Monagilla

Monagilla is a townland of 130 statute acres and 1 perch in County Armagh about a mile and a half west of Crossmaglen to the right of the Culloville Road. It is bounded on the east by Rathkeelan, on the south by Cullaville, on the west by Cornahove and on the north by Lisamry. The Tithe Applotment Books record the area of the townland as 158 acres 1 roods and 17 perches (Plantation Irish measure). Since an Irish acre is approximately 162% of a statute acre the townland would appear to have lost about 130 statute (80 Irish) acres between 1828 and 1864. This can't be right so another explanation is needed. Pending further research I am assuming that the Title Applotment Books amalgamated the townland of Cullaville (143 statute acres - excluding 3 acres of water in Carrickamone Lake) which does not appear in the Books, with Monaguillagh. There is still an unexplained difference of about 17 statute acres. This approach accords with known problems with the Applotment Books, which were compiled by local surveyors and assessors relying on local knowledge of boundaries. The 1837 Townland Valuation standardised the townland boundaries.

Name of townland

Móin na gCailleach, "the hags bog" (O'Donavan). Móin na Guailne, "The hill bog" ⁽¹⁾.

Ordnanace Survey Name Books: Creggan Parish ⁽²⁾

MONAGUILLAGH (OSNB ii 43): There are two small lakes on the western side of this townland called Lissamrry and Ballynaery Lakes, through which the boundary passes about 1/4 of a mile N. of the village of Cullaghville there are numerous dwellings here but rather poor in appearance. Rented in small farms chiefly under tillage of Oats and Potatoes.
It contains 130..0..1 of which 4..2..38 is uncultivated and Bog, & 1..0..28 water.

There is no other townland of that name in Ireland

Valuation

Although the decimalisation of the currency was introduced only in 1971, all of the valuations in the following table have been converted from £sd for convenience.

Year	1837	1851	1864	1871	1881	1891	1901	1911	1926	1935	1952	1957	1974
Valuation	£72.90	£91.25	£93.70	£93.20	£93.55	£95.55	£95.30	£94.80	£94.70	£102.80	£102.05	£107.30	£115.30

The 1837 Townland Valuation recorded only houses worth £5 or more a year. There were no such houses in the townland.

In 1864 the townland was owned by the representatives of John Reid.

Census of Ireland 1901

The Census enumerated 74 persons in 17 households; a ratio of 4.4 people per household. The households occupied a total of 38 rooms; a ratio 2.2 rooms per household and 1.9 persons per room. Two of the households occupied 4 rooms, three had 3 rooms, nine occupied 2 rooms and three occupied single room accommodation. The highest density was six persons in a single room. Thirteen (76.5%) of the houses were thatched.

Native Irish Speakers

Of the 17 households enumerated in the Census, 10 contained at least one native Irish speaker - 11 in total. Since theirs was the last generation to have been born into a substantially Irish speaking environment, their names, occupations and ages are recorded here. All were born in Co. Armagh with the exception of Margaret Boyle and Anne Cunningham, born Co. Monaghan.

• Mary Watters, farmer, widow, 83
• Mary Watters, farmer, widow, 80
• Michael Boyle, farmer, 55
  and his wife Margaret, 40
• Patrick Fannon, 62
• Mary Boyle, sister of Janes Boyle, 76
• Catherine Richardson, wife of John, 76
• Thomas Murphy, farmer, 49
• Anne Cunningham, farmer, widow, 75
• Mary Rooney, farmer, widow, 60
  Mary Woods, farmer, widow, 75

Population Decline

The following table sets out the number of houses and population enumerated in the townland in each of the 11 Censuses held between 1841 and 1951.

	1841	1851	1861	1871	1881	1891	1901	1911	1926	1937	1951
Houses	29	26	25	21	18	17	17	16	17	17	10
People	166	133	131	106	74	75	74	58	60	41	29
People per house	5.7	5.1	5.2	5.0	4.1	4.4	4.4	3.6	3.5	2.4	2.9

In the period of 110 years, the number of households reduced by two thirds while the population dropped by an enormous 83%.

Names of House and Land Holders ⁽³⁾

The following table sets of the names of those who owned or rented houses and land on the townland at the time the valuation records or population censuses were compiled.