Cancelled Book Buncraggy 1855-1970

Griffiths Map - Buncraggy
AskaboutIreland -Griffiths

Buncraggy

Buncraggy, located in the west of the parish has 175 hectares or 432 acres. Regional road R473 runs along the northwest boundary of the townland which is bordered by Ballyveskil, Barntick, Feagh, Islandavanna Upper, Islandmagrath and Lissan West.[1]

Unlike the changes noted in the cancelled books of neighbouring townlands such as the Ballyveskill, the original land holding of over 400 acres has largely remained intact 1855-1970. Two new lots were created in the townland by the Ennis Rural District Council and its administrative successor the Clare County Board of Health in the early twentieth century.

At the 1901 census of Ireland, there were five households in Buncraggy with thirty-seven people but this had reduced to four households with twenty-three people by the 1911 census.[2]  Buncraggy House and the associated land were local sources of employment.

All the land at Buncraggy was part of the vast estates in Ireland held by the Marquis of Conyngham listed as the immediate lessor. The Marquis was linked to the elite Burton family who were landlords in a number of local townlands. In turn, 1855-c1916 the land at Buncraggy was held by the O’Gorman family who were resident of Buncraggy House at both the 1901 and 1911 censuses of Ireland. The O’Gorman family also had links to the parish of Kilfarboy (Miltown Malbay).[3]  The land and house have since been occupied by generations of the Cahir family.

The history of Buncraggy House and the Conyngham estate is well documented in Powers history of Clare Castle and information is also included in the Clarecastle Ballyea Heritage and Wildlife website.[4][5]


[1] https://www.townlands.ie/clare/islands/clareabbey/clareabbey/buncraggy/) (accessed 26 Nov 2022).
[2] (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Clare/Clareabbey/Buncraggy/) and (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Clare/Clareabbey/Buncraggy/) (accessed 3 Mar 2023).
[3] (https://landedestates.ie/estate/1899) (accessed 26 Nov 2022).
[4] Joseph Power, A history of Clarecastle and its environs, Ennis 2004 (pp.314-319) for more information about the Burton /Conynham family).
[5] (https://clarecastleballyea.clareheritage.org/new-contributions/buncraggy-house) (accessed 26 Nov. 2022).

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