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Dunouragan clachan was located within
the townland of Dunouragan. Most of the population of the townland lived in
the clachan.
As the figures for the population of the townland (1841-1926) show there
were 132 persons (probably 23 families) living in the townland in 1841. By
1871 the number of people had fallen to 69 and there were now 13 families
living in the townland.
We do not know the exact reasons why the numbers fell during this period.
The fact that the number of inhabited houses in the townland had been
almost halved during this period would suggest the removal of whole
families. Unfortunately we do not have any details relating to these
families.
We do know who lived in the townland in the
mid 1860s. The Griffith’s Valuation of that time lists the names of the
heads of households of the 13 families living in the townland at that
period.
Have a look at the Griffith’s Valuation
and you will see that the clachan was dominated by:
Four families of McCay (now spelt McKay) - Daniel (Buck), Mary, Alexander
and Daniel (Shoemaker) – and the families of Charles Murray and his
son-in-law Patrick Dillon.
There were a further three families – McAllister, McCormick and McElheran
– living within the clachan. Apart from a small garden shared by McCormick
and McElheran, these families did not hold any farm land.
Note that Daniel (Shoemaker)
and Alexander McCay shared a house (9a) and John McCormick and John
McElheran also shared a house (9d).
There were three other families in the townland who lived outside the
cluster. Patrick Hyndman and George
Murray who held their land in rundale within the townland including a share
of the common, mountain land. Grace Mortimer who was a tenant of Patrick
Hyndman and did not hold any land.
The map which accompanies
this valuation will let you see where these people lived and where their
land was located within the townland. Note that the houses in the cluster
were numbered from 9a to 9h.
The decline in numbers of both people and houses continued
through to the 1890s when it began to stabilise at 7/8 houses and a
population of around 20/22 persons. The 1901 Census Enumerators’ Returns
list all persons living in the townland on the night of 31st March 1901.
You will recognise the families of Hyndman, McKay and
Murray from the list of householders in Griffith's Valuation. Note that the McCay name of 1860 is now
spelt McKay in 1901.
Robert Hyndman was a son of Patrick Hyndman
who was listed in the Griffith's Valuation circa 1860. He had taken over
his father's house and farm in 1887. The make-up of this household in 1901
is typical of many farming households as we move into the twentieth century
- unmarried brothers being looked after by their unmarried sister. Robert,
the last of the Hyndmans in this townland, died in the 1920s and his farm
was taken over by the McGavocks.
Hugh McGavock was new to the townland. Not all of his family was listed in
the 1901 Returns. We know that he had a son Alex in America who returned
later to the townland to take over his father's properties. Hugh McGavock
first came to the townland in 1865 when he was in his early forties. He
took over the house and farm of George Murray (George being either dead or
had moved on). He also took over the farm of Mary McCay in 1882. She still
retained the house but this was 'down' by 1893, so presumably she had
either died around that time or moved on. He also took over Patrick Dillon's
land in 1870 but the Murrays retained the house. Dillon appears to have
left the townland some time after this.
Donald McKay was the same Daniel (Shoemaker) that was listed circa 1860,
now called Donald - a variant of Daniel. Daniel died in 1912 aged 96
(according to a gravestone inscription) and his wife in 1922. Again the
farm was taken over by the McGavocks some time after the death of Daniel's
wife.
Bridget McKendry was also a newcomer but we do not know
who she was or whose farm she took over.
James McKay was a brother of Donald (Daniel) McKay. He had taken over from
Alexander McCay in 1870 and was now living in the house that John
McAllister had occupied circa 1860. James had moved into this house in
1890. James' son Alex inherited the house and farm (when?). This Alex died
in 1922. A descendant of this family (through the female line) still lives
in the townland today.
Mary McKay (House No. 6) was the daughter of
Daniel (Buck) McCay. Her father had died around 1880 and her mother
(Bridget) took over the farm and house at that time. Mary took the farm and
house over around 1898 after her mother died. The farm was eventually taken
over by the McGavocks, presumably when Mary died.
Mary Jane Murray was the wife of Hugh Murray who was either a son or
grandson of Charles Murray. Hugh was at sea that night, so he was not
recorded in the census.The Murray family continued to live in the townland
and this surname is the only name listed in the 1860s which is still
present in the townland today.
Clearly by 1901 all the cottiers who were listed in the 1860s had gone -
the townland was now dominated by landholders and as the notes above
indicate the Hyndmans and the families of Daniel (Shoemaker) and Daniel
(Buck) McKay had gone by the 1920s/1930s, their land being taken over by
the McGavocks.
Have a look at the pages which give more details of the families of Donald
(Daniel Shoemaker) McKay and James McKay.
There is also a page which gives details of the houses that these people
were living in at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Later we hope to add pages on life and
work in the clachan.
If,
having read what we have to say about this clachan and the families living
in it, you think you could supply further information, please contact us.
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