Know your Townland – Carrowroe/An Cheathrú Rua

Carrowroe is located at the furthest north-eastern edge of the Quin parish. It is bounded on its northern edge by the Tulla-Ennis road (R352). It was, alongside the neighbouring Dangan, one of the most populous areas of the parish. It was entirely owned by the Creagh family at one point, whose history as Catholics hiding as Protestants is worth a post in itself!

Within the parish of Quin alone, we have four townlands which begin with Carrow, and more that have been lost over time. Lecarrow or Leath Ceathrú was also fairly commonly used. The ‘quarter’ or ‘half-quarter’ were common land divisions in the past, alongside Sessiaghs, ploughlands, furlongs, Ballybetaghs and more.

The ‘quarter’/Carrow/Ceathrú was usually understood to represent about 120 acres, while the Leath Ceathrú was 60. There was no consistency or standardisation so one man’s quarter was not neccessarily the same as another man’s! The productive output of a field was more likely to be used as a measure rather than actual spatial size.

The Sessiagh being one sixth of a quarter was roughly 20 acres.

Ceathrú: English – quarterland. Rua(dh) English – red/reddish brown

1871 Census: Houses 17, Population 76

1881 Census: Houses 15, Population 66

1891 Census: Houses 15, Population 66

1911 Census (9 houses, Population 35)

Michael & Mary Littleton, son Matthew.

Margaret Reidy, son Pat, daughters Bidget, Johanna.

Lawrence White, brother Patrick.

Michael & Margaret Power, sons Henry, Joseph, Paul, daughter Ida.

James & Mary Melihan, daughter Anne.

Ellen Hogan, visitor James Markham.

John & Johanna Mulqueen, sons James, Thomas, daughter Bridget.

Patrick Lynch & Mary Hogan, daughter Bridget, son John.

Tim & Delia McGrath, sons Michael, Tim, daughter Bridget, servant Edward Singleton.

History: In 1841, Anne Worrell of Brook Lodge married George Willis of Birdhill, County Tipperary. William O’Connell Esq. lived here in 1814, whereas by 1855 Pierce O’Brien leased the house and seventy-seven acre farm from landlord Pierce Creagh. In 1887 Brook Lodge was the residence of Nicholas Henry Martin Esq. The son of Nicholas Martin, Senior, he was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and was a magistrate for County Clare. His total estate consisted of two thousand, two hundred and thirteen acres.

– Taken from Hugh Weirs book “Houses of Clare” published by Ballinakella Press in 1986

Occupied by William O’Connell in 1814 and by Pierce O’Brien who held it from Pierce Creagh in the mid 19th century, when the house was valued at over £13. By the 1870s this house, which is labelled Brooke Lodge on the 25-inch map of the 1890s, was the residence of Nicholas Henry Martin. A house is still extant at this site.

https://landedestates.ie/property/2017

By the 1870s Nicholas Henry Martin of Brook Lodge/Dangan Ville, owned 2,213 acres in county Clare. Some of his descendants emigrated to Australia. In February 1878 over 2,000 acres in the the barony of Tulla Upper, the estate of Nicholas Henry Martin were advertised for sale.

 This house was shown on the 1842 6” OS map as Dangan Ville but on the later 25” map c1890 it is shown as Brook Lodge. Drone imagery of this and surrounding properties is available using this link:

https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/brook-lodge-carrowroe-tulla-clare/4817880

Amby Power

Amby Power was the captain of the Clare senior hurling team in 1914, 1915, and 1916, leading the county to its first All-Ireland senior title in 1914 when they beat Laois in the final on a scoreline of 5-1 to 1-0. The game was played in Croke Park in October, 1914 before 15,000 spectators.Amby Power was born in 1887 in Brook Lodge, close to the parish boundary with Tulla. Two of his brothers, Joe and Fred, also played with the Clare team around this period. Amby married Katie Reddan of Killorglin, County Kerry, who inherited a public house in Quin which was then known as Mariah Reddan’s. This public house was subsequently known as Power’s and run by the family for many years. Amby also did some farming in the locality. In later life, he became a member of Clare County Council for the Fine Gael Party and represented the Ennis Electoral Area from 1950 to 1960.

In the early 1900s, Amby and his brothers played with Tulla and won the Redmond Cup with them in 1905 and 1906. The introduction of the parish rule meant that Power had to play with the then Carrahan Club after 1906 and Amby was a member of the Clare team that won the Croke Cup in 1908 beating Galway in the final on a scoreline of 3-14 to 1-4. Parish rule was again abolished in 1911 and the Powers returned to play with Tulla. Tulla won the county hurling championship in 1913 beating Quin in the final. In early 1914, Amby Power is credited with approaching the county board to hold a hurling tournament to help train the county team in preparation for the championship. This tournament was held in Quin.Michael Power, son of Amby, won a Minor hurling championship with Clooney in 1942 and was actively involved with the club for many years. Amby’s grandsons, John and Ambrose Power, played with Harty Cup teams of St Flannan’s in the 1970s. They, along with younger brother, Paul, all played for the Clooney club.Amby Power died in February, 1960 and is buried in Quin Abbey burial grounds.

See also https://quinheritage.ie/clooney_quin-gaa/

1918 Carrowroe Subscribers to Major Redmond Memorial Fund

The fund was created to commemorate Major Willie Redmond, son of John Redmond, following his death in 1917 from wounds sustained at the Battle of Messines:

Willie Redmond had represented East Clare in The House of Commons.

Left: His father John, leader of the Irish National Party died suddenly himself in 1918.

Some Baptisms in Carrowroe/Brooklodge in 1800’s

Arranged alphabetically according to childs surname.

