Townlands of Garrafrauns

There are 60.000 separate townlands in Ireland. Most of the townland names are English versions of Gaelic/Irish language names.  The names often reflect some physical description of the area . In rural areas the townland name often refers to the flora of the area or the agricultural use made of the land. The early Irish settlers placed much value on cattle as a measure of wealth so it comes as no surprise that many of the our townland names refer to fields or grazing areas. In the west of Ireland the land was often wooded and wet so we come across names such as “Cluain”, reclaimed meadowland, , “Coill”, a wood and “Gort”, a tillage field.  In the Garrafrauns area the word “Cluain” is included in four village names.

In 1834 John  O’Donovan, assisted by Eugene O’ Curry  began fieldwork for the Ordnance Survey, travelling throughout Ireland working on place names.. The fieldwork involved writing an explanation of over 60,000 townland names as well as details of the history and antiquities of all of these townlands. It covered 29 of Ireland’s 32 counties and it took place over the course of seven years. Some of the interpretations of the work of O’Donovan are incuded below. 

Over the years many townland names have undergone changes in spelling and it is not unusual for a village to have a number of different variations.

Garrafrauns;Garrafranes; Garbhthráin;  Garbh Fearáin; (Rough Grassy Place); Garra bhFearáin(Garden of the Wild Brambles); Garbh Ruadháin (Rough Red Grass); Na Garfráin; Garbh Shrutháin (Rough Stream); Total Area; 201 acres; Bogland 62 acres  Landlord; Martin Kirwan (Blindwell),

Cloonfane;  Cluain Péin (Meadow of the Pine trees); Cluain Féan (Meadow of the Wagons);         Cluain Fiáin (Wild Meadowland) Area;492 acres; Bogland 215 acres ;Richard Kirwan (landlord) 

Carrowntomush; Ceathrú an tSomhais  (Restful Quarter)

Carranthomas;   Ceathrú Thomáis (Quarterland of Thomas)    Area; 204 acres  Landlord; James Gilbraith

Ardcloon; Ardchluain  (High Meadowlands) Area;169 acres Bogland 30 acres

James Thorngate (Landlord)

Cloonagh; Cluain Each (Meadow of the Steed (Horse) ;Cluain Átha; (Meadow at the river ford);

Landlord; Sir George Shee; Total area; 449 acres; Bogland 339 acres

Shanballymore;  Gaelic;      Sean Bhaile Mór; (Big, old townland)

Area;  724 acres; Bogland 287 acres; Rock 40 acres; Landlord; Richard Kirwan

Location;   North of Garrafrauns village

Gortnagoyne; Gortnagoine;  Gort na gCadhain; Gort na Géadháin   (Tillage field of the Barnacle Geese); Total Area; 690 acres;      Bog 270 acres; 10 rough pasture; Landlord; George Shee

Cloonbrusk; Cloonbrisk; Cluain Brusc (Meadowland of loose soil)

Total Area; 161 acres; 40 acres Bog; Landlord; Admiral Dudley Oliver (Dublin)

Addergoole Beg; Addragoole Beg;

Eadra gCúl; Eadargúil (Small Townland between a river fork)

Total Area; 161 acres ; 25 acres Bogland; Landlord; Sir George Shee

Gortnalea;    Gort na Liath; (Field of the Grey Stones)

Gort na Lao (Field of the Calves); Gort na Lia (Field of the Physicians); Total Area; 473 acres; Bogland 120 acres

Corohan; Curraghan; Curraghaun;

An Currachán (Small Wetland/Marsh); (Rough Hilly Land;)

Area;   590 acres;Landlord; Richard Kirwan
 

Knockatee; Cnoc an Tí; (Hill of the House); Cnoc an tSí (Fairy Hill)

Total Area; 194 acres (East)  286 acres (West); Landlord;  Sir George Shee

Quinaltagh; Cinne Ultach (Tribe 0f Ulster); Cíung Ultach (Swingle of the Ulsterman; Cíung-altach (Knotty swingle); Caoin na nUltach;(Lament of the Ulster people)

Total Area; 721 acres; Bogland 210 acres; Rock; 27 acres; Water 2.5 acres

Landlord; Richard Kirwan

Cloondergan, Cloondargan; Cluain Deargán(Meadow of Dearga; Meadow of Red grasses)

Cloondalgin, Cloondalgan; Cluain Dealgán (Meadow of the Dalgin);  (Thorny meadow); Cluain Dearcáin (Meadow of the acorns);Total Area; 709 acres;Landlord; Court of Chancery;

Darrary; Dairbhre; Darraridhe; Place of the Oak Wood;Total area
(Darrary North); 160 acres; Bogland 70 acres

(Darrary South); 168 acres; Bogland 45 acres; Landlord; Martin Kirwan (Blindwell)

 Laughill; Loughill; Leathchoill (Halfwood);  Leac Hill; (Hill of the Flagstones)

Not an official townland name and is situated in Quinaltagh;

 
Poll an Adhastair;

(pull of the bridle); Located on the Garrafrauns to Milltown Road at a steep hill.

Capacoillín; Ceapach Choillín; (tillage patch of the little wood); situated in the village of Cloonfane;

Kinmacnella; Cinn Mac Niallach (Tribe of Niall);;Kilmacnella; Cill Mac Niallach  (Church of Niall)

Kinnakinelly; Cnoic an Eala (Hill of the Swans);Landlord; Francis Fitzgerald