Dereenahinch TOWNLAND

Ardcarn (Roscommon)

Doirín na hInse (little oak-wood/derry of the inch/holm/island) aka Derreenahinch, Kilmactranny (near Ballyfermoyle) is a small 84-acre townland on the south-east shore of Lough Skean  (where two crannog can be found, the one furthest north is known as Green Island).

Dereenahinch is in the Civil Parish of Ardcarne, the Catholic Parish of Cootehall and the Civil Registration district of Boyle.  

"At the Northern extremity of the Parish. Bounded on the N. by Lough Skean. East by the townlands of Clooncruffer and Lyonstown; South by Derrynasalt; and West by Corderry and Lough Skean… Contains [84] statute acres of which about 4 are bog… Soil; light, wet and sandy clay. Produce: oats, potatoes, and flax. Farms from 4 to 12 Irish acres". [OS1839]

It was home to a cluster of Irish-speaking small-farmers who, related through marriage, shared land in common in 1834. Church records for Ardcarn/Cootehall don't begin here until 1843.

Their landlord was Thomas Tennison (subsequently Edward King-Tenison) of Kilronan Castle.​

By 1857 [Griffith's Map], the farmhouse of Owen (aka Eugene) Grey can be found near the shore [GV1a]. 

Owen's grandson, Martin Grey Jr. (b.1872)  occupied this house in 1911. He was the son of Martin Grey & Brigid Kelly. The last Grey to reside here was Mattie Grey, an only child, who died a bachelor. The farm sold and is still extant on this lakeshore site today.

Two houses in the centre of the townland (along the boreen road leading up to the lakeshore) mapped in 1837, were 'down' (unhabitable) by 1857.  One of these was the home of Stephen Logan, recorded in "Derrinahinch" in 1834, sharing land in common with the Greys and Leydons aka Leadon aka Laydon. In 1845, Catherine Logan married Thomas Casey (witnessed by neighbours Edward and Brigid Leydon). They baptised a son, Patrick, in 1847, when the Great Famine was at its peak, then disappeared off record.  By 1857, the Logan's were long gone.

By 1857 [GV farm #2], the farm and house of Thomas Leydon Sr. [GV2a] was occupied by his son Thomas Leydon b.1822  (who married Anne Lenahan).

By 1857 [GV farm #3], the farm and house of John Grey [GV3a] was occupied by his son Thomas Grey b.1821 (who married Brigid Leydon). Edward Grey (1870-1940) & Catherine McDonogh passed their farm on to daughter Winifred Grey & Patrick Carroll. Some of Edward's weather-lore was recorded in the 1930s Duchas Collection. 

 

[Reverse Genealogy by Rua Mac Diarmada]