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There is an estate in Ballinlass (of Killeroran) that looks quite different from the surrounding areas in the Griffith's map. I have highlighted the boundaries of this estate in the picture Ballinlass Estate.jpg. I cannot find much information about this estate except its inclusion in the Griffith's valuation and a mention in the old houses of Ireland: http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/estate-show.jsp?id=1259

Lawrence Kenny moved from Ballinlass (his birth 1816 and still probably living there in 1838 when one of his sisters married), to Cornadrum (1851, extract of 1851 census for his daughter Catherine),  to lot 2 of Gorta More (1855 Griffith's Valuation, highlighted above) and perhaps to Lough Village aka Gortacoosaun (1868, marriage of daughter Catherine). See Picture Moves of Lawrence Kenny.jpg. Such frequent moves is unusual. I remember one discussion I had with my mother in law, around 1990, about the emigration of her ancestors. She said it was  not just because of the famine, but also because of the pressure of landlords converting farmers lots to pastures. Her ancestors could have felt threatened after the forced evictions of (the other) Ballinlass in 1846. I theorize that the establishment of the estate above, from the former land of Martin Ffrench, might have caused their eviction from their original homeland. 

Would someone know of the establishment of the Ballinlass estate, and whether that would have been accompanied by farmers evicitons?

Georges Mony

Tuesday 15th May 2018, 12:09AM

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  • Mallow Cork

    Tuesday 15th May 2018, 11:42AM

  • Thank you for your comments. The Ballinlass townland I am referring to is located in the parish of Killeroran. It is different from the Ballinlass located in the parish of Ballynakill, where the forced evictions mentioned in your links took place. They are however rather close to one another. Most of the Kenny family emigrated to America in the 1850s. I was able to find living relatives in Ireland, who were not aware of the exodus of their family, but amazingly still live on the plot of the Kenny ancestors, as shown on the Griffith’s map.

    There are hundreds of descendants of the Kenny-Cahill (Family names of husband and wife) families now living in the United States, and my wife is a member of the John Kenny branch who emigrated first near Manchester England before going to Fall River, Massachusetts. My posting is a follow-up to comments made by my mother in law in the 1980s, when I was documenting her side of the family on my newly acquired genealogy software. She passed away in 2002 and unfortunately, I never looked for further information from her. Her comment was that pressure from landlords to convert their lands for pastures was one of the reasons for the migration.

    It could be that in fact the family was traumatized by the forced evacuations of Ballinlass (of Ballynakill) that took place a few miles away. However, I notice that the family moved first from Ballinlass (of Killeroran) to Cornadrum, then to Cornananta More (misspelled in my original post). It could indicate that there were local events making their life difficult. The 1855 Griffith’s map shows the D’Arcy estate, then occupied by Malachy Fallon, and located in Ballinlass, in the same way as the Castle French property: trees, alleyways, greenish background. Hence my original post: could the creation of this estate have displaced the Kenny-Cahill family, prior to the Great Famine?

    I will see if I can find more on the d’Arcy family. Thanks again for your post.

    Georges Mony

    Friday 18th May 2018, 02:28PM

  • It is unlikely that your Kenny ancestor's farm was in Ballinlass Demesne (the area you have highlighted on your map that is shaded darker and planted with trees; this was held in fee by the landlord at Ballinamore and sub-let to a gentleman/agent).

    The "Ballenlass" Tithe Records here also encompasses the surrounding townlands e.h. BALLINVOHER NORTH and SOUTH (denoted as "road") GORTACOOSAUN ("Coosaune") etc.  So it is entirely possible that they were right where you believe they migrated to. Corssing over a townland or two was more common than is believed...

    It could be that this family could only qualify for 7 years leases (common at that time for small farms). This forced small-holders to move more frequently than those who held larger (more affluent) farms in their own name (or on behalf of a rundale). 

    Your best bet would be to follow any Encumbered Estates sale of the townlands you mentioned (newspaper archives or FindMyPast) as the paperwork would tell you exacty what type of leases were in place there. 

    Rua, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘︎

    Tuesday 28th Aug 2018, 07:08AM

  • Hello, I now live at the farm in Ballinlass, I wonder does anyone know when the grainger family took it over ?

    Conall

    Wednesday 5th Jun 2019, 12:20AM

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    Hello Conall,  Are you related to the Moores by the name of Martin, Molly and their children? I know they farmed at Ballinlass  

    Rebecca

     

     

     

     

     

    Rebecca

    Monday 19th Apr 2021, 06:16AM

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