTEMPTED RESCUE OF A PRISONER. MONSIGNOR OHARA INTERCEDES FOR THE DEFENDANTS". Western People. 8 February 1902. p. 4.
  6. "Sequel to land hunger". Connaught Telegraph. 31 May 1930.
  7. "Question of Settlement". Western People. 28 July 1928.
  8. "Conspiracy with Cattle dealers". Ballina Herald. 9 March 1940.
  9. "Mayo District Council". Ballina Herald. 14 November 1936.
  10. "Local National Schools, Crossmolina in Co. Mayo". Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  11. "National Inventory of Architectural Heritage". Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  12. "Death of Robert Gill". Ballymoney Free Press and Northern Counties Advertiser. 23 January 1930. p. 4.
  13. "Centenarian who never saw a train". Irish Independent. 14 January 1930. p. 8.
  14. "Crossmolina football pools winner". Connaught Telegraph. 20 March 1948.
  15. "Inflation calculator - Bank of England". Bank of England. 7 July 2020.


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