Gortaclogher
Gortaclogher (from Irish Gort an Chlochair, meaning 'The Small Field of the Stony Path') 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.
Geography
Gortaclogher is bounded on the north by Gowlagh South, Cloncurkney and Corboy Glebe townlands, on the west by Boley and Killyran townlands, on the south by Killywillin townland and on the east by Killymoriarty and Ray, Templeport townlands. Its chief geographical features are Templeport Lough, Killywillin Lough, Gortaclogher Lough, the River Blackwater, County Cavan, a wood and dug wells.
Gortaclogher is traversed by minor roads,rural lanes and the disused Cavan and Leitrim Railway.
The townland covers 253 statute acres.[1]
History
The 1609 Baronial Map depicts the townland as Errenagh (from Irish Airchinnech meaning "The Erenagh's Land").[2]
The 1652 Commonwealth Survey spells the name as Gartechlogher.
The 1665 Down Survey map depicts it as Gortlogher.[3]
William Petty's 1685 map depicts it as Gortlogher.
In the Plantation of Ulster by grant dated 29 April 1611, along with other lands, King James VI and I granted one poll of Errenagh to the McGovern Chief, Phelim Magawran, but it is probable that the lands had been in the possession of the McGovern clan for several hundred years before this and it was just a Surrender and regrant confirming the existing title to the McGoverns.
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 1 poll in Errenagh, went to his son Brian who was aged 30 (born 1592) and married.
The McGovern lands in Gortaclogher 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 being William Brampson, who also appears as proprietor for several other Templeport townlands in the same survey.
In the Hearth Money Rolls of 1662 there was one person paying the Hearth Tax in Gortaclogher- Castara O Dolan and Thomas McEtire
A grant dated 3 November 1666 was made by King Charles II of England to Sir Tristram Beresford, 1st Baronet which included, inter alia, the lands of Gatcloghir. By grant dated 11 September 1670 from King Charles II of England to said Sir Tristram Beresford, the said lands of Gatcloghir were included in the creation of a new Manor of Beresford.
The 1790 Cavan Carvaghs list spells the townland name as Gortclogher.[4]
The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list fourteen tithepayers in the townland.[5]
In 1833 two people in Gortaclogher were registered as a keeper of weapons- Peter Brannan and Thomas Magee.[6]
In 1841 the population of the townland was 113, being 54 males and 59 females. There were twenty houses in the townland, all of which were inhabited.[7]
In 1851 the population of the townland was 95, being 42 males and 53 females, the reduction being due to the Great Famine (Ireland). There were thirteen houses in the townland, all were inhabited.[8]
Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists thirty four landholders in the townland.[9]
In 1861 the population of the townland was 74, being 38 males and 36 females. There were eleven houses in the townland and all were inhabited.[10]
In the 1901 census of Ireland, there are eleven families listed in the townland, [11] and in the 1911 census of Ireland, there are only ten families listed in the townland.[12]
Antiquities
The only structure of historical interest in the townland is the disused Cavan and Leitrim Railway
