A Case of Local History

Neill's Hill Station and surrounding area. OSNI Historic Third Edition Map 1900-1907.

When looking into the history of a local area information can be found in some unexpected places.

As an example I present the case of Boyd v. Keenan in 1908.

This case, covered in the court reports of the major newspapers, was a suit for the recovery of moneys relating to the maintenance of a road, but in doing so, however, it gives some insight into the area around Neill's Hill and the transcript below is that from the Irish News, 20th May 1908.

Neill's Hill was a railway halt on the Belfast and Co. Down Railway which ran from Comber to Belfast. Situated in the townland of Ballycloghan it served the nearby village of Ballyhackamore.

The contemporary map above shows the station and surrounding area, and would indicate that the sandpits mentioned were situated between the station and the Knock River at Clara Park. The area now known as Sandhill Gardens and Sandhill Parade.

BOYD V. KEENAN.

This was a civil bill action in which Henry Boyd, William Sinclair Boyd, and Robert Boyd, of 93 Ann Street, agents, sued Jacob Walter Keenan, 36 Corporation Street, shipbroker, to recover the sum of £45 9s 6d, money paid, laid out, and expended by the plaintiffs for the use of the defendant, at the request of the defendant, under an agreement dated 16th February, 1897. The case was tried before a jury.

Mr. T. J. Campbell (instructed by Messrs. Joseph Donnelly & Co.) was for the plaintiffs, and Mr. A. J. Lewis defended.

Mr. Campbell said they sought to recover £45 9s 6d, money actually paid for the benefit of the defendant under an agreement dated February 16th, 1897, and under which agreement plaintiffs were bound to keep a road in proper repair. The road was used by defendant in connection with an excavation of sand near Neill’s Hill Station. Defendant, who was a shipbroker, started business in the sand line in 1905, and he used the road to cart the sand from the place where it was procured. In the year 1897 the road in question was merely a private way, but since defendant began to dig and cart sand it had been used more than formerly. Heavy loads of sand were daily carted over the road, which was in constant need of repair. These repairs had been done by the plaintiffs, who now sought to recover for work extending over a period of twenty months.

Mr. Henry Seaver. C. E., deposed that the road was a little over three hundred yards in length, and led from Neill's Hill Station to some villas. Witness also deposed to the contract which was entered into in 1897 relative to the repair of the road being carried out by plaintiffs, and added that in 1905 defendant developed some sand pits which led to heavier traffic passing over the road than previously. The plaintiffs did not use the road themselves. Witness described the effect of heavy traffic passing over the road, and said more frequent repairs were necessitated. He supervised the work, which was done at the lowest possible cost.

Cross-examined by Mr. Lewis, witness said the cost of repair was not excessive, considering the amount of traffic passing over the road, which was constructed in the first instance for light traffic. He admitted the centre of the road was higher than the footpaths on either side.

Evidence was also given by Mr. Francis Quinn, who made the road, to the effect that the expenditure on the road was fair and reasonable. He also deposed to the agreement between Mr. Thomas Tier, who formerly owned the road, and plaintiffs.

James Shaw was also examined, and this closed plaintiffs' case.

THE DEFENCE.

Mr. Lewis, opening the case for the defence, said he and others were growing old in this litigation, about which there was one peculiar circumstance. It was that at no time had they seen any of the plaintiffs in the witness-box. Keenan was a man who began as a common soldier. He saved sufficient money to buy a little property, and he had his little all in that property at Neill's Hill. Originally the lease was granted by the representatives of Sir Thomas M'Clure to a man named Tier, who was bound by covenant to erect certain houses on the land. The ground, however, turned out to be of such formation that it was necessary to level it, and finally he sold to Keenan for £2,000. Keenan developed the property more rapidly than his predecessor, and began to export sand, which evidently the plaintiffs did not like. Continuing, Mr. Lewis said the matter would turn upon the construction of an agreement entered into between Tier and the plaintiffs, and he submitted that the proper interpretation of that agreement was that the plaintiffs should provide the materials necessary for the repair of the road, and that Tier or Tier's successors should provide the necessary labour. Mr. Lewis then read numerous correspondence bearing on the subject, and, continuing, said the case was like the story of the boy and the frog — it was fun to Boyds, but death to Keenan, and he submitted that there was not fair dealing.

Defendant, examined, said in 1905 he purchased Tier's interests in the estate. He developed sandpits in order to prepare the land for buildings, and plaintiffs also had sandpits in the neighbourhood. He alleged the plaintiffs first resisted his right to the road. In the terms of the agreement referred to, he applied to plaintiffs to supply him with gravel for repairs to the road, and they wrote telling him to take what gravel he required. He added that he was always anxious for an amicable settlement, and was still willing to pay his proportionate share of the cost of repair.

Cross-examined, witness said the plaintiffs wrote him to the effect that gravel was too soft, and that macadam should be used for repairs. He admitted his liability to pay a fair and reasonable price for the maintenance of the road, but he contended the account rendered was excessive.

