monaguillagh

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.

In the period of 110 years, the number of households reduced by two thirds while the population dropped by an enormous 83%. The reduction between 1841 and 1851 reflects the effects of the Great Famine and the continuing decline over the following following century was due lack of rural employment opportunities, leading to constant emigration.

Family Connections

James Richardson, earliest known ancestor of the families of the children of James and Kate Richardson (nee McKenna) was born in the townland about 1785. This is the same James Richardson recorded in the 1828 Tithe Applotment Books. His son, James (born 1821), married a widow, Catherine McCoy (nee Kane) and went to live in Moybane where he is listed in Griffiths Valuation of 1864. His son, also James, (born 1860) married Kate McKenna from Drumboy in 1890 and in 1883 bought more land, on which the present house was built, on the Moybane Crossroads, from a cousin of Michael McCoy. Michael McCoy was married a sister of Kate Richardson, Mary McKenna. James' grandson, also named James, still owns the property.

John Richardson (born about 1825), one of the original James' children, inherited the property in Monagilla and his name appears in Griffiths Valuation and the 1901 Census where he is shown, aged 76, living with his wife Catherine and son Patrick (aged 34) in a two room thatched house. A granddaugher, Catherine (Surname indecipherable), aged 9, is also enumerated. The farm was changed to Patrick's name in 1911 and he died, unmarried, in May 1929, thus ending the presence of Richardsons in Monaguillagh.

I am indebted to the late Eddie Richardson for most of this information

Names of House and Land Holders

All the Valuations since Griffiths identified those with houses in the townland and those who while living elsewhere leased or owned land there. The Census of Ireland enumerated only households in the townland. The following table uses this approach.

Although the data is not strictly comparable since the information was gathered for different purposes and used varying criteria, the details provide a comparison of the names of house and land holders who were listed in the Townland at the different periods. While we can not discern the direct lines of descent it is clear that many are from the same families.