Some Creagh Family History

Courtesy of https://www.youwho.ie/corneliuscreagh.html

Richard Creagh born circa 1761 married Christina O’Callaghan 1789. His brother Robert was adjudged a lunatic in 1792 and when he died in 1802, Richard became heir to the Dangan estate. Richard was involved in a duel in 1787 and was injured in the wrist. He died in 1836 in Paris.

1 Olivia Creagh

2 Lavinia Creagh

3 Richard Creagh adjudged a lunatic in 1838 died a bachelor 4 May 1846. A receiver was appointed to the estate.

4 Pierse Creagh died a bachelor.

5 Cornelius Creagh born 1808 was in the navy but had to leave as his father was unable to fund it. He married Mary Duggan on 23 Mar 1843 at St Mary’s Church of Ireland, Dublin. Mary was RC and a servant girl. When his brother died in 1846, a receiver was appointed to estate and Cornelius went to court and offered a surety to the court and was given possession so he could take over the estate and management of same. He had 7500 acres  worth £3400 pa. In 1847 he donated 4 acres and £100 to build a church at Lisdoonvarna. He carried out extensive drainage works in 1849, reduced the rents by 15% in 1850 and was employing over 200 people on the estate. He appointed Edward Singleton of Hazelwood his agent in 1852 and Daniel Anthony Considine was appointed sub agent. He identified as Church of Ireland and attended service every second week alternating this with going to mass every other week. Mary died 28 Jan 1864 at 18 Upper Fitzwilliam Street. His cousin Germane Pierse Creagh, who he had barred from succession in 1856, tried to have him adjudged a lunatic in 1864. He stated amongst many other things, that Cornelius’ paternal uncle Richard Creagh was a lunatic from 1786 and died in 1802, that Cornelius had married beneath his station and that the marriage should be annulled and that Corney was convinced that his wife had been murdered by one of the servants. This was rebutted by his solicitor, his sons, his sons in law and friends, though they admitted that Cornelius sometimes went on the batter and that he had no ability for arithmetic, but that he had a loving relationship with his children and wife and extended family and that his wife helped him with his calculations on rent days. The family were extremely upset at the notion that they would be bastardised and that their mother’s reputation had been blackened. Cornelius‘ affidavit stated that his wife was not a chamber maid but had acted as a companion to Mrs Patrick Creagh and yes, she was of a lower station that him but she had not entrapped him into marriage and that in their 20 years together he had never had one moment that he regretted the marriage, and this was all a ploy by Pierse to get his hands on the land. The case subsequently failed and Cornelius continued to run the estate. With his son-in-law Peter, they started selling building plots on the estate close to the world-famous Lisdoonvarna Spa and over the next few years much of the estate was sold off. Cornelius died 12 Feb 1879 at Dangan House and was buried at the family vault at Ennis Church. The funeral was enormous with tenants on foot and horseback leading the coffin. The coffin was carried on the shoulders of his tenants through the town, and all the shops closed. Children:​

   1 Mary Agnes Creagh born 1 Jun 1844 at Bayview Avenue, Blackrock aged 19 married Peter Blake on 9 Feb 1864 at St Stephen’s Church. Mary died 27 Aug 1872.

    2 Richard Creagh born 24 Aug 1845 at 1 Bayview Avenue died a bachelor 19 Jul 1881.

    3 Christina Martha Creagh second daughter born 24 Feb 1847 at Upper Pembroke Street married John Galway on 13 Oct 1864 at the Roman Catholic​ Chapel of Quin, Co Clare. (Daughter Mary Louisa Galway married Michael M’Namara on 6 Jun 1887 at Tuam, grand-daughter Matilda Maude M’Namara born 11 June 1889 at Shop Street). She secondly married Dr James Eaton Turner on 7 Feb 1869 at St Mary’s Pro Cathedral. James was the son of Dr Thomas Blake Turner. James died 29 Mar 1891. Daughter Agnes Mary Christina Turner born 19 Nov 1873 at Headford.​ Another daughter Anne Julia Turner born 28 May 1888 died a spinster 18 Feb 1919. Christina thirdly married Patrick O’Rourke 21 Oct 1893 at Ballymahon, Co Westmeath. She died intestate on the 10 Feb 1896 aged 51 at Ballycurra, Moate, Co Westmeath.

   4 Olivia Creagh born in March 1848 at Upper Pembroke Street Dublin. She was granted probate of her father’s will in 1879. She married Hugh Michael MacNamara McMahon on 4 Sep 1884 at the University Chapel at Stephen’s Green. Michael was a major in the Royal Artillery and the only son of William McNamara of Clonmore, Co Clare. Olivia and Hugh were granted, by Royal licence, the arms and the addition of the surname Creagh to their name in 1885. Oliva a widow and landlady was living at Dangan in 1911. Her brother-in-law Walter was staying with them.

-Son McMahon Creagh born 9 Dec 1885 circa died 1896.

-Olivia Mary McMahon Creagh born 8 May 1888 living with her mother in 1911. She was owner of the horse Wirey Vixen which won many awards. Olivia died a spinster at Ennis Mental Hospital on 28 Mar 1947.​

   5 Cornelius Creagh born May 1850 at Thornhill, Stillorgan, died a bachelor at Lisdoonvarna on 20 Oct 1879.

  6 Elizabeth Clara (Clare) Creagh, youngest daughter, born August 1854 at Dangan, married Walter Blake Butler of Pontefract on 13 Nov 1888 at Quin Parish Church. Walter and Clara were granted, by Royal licence, the arms and the addition of the surname Creagh to their name in 1889. Walter died in 1917 in London and Clara died 23 Nov 1928 at the Royal City of Dublin Hospital, Baggot Street. Late of Belmont Avenue, Donnybrook she was buried at the O’Connell Circle, Glasnevin.

​-William Butler Creagh born circa 1889.

Historical references to Placename