Cancelled Book Killow 1855-1970

Killow

Located east of the village, Killow borders the parish of Doora townland of Kilbreckan to the north and the Clareabbey townlands of Ballyvonnavaun to the east, Carrowgar, Carrownanelly and Knockanimana to the south and Skehanagh to the west. Measuring 295 acres or 120 hectares, today Killow is bifurcated by the M18 and N85 Western Relief Road.[1]  The Limerick to Ennis rail line also runs through part of the townland.

The townland’s spelling is recorded as Killow by the Ordnance Survey, Griffith Valuation and both available censuses but has also been recorded as Killoe and Killoo.

Killow was part of the estate of Lord Inchiquin who is listed as the immediate lessor for most lots in 1855; this continues until the early 20^th century when many local occupiers purchased their land under the Land Act Purchase scheme. A feature of the Killow cancelled books is the number of lots enumerated in 1855 which were later merged, especially if they had the same occupier.

As observed in many townlands in the parish, the Killow cancelled books give testimony to continuity on the land 1855-1970. Lot 4a was held by four generations of the Lynch/O’Meara families. The lot were held by Thomas Lynch of Kilbreckan, Doora in 1855 and later passed to his son Patrick (c1829-1910), his wife Mary (1845-1924) and later their son-in-law Robert O’Meara (1883-1871), who married their daughter Agnes Frances (1885-1955). In turn the farm was passed to their son John O’Meara.[2]

Six sub lots (lots 4A-4F) created from lot four are noted in the 1896-1910 and 1910-1926 cancelled books, four of whom list the Clare County Board of Health and two list the Sailors and Soldiers Department as occupiers contained an acre of land and house.[3]

The historic Killow graveyard is located in lot 8b and contains the burial places of many local families.

At the 1901 census of Ireland, ten households counted twenty-seven people. It is interesting to note that the census enumerator listed twelve dwellings but two, house three and ten were not counted. By 1911 there were nine households but the population had increased to forty.

[1] (https://www.townlands.ie/clare/islands/clareabbey/clareabbey/killow/) (accessed 14 Mar. 2023).

[2] (https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/don_tran/bmd/baptism_records_doora_kilraghtis_1821-1881) for family baptisms & (Irishgenealogy.ie) for civil records for the family (accessed 14 Mar 2023).

[3] The Irish Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Land Trust was constituted under the Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act 1922 for the provision of cottages in Ireland, with or without plots or gardens, for ex-servicemen, under the powers given by the Irish Land (Provision for Sailors and Soldiers) Act 1919, including the power to carry out schemes made by the Local Government Board for Ireland prior to the passing of the 1922 act. (https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14) (accessed 14 Mar 2023).