Ashfield (Leagan Gaeilge – Gort na bhFuinseog):
The townland of Ashfield is situated about 4 kilometres south east of Glenamaddy Town in north-east County Galway. The Irish for Ashfield is Gort na bhFuinseog, gort being the Irish for a field (cultivated) and fuinseog the Irish for ash, as in ash-tree. There is no archival record of the Irish form having been used in conjunction with the townland.
Distinctive Features:
- Lough Lurgeen Raised Bog which is a special area of conservation occupies the greater portion of the townland of Ashfield.
- Part of Lough Lurgeen is situated in the southern tip of the townland.
- O’Donovan noted in the Field Name Books that Ashfield House “is situated 5 chains from the N.W. boundary of the townland of Ashfield. There is nothing worthy of remark about this house. There is a small portion of planting.”
- At the time of Griffith’s Valuation the estate was held by John Kelly in fee when the house was valued at £8. A building still exists at the site.
- The 1841 Census report indicates that there was only one dwelling in the townland at that point in time.
1656-58 Down Survey:
The Down Survey name of the townland is given as Boynagh. The 1670 owner is given as the Protestant Archbishop of Tuam. No part of the townland was earmarked for confiscation as it was in Protestant hands.
1823 – 1838 Tithe Applotment Books:
The name of the townland is given as Ashville and John Kelly, in so far as it can be ascertained, is the only Catholic landholder in the townland who paid the tithe (tax) levied to support the Established Church (Church of Ireland). Protestant occupiers of agricultural holdings were exempt from this tax.
1838 O’Donovan’s Field Name Books:
O’Donovan describes the townland as follows – “More than 3/4 of this townland is bog. The portion of arable land is in the Northern portion of the townland. Ashfield House is about [Unable to read.] chains S. of the N. boundary. There is a small planting and some trees near the house. There is a road leads from this House to Cloondoyle House in the townland of Cloondoyle More.”
1856 Griffith’s Valuation:
The townland covered an area of 449 acres 1 roods 4 perches and the total rateable valuation of the land and buildings combined amounted to £25 5s 0d. Ashfield House, the residence of John Kelly, was valued at £8 0s 0d. According to the Landed Estates Database a house still exists at the site. The occupiers in Ashfield in 1856 are given as Kelly and Brennan. John Kelly was the landlord.
Adjoining Townlands:
The following townlands share a border with Ashfield – Carrowntober East (Kilkerrin Parish), Clondoyle More, Cappagh (Kilkerrin Parish), Corrameeagh (Kilkerrin Parish) and Faartan (Ballynakill Parish).
Census Records:
Population and Household data for the townland of Ashfield:
Glenamaddy and the Irish Folklore Collections:
The article posted on this website under the ‘Heritage > Folklore’ tab provides an overview of the folklore material submitted by Glenamaddy parishioners to the National Folklore Commission, now known as the Irish Folklore Collections. It also explains the background to the 1937 Schools’ Collection (Bailiúchán na Scol) project which has good representation from a parish perspective.
The Irish Folklore Collections housed in the Folklore Department of University College Dublin contain a treasure trove of folklore material, some of which is accessible online. Both the Main Manuscript Collection and the Schools’ Collection contain a considerable number of submissions from collectors and informants who resided in the parish of Glenamaddy. The quick reference directories featured in the ‘Parish > Townlands’ section of this website complement the user-friendly search features of the dúcas.ie website and are helpful in tracking Schools’ Collection submissions associated with townlands. Submissions are categorised under – School, Teacher, Language, Volume Number, Page Number, Collector, Collector’s Townland, Informant and Informant’s Townland. Where applicable, Schools’ Collection directories showing online townland-related submissions appear at the end of the following townland posts on this website – Ballinapeaka, Ballinastack, Barna, Boyounagh_More (Middletown),_Bushtown, Cashel, Classaghroe, Cloonacross, Clooncon_East, Clooncon_West, Cloonkeen, Cultiafadda, Eskeromullacaun (Esker), Felimspark, Glenamaddy, Gortaganny, Gortnagier, Kiltullagh, Knockauns, Lisheenaheltia, Loughpark, Meelick, Scotland, Shannagh_More, Stonetown and Woodfield.
Parish folklore submissions contained in the Schools’ Collection are also accessible online via the following links:-
Árd Aoibhinn National School – Part 1 – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613680
Árd Aoibhinn National School – Part 2 – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613681
Glenamaddy Girls’ National School – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613677
Glenamaddy Boys’ National School – Part 1 – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613678
Glenamaddy Boys’ National School – Part 2 – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613679
Gort na Léime National School – Part 1 – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4569061
Gort na Léime National School – Part 2 – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4569062
Lisheenaheltia Girls’ National School – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613675
Lisheenaheltia Boys’ National School – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613676
Glenamaddy submissions which form part of the Main Manuscript Collection are not posted online but may be examined in the reading room of the Folklore Department in U.C.D., Belfield, Dublin 4. Typed versions of some of the parish contributions contained in the Main Manuscript Collection are published under the ‘Heritage > Folklore’ tab on this website.
Quick Reference Directory of Glenamaddy folklore submissions in the Main Manuscript Collection:-
For related townland website posts click on the following links:
Author: Pat Keaveny
Sources:
Townlands in County Galway
1840 Historic Ordnance Survey Map
Place Name Books of Galway
The Down Survey of Ireland
The Tithe Applotment Books, 1823-1837
Griffith Valuation – Ask About Ireland
Central Statistics Office
National Archives: Census Reports 1901/1911
Essex University: Historic Population Census Reports
Historic Environment Viewfinder
Historical Notes on the Parish of Glenamaddy. Fr Walter Conway