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Griffith’s Valuation of 1859, lists the
occupants as: -
A Denis McKinley -
B John McNeill
C Hugh Butler
D James McLeese
E Bernard McLeese
While each person had their own house, all
five shared in 253 acres, 3 roods and 20 perches of the surrounding area,
mostly rough mountain grazing but also some arable land, particularly
around the lough. Hugh Boyd of Ballycastle was the landlord. Denis McKinley
held the biggest share, 1/3, while the other four held 1/6 each.
The houses were strongly built of local stone, and with the exception of D
(James McLeese), which was just one room and tacked onto the end of B (John
McNeill’s), all the houses were well appointed with two rooms.
Story of A
In 1860. Daniel McKinley held he biggest share of the ground, one third.
The mountain was held in commonage but each tenant held different tracts of
arable land, separated by stonewalls. In 1880, Daniel McKinley died and his
house and land passed to William McNeill. In 1901, according the census in that year, William McNeil
lived there with his wife Mary and daughter Mary Jane. This family were in
the forefront of the local tourist industry, because Mrs McNeill and later
her daughter Jeannie became famous for providing tea and scones and
pancakes.
Story of B
In 1860 John McNeill held this house and one sixth share of the ground
from Hugh Boyd, and it passed on to his son Daniel in 1876. By 1901 Mary
McNeill, widow of Daniel, was head of the household. Mary worked the farm with her children.
The McNeiells continued to live here until the 1950s when the house was bought as a holiday home and a local
farmer bought the land.
Story of C
First records in 1860 names Hugh Butler as the occupant with one sixth
share in the mountain. After his death his son Daniel took over, he in turn
passed the property to his nephew Francis Lamont. Francey was a very
erudite and well travelled man, and although he died in the early 1960s,
his reputation as a wise and witty person with a way with words still lives
on in local folklore. Here is an example of his wit and word dexterity:
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Demeselle by Francis Lamont
The D on that dustbin
denotes that the despairing
domesticates of the detached
domicile, desire that
the dutiful dustmen on their daily deliverance
deem it their delightful
duty to dislodge and
deliberately and definitely
destroy all dirt and dust
defrosted in this disagreeable
dust-bin.
Story of D and E
D was a one-roomed house tacked on to house B and was occupied by James
McLeese with one sixth ownership of the mountain. His brother Bernard lived
in house E and also owned one sixth of the land. Local knowledge says that
these brothers came from Loughguile and probably returned there, because in
1880 Mary Jamieson was the tenant in house D, but in 1884 Patrick McCarry
of Murlough bought both houses and acquired one third of the mountain. In
the census of 1901 it states that John Jamieson with wife Bridget and
children lived as caretakers for Patrick McCarry in house E. In 1901 house D had fallen into disuse.
House E is now uninhabited and derelict.
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