Chapter 3 Administrative Divisions

County Mayo was, and is, divided into different units or divisions for the purposes of both Civil and Ecclesiastical administration. In short, the state and the church divided the county into geographical units which suited their particular purposes. These divisions arc an important factor in locating the records mentioned throughout this book. The divisions the researcher will come across are as follows:

Civil Divisions

Townland

The townland is the smallest civil division within a county. It is an ancient division of land which is highly variable in size, and may vary from less than 10 acres to several thousand. It is the most specific part of an ancestors address in rural areas.

Civil Parish

The civil parish is the land division which most commonly occurs in Irish records. There are 73 civil parishes in Mayo, and each is formed of many townlands. (See map p. 24.)

It should be noted that some civil parishes cross barony and county boundaries. In some cases also, civil parishes are divided into unconnected parts. For instance, Kilcolman parish is partly in the barony of Clanrnorris and partly in the barony of Costello. Likewise the parish of Kilcommon can be found in the northern barony of Erris and in the southern barony of Kilmaine.

Barony

Civil parishes are grouped into Baronies. This division is generally based on the ancient 'tuath' or territory of an Irish clan. There are 9 baronies in Co. Mayo but they are not as .widely used in records as the civil parishes. The baronies of Mayo are: Burrishoole, Carra, Clanmorris, Costello, Erris, Gallen, Kilmaine, Murrisk and Tyrawley. See map p. 24.

Poor Law Union

These were established under the Poor Law Act of 1838 for use in the administration of distress relief and the upkeep of the poor and destitute. They are unrelated to any other division and do not adhere to county and barony borders. Each is based around (and named from) a major town in which was based the workhouse and other administrative functions of the Poor Law. The Poor Law Union (PLU) later came to be used as the area, or district, in which Civil Registration of births, marriages and deaths was conducted. There are 9PLU's in Mayo. See page xx

District Electoral Divisions

The District Electoral Division (DED) is a sub-division of the Poor Law union, in which census information was compiled and in which the census returns are also arranged. They were also used for the elections of local and national representatives established under the Local Government Act of 1898.

Ecclesiastical Divisions

Church of Ireland Parish

The ecclesiastical divisions used by the Church of Ireland (CoI) had a specific significance for record purposes as the Col was also the 'Established' or State church. In this capacity it once performed several functions now performed by the State. These include Probate (proving of wills), and granting of marriage and other forms of licence. Church of Ireland divisions therefore have a relevance when researching certain record types.

While generally conforming to the civil parish boundaries, some Col churches may have served several civil parishes. This is particularly so in Mayo where the Col community was always small. Indeed, several civil parishes had no Church of Ireland church.

Catholic Church Parish

Catholic Church parishes boundaries rarely conform to those of the Civil parish, even though they may have the same name as the civil parish in which they are located. They are often of ancient origin, and generally larger in size than Col parishes. Some areas have a Chapel of Ease which comes under the administration of the parish priest of an adjoining parish.

 

Useful Guides to Administrative Divisions

To establish the divisions which make up an ancestor's igenealogical address! the following references are useful:

1851. Townland Index of Ireland:

This provides a full alphabetic listing of all of the Townlands, Towns, Civil Parishes and Baronies of Ireland giving their relative location, area and map reference. For each townland the relevant County, Barony, Civil Parish and Poor Law Union is provided.This listing was derived from the areas used by officials in collecting the 1851 Census. It was originally published by Thorn's as 'An Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland '. It has been republished by the Genealogical Publishing Co., i Baltimore, US and is widely available in libraries.

Similar volumes were compiled for the Censuses of 1841, 1861,1871 etc. and may be found in many libraries. The spelling and occurrence of some townlands varied between f censuses and it may occasionally be useful to consult some of these.

, Those conducting research on 17th century records may also be interested in the '1655- 59 Index of Parishes & Townlands of Ireland'. This was compiled and edited by Yann Goblet, based on areas mentioned in Sir William Petty's Mss Barony Maps, and published by the Irish Manuscripts Commission (Dublin 1932) NLI Ir. 9141 gb.

Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)

This 3-volume set contains an alphabetically arranged account of all civil parishes, major market towns, seaports and many villages. For each it provides a brief account of local history, social and economic conditions and major landowners (see Fig X). Both Catholic and non-Catholic divisions and churches are also described. A set of 32 county maps accompany this publication. The set has been republished by Kenny's of Galway, and also by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, US and is widely available in libraries. The maps are also republished in Donal F. Begley's, 'Handbook on Irish Genealogy' (Heraldic Artists, Dublin, 1984).

Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland (1844/5)

This is similar to Lewis's Topographical Dictionary in content and arrangement. Published in three volumes-Vol. I A-C (1845); Vol. n (D-M) (1845); Vol. ill (N-Z) + index (1846). NLI Ir. 9141 p30

Ordnance Survey Field Name Books

The Ordnance Survey (OS) is Ireland's official State map-maker. The Field Name Books are the notebooks used by the surveyors compiling the fust OS maps of Mayo in 1838. They are arranged by civil parish, and list each townland alphabetically. Although varying slightly between areas, the following details are usually included:

Townland name in Irish & English; Derivation of the name; Location within the parish; Proprietor's name; and other comments (See Fig X).