Mr. Allan B. Stokes, C.E., was also examined. He was of opinion the road was not being kept in proper condition. The gravel to be found on the estate was suitable for repair work.

Mr. Robert A. Boyd corroborated the last witness as to the view that the road was not kept in proper repair. A sum of £10 8s would keep the road in repair for a year.

Benjamin Stafford, contractor, estimated bis price for adequate repairs for a year at £14.

His Honour having summed up, the jury retired to consider their verdict.

The jury found for plaintiffs in the sum of £31 1s, and His Honour granted a decree accordingly.

Irish News, 20th May 1908

Griffith's Valuation map

In this earlier map created for the Griffiths Valuation, Neill's Hill Station is indicated as a crossing although not named (the station being erected and opened in March 1890). The land there being leased from the Belfast and Co. Down Railway by Robert Boyd – although one would suspect it was not the same Robert Boyd named in the suit. The area at that time being largely undeveloped and Cadgers Loaney which became the Sandown Road.

Robert is also recorded as the leaser of section 6 in the adjacent townland of Ballyhackamore through which the railway continued.

The Anglo-Norman Families of Lecale in the County of Down (pt2)

Continued...

Of the families whose descendants still remain, or who held property up to the middle of the seventeenth century, such as the Savages, Russells, Jordans, Audleys, Fitzsimons, with some others also of British descent, we purpose now entering into a brief memoir; for, though the subject could be greatly enlarged on, we prefer treating it with conciseness, but at the same time with the strictest accuracy.

And first of the SAVAGES; their possessions were principally in the Ardes, where they resided in their Castles of Portaferry, Ardkeen, and Ballygalgot; yet they were occasionally designated 'Lords of Leathcathail,' [Lecale,] but this was only at short intervals, when with the strong-hand they over-ran the territory, until driven back to their peninsular highlands by the yet stronger forces of the O'Neills, and finally by the Fitzgeralds. It does not, indeed, appear, that they were ever able to attain a permanent footing in Lecale, though often making claims to portions, which, even so recently as the time of Mary, the deputy St. Leger, by an order in Council dated 11 Feb. 1553, denounced, in consequence of their attempts to usurp the castle of Kilclief from the Bishop of Down and Connor. This family was the only one of British origin in the County known to have assumed an Irish name, as the great families of De Burgh, Birmingham, de Angulo, and Dexecester did in other parts of Ireland. The name adopted was "Mac Seneschall," from their so often filling the office of Seneschal of Ulster; and Harris says, they had so far degenerated as to fall into rebellion against the Crown. And here we may observe as a singular fact that, except in a very few instances, (some seven or eight,) the British settlers did not Anglicize the local denominations as they did in Louth; – the exceptions being Ballystokes before mentioned, three townlands from the Russels, two from the Jordans, two from the Audleys, and one from the Crollys; while it is still more singular that up till some forty years since, the familiar language of the "lower side of Lecale" was genuine Irish. – The family of Savage has given many distinguished officers to the service of their country, in the army as well as navy, particularly the latter. The Portaferry branch some time since changed its name to Nugent, and is now represented by Patrick John Nugent, Esq. The Ardkeen branch is represented by Clayton Bayly Savage, Esq., D.L., of Norelands, County Kilkenny, who is the present proprietor of the Hollymount Estate, in this Barony, comprising seven townlands. The name is still pretty numerous through the Barony, in families who claim to be of the same stock.

The family of RUSSELL, (indifferently spelled, in the Chancery Rolls, Rosel, Rossel, Russel, and Russell,) we find very early seated in Down, enjoying high offices as Sheriffs, Chancellors, and Barons of the Exchequer of Ulster. In the reign of Charles I., by reference to the Ulster Inquisitions we discover that they had then branched into five or six families, namely, those of Bright, Killough, Rathmullan, Quoniamstown, Ballyvaston, and Ballygallaghan, possessing large conterminous properties along the eastern sea-board of Lecale; one branch of which, (that of Killough,) held the estate of Sheephouse in Meath, and another, that of Seatown, County Dublin. The greater part of these estates was, however, swept away in the time of Cromwell, the only branch that retained its possessions being the family of Quoniamstown; which townland, with the adjoining one of Ballystrew, near Downpatrick, they still enjoy; the present proprietor being Thomas John Russell, Esq., of Dalkey, County Dublin, in whose family this property has, therefore, remained for upwards of six centuries. There are still extant in Lecale, several other families of the name, descendants of junior branches, and enjoying considerable affluence; of one of which, (that of Killough,) the Rev. Doctor Russell – Professor of Ecclesiastical History in Maynooth, and a distinguished writer and Archaeologist, – is a member.

