Tullydonnell Gage

Tullydonnell Gage (257 statute acres 1 rood and 15 perches), lies about five miles due east of Crossmaglen straddling the A29 from Newtownhamilton to Dundalk about two and a half and a half south of Ford's Cross. In the Tithe Applotment Books of 1828 the area was recorded as 137 acres 2 roods and 19 perches (Plantation Irish measure). It is bounded on the north by Tullydonnell (O'Callaghan), on the east by Carrive (in Mullaghbawn Parish), on the south by Ballynaclosha and on the west by Glassdrumman. It is separated from the Co Louth border by the small (140 acre) townland of Ballynaclosha.

Name of townland

Tullach Dónail, "Daniel's hill of O'Donnell's hill" ⁽¹⁾.

According to a local historian, Jem Murphy RIP, the original name of the townland was Alt na sharragh "The height of the foxes".

There are five townlands called 'Tullydonnell' in Ireland. They are in Counties Armagh (2), Louth (1) and Donegall (Tullydonnell Upper and Tullydonnell Lower).

John Donaldson, in his 'Account of the Barony of Upper Fews" (1838), says

"There are three townlands of the name of Tullydonnell which take their name from their former proprietors - to wit, Tullydonnell Nixon, Tullydonnell Gage and Tullydonnell Tichburn or Ballinaclosh." (Note 16 p.103)

The Creggan 1766 Census is of a single townland. If we assume that subsequently the townland was split between the different owners, then Tullydonnell (Nixon) and Tullydonnell (O'Callaghan) are the same. Tullydonnell Gage remains as before and Tullydonnell Tichburn is Ballynaclosha.

The 1664 and 1766 details are included in both the Tullydonnell (Gage) and Tullydonnell (O'Callaghan) pages.

Ordnanace Survey Name Books: Creggan Parish ⁽²⁾

TULLYDONNELL GAUGE (OSNB ii 48): Almost adjoining the N. of Balls-Mill Village. It is well lain out with bye roads. There are three old forts in It. Principally under tillage. Held in small tenures. The dwellings are numerous but very poor.
It contains 257.1.15.

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	£151.09	£121.80	£148.20	£146.50	£146.50	£156.00	£156.00	£158.75	£160.00	£187.00	£198.45	£326.95	£322.25

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

At the time of the Griffiths Valuation the whole of the townland was owned by John Murphy.

Census of Ireland 1901 and 1911

In the 1901 Census the 17 households enumerated contained 90 people occupying 47 rooms - an average of 4.5 persons per household and 1.9 persons per room. Sixteen of the households occupied houses with two rooms, two with three rooms, one with four rooms and one with five rooms. Twelve of the houses were thatched.

In the 1911 Census the 20 households enumerated contained 99 people occupying 58 rooms - an average of 5 persons per household and 1.7 persons per room. Eight of the households occupied houses with two rooms, nine with three rooms, two with four rooms and one with seven rooms. Seven of the houses were thatched - five fewer in ten years.

Native Irish Speakers

Of the 17 households enumerated in 1901, 11 contained at least one native Irish speaker - a total of 20 in all. Since theirs was the last generation to have been born into a substantially Irish speaking environment, their names are recorded here. All were born in Co. Armagh with the exception of Rosey McMahon, born in Co. Louth -

• Rosey McMahon, framer, widow, aged 70
• Rosey Duffy, farmer, widow, aged 50
• Edward Hollywood, farmer, aged 59 and his wife Bridget, aged 62
• Catherine Garland, farmer, widow, aged 53
• Patrick Smith, farmer, aged 60 and his wife Elizabeth, aged 55
• Joseph Murphy, framer, aged 60
• Denis Lavelle, National Teacher and shopkeeper, aged 45 and his daugher Mary Anne (9), sons John (4) and Denis (3) and farm servant Michael Mooney, (60)
• Michael Hearty, agricultural labourer, aged 52
• Patrick Murphy, farmer, aged 70 and his wife Bridget, aged 60
• John Boyle, farmer, aged 69 and his wife Jane, aged 70
• Thomas Campbell, farmer, aged 80 and his wife Margaret, aged 60

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	25	28	21	23	23	20	20	20	19	20	19
People	134	131	98	105	124	106	88	98	97	79	80
People per house	5.4	4.7	4.7	4.6	5.4	5.3	4.4	4.9	5.1	4.0	4.2

In the period of 110 years, the number of households reduced by 24% and the population by 40% - modest in comparison with other townlands. After the initial losses caused by the Great Famine there was a modest revival in the final decades of the 19th century followed by a gradual loss.

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.