The original transcripts are on microfilm in the NLI, where the typescripts in hard copy are also held. The reference numbers are as follows:

Transcripts (microfilm) Pos. 4121-3

Typescripts (hard copy) Ir. 92942 03

Book no 97 -Achill-Ballintober

Book no 98 -Ballyhean-Crossboyne

Book no 99 -Crossmolina-Kilcolman

Book no 100 -Kilcommon-Kilgeever

Book no 101 -Killala-Lackan

Book no 102 -Manulla-Thrlough

MAP

No.

CIVIL PARISH

Alternative Name

or spelling

YEAR(S) OF

TITHE APP.

19

ACHILL

16

ADDERGOOLE

1815, 1833

48

AGHAMORE

Aghavower

1833

70

AGHAGOWER

Aughagower

1831

24

AGLISH

Aka. Castlebar

1824

73

ANNAGH

1833

14

ARDAGH

1825

36

ATTYMASS

1834

59

BALLA

Ballagh, Bal,

1835

52

BALLINCHALLA

Ballincholla

1835

50

BALLINROBE

1827

30

BALLINTOBER

1833

27

BALLYHEAN

Ballyhane

1830

18

BALLYNAHAGUSH

1824*

34

BALLYOVEY

1830

12

BALLYSAKEERY

1829

72

BEKAN

Becan

43

BOHOLA

Bucholla

1833

26

BREAGHWY

Breaffy, Breaghwee

31

BURRISCARRA

1833

20

BURRISHOOLE

1832

69

CASTLEMORE

1826

55

CONG

63

CROSSBOYNE

1842

13

CROSS MOLINA

1833

3

DOONFEENY

Dunfeeny

1834

29

DRUM

Drummonahan

1834

46

INNISHBOFFIN

Ennisboffin

1830

23

ISLANDEADY

Islandine, Islandedin

1833

66

KILBEAGH

1825

17

KILBELFAD

1834

I4

KILBRIDE

Kilbreedy

1833

61

KILCOLMAN

1824

67

KILCOLMAN

1832

2

KlLCOMMON

1834

51

KILCOMMON

1833

41

KlLCONDUFF

1833

5

KILCUMMIN

Kilcommin

1833

42

KlLDACAMMOGE

Kildecamogue

-

7

KlLFIAN

Kilfyan

1815,1833

35

KlLGARVAN

Kilgarvey

1834

47

KlLGEEVER

Gilgavower

1830*

10

KlLLALA

1833

38

KlLLASSER

1834

44

KlLLEDAN

Killedin

1834

22

KlLMACLASSER

1831

56

KlLMAINEBEG

1836

54

KILMAlNEMORE

1836

21

KILMEENA

Kilmina

1827*

53

KILMOLARA

1834

1

KILMORE

1834

15

KILMOREMOY

1834

68

KILMOVEE

1827

65

KILTURRA

Kiltora,Kilturragh

1834

64

KILVINE

-

71

KNOCK

Knockdrumcalry

1833

6

LACKAN

1833

28

MANULLA

Minola

1830,1837

60

MAYO

40

MEELICK

1833

57

MOORGAGAGH

Moorgaga

1836

11

MOYGOWNAGH

Magaunagh

1815,1834

45

OUGHAVAL

Aughaval

-

8

RATHREAGH

Rathrea

1829,1834

49

ROBEEN

-

32

ROSSLEE

1833

58

SHRULE

Shruel

1825

62

TAGHEEN

Taugheen, Taghkeen

1827*

39

TEMPLEMORE

Sraide,Strade

1833

9

TEMPLEMURRY

1834

37

TOOMORE

Towmore, Tuymore

1833

33

TOUAGHTY

Towaghty

1834

25

TURLOUGH

1825

*Only main landholders listed

Civil parishes as numbered on map.

1. Kilmore

20. Burrishoole

39. Templemore

58. Shrule

2. Kilcommon (Erris)

21. KiImeena

40. Meelick

59. Balla

3. Doonfeeny

22. KiImaclasser

41. Kilconduff

60. Mayo

4. Kilbride

23. Islandeady (2 pts.)

42. Kildacommoge (3 pts.)

61. KilcoIman

5. Kilcummin

24. Aglish

43. Bohola

62. Tagheen

6. Lackan

25. Turlough

44. Killedan

63. Crossboyne

7. Kilfian

26. Breaghwy

45. Oughaval

64. Kilvine

8. Rathreagh

27. Ballyhean

46. Inishboffin

65. Kilturra

9. Templemurry

28. Manualla

47. Kilgeever

66. Kilbeagh

10. Killala

29. Drum

48. Aghagower

67. Kilcolman

11. Moygawnagh

30. Ballintober (2 pts.)

49.Robeen

68. Kilmovee

12. Ballysakeery

31. Burriscarra

50. Ballinrobe

69. Castlemore

13. Crossmolina

32. Rosslee

51. Kilcommon (KiImaine)

70. Aghamore

14. Ardagh

33. Touaghty

52. Ballinchalla

71. Knock

15. Kilmoremoy

34. Ballyovey

53. Kilmolara

72. Bekan

16. Addergoole

35. Kilgarvan

54. Kilmainemore (2 pts.)

73. Annagh

17. Kilbelfad

36. Attymass

55. Cong

18. Ballynahaglish

37. Toomore

56. Kilmainebeg (2 pts.)

19. Achill

38. Killasser

57. Moorgagagh

Return to Tracing your Mayo Ancestors