The family of CROLLY, alias SWORDES, originally seated at Ballydonnell, and subsequently at Ballykilbeg, held eight townlands, forming the southern portion of the parish of Down, of which they lost all but Ballykilbeg, during the time of the Commonwealth; the latter being sold about the commencement of the present century. Two families of them still remain in that townland, of whom the late venerated Primate Crolly of Armagh was a younger branch; – the eloquent divine poet and essayist, the Rev. Doctor Croly of St. Greorge's, London, being also a collateral descendant. This family is not to be confounded with that of Croly, or O'Croly, alias O'Crowley, – the former proprietors of Kilshallow, in the Barony of Carbery, County Cork, – which is purely Celtic; though it is not a little strange that the English family at Stourbridge, in Worcestershire, of whom Sir Ambrose Crowley was the head, in the first half of the 18th century wrote their name in the same manner as the Irish one appears in the Munster Inquisitions.

The DOWDALLS, long subsequent to the reign of Elizabeth, held property in Ardglass and Ballydergan, which they sold early in the reign of Charles I, retiring to their estate of Desert, County Louth; after which they totally disappear from Lecale.

The AUDLEYS, of Audleystown, sold part of their property, in 1643, to the Ward family, to whom, also, they sold the remainder about the beginning of the last century; the latest mention we can find of the name in this locality being a Thomas Audley, residing in Ballynagalliagh in 1732.

The JORDANS, of Dunsford and Ardglass, (the head of which, in Elizabeth's reign, was Simon Jordan, so well known for the noble defence of his castle in Ardglass against the O'Neills,) had large possessions in Dunsford, Lismore, Jordan's Crew, Jordan's Acre, &c., which Simon, his son, sold, in 1656, to Nicholas Fitzsiraons of Kilclief. It does not appear by the Inquisitions that he had any children; but a few families of the name are still to be found in the barony, who claim, and doubtless are of, the same lineage.

The family of FITZSIMONS, in addition to the property acquired by purchase from Jordan, had a large patrimonial estate of their own in Kilclief, Ballynarry, Granagh, &c., which they parted with, in piecemeal, to the Smiths, Wards, Brices, &c. The name, however, we should say, is at present, by far the most prevalent in the barony, particularly the northern part, where there are entire townlands bearing that cognomen, upwards of forty being on the registry of voters, in 1852; nearly double that of any other.

But independent of the British families, before mentioned, whose names appear in Harris and the Inquisitions as early settled in Lecale, there are, at the present time, several others whose ancient standing cannot be disputed – such as the Denvirs, Starkeys, Clintons, Blaneys, and Marmions;^c the latter, however, whose name was originally Merriman, only dating from the reign of Elizabeth, at the same time as the Wards and Wests.

The family of DENVIR is unquestionably Anglo-Norman, (said to have come here from Essex;) or, rather it is originally French, being the same name as De Anverso, D'Anvers, Danvers, derived from the town of Anvers, now Antwerp, in Brabant. In the Post Mortem Inquisitions of Edward III., the name is spelled Danvere, and in the same form it is found, in numerous instances, in an old Tithe Book of the Deanery of Down, of the date of 1732:– afterwards it was spelled Denver, and it is only lately the spelling Denvir was adopted. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Denvir, of Belfast, is of this family; and on the list of registered voters, 1852, we find 23 of this name. As a proof of the French origin of this family we may state, that the name Denvers, (pronounced Denver,) is very numerous in Paris; one of them being a member of the Court of Cassation.

The family of STARKEY, of whom there are considerable numbers in Lecale, (there being eight on the registry of voters,) is, also, purely English; many highly respectable houses of the name are to be found in England, particularly in Lancashire and Cheshire, from the latter of which it is probable they came to Ireland with De Courcy. We find a James Starkey of Ardglass, in 1586, joint trustee with Audley, of Audleystown, of the estates of Robert Swordes, alias Croly; but there is little or no mention of them at a subsequent date in the Ulster Inquisitions.

We also find on the registry of voters, of the other English families incidentally mentioned, eleven BLANEYS and two CLINTONS, though their are a great many more of the name in the barony: and here we may observe, once for all, that the same fact holds as to all the other families whose numbers have been given on the authority of these lists – lists which we have no doubt will render invaluable assistance to such persons as are desirous of studying this subject as regards the rest of Ireland.

If space had permitted, we purposed entering on the subject of the later English and Scotch colonists, inhabitants of this district, as well as of the Irish families, descendants of its lords previous to the advent of De Courcy; but the subject is too extensive for the limits of this paper, and, for the present, we must rest content with a few hurried observations. It is highly probable that little or no change occurred in the population of Lecale until after 1641, when the new proprietors introduced a number of Scotch settlers, and a portion of the army of Munroe made it their home. There is no means of ascertaining the names of these new colonists in full; but from the list of Presbyterian landholders of Ulster proposed to be transplanted into Leinster and Munster, in 1653, on account of their attachment to monarchical and Presbyterian principles, – for which list we are indebted to the research of the late Doctor Reid, the historian of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, – we obtain the names of those who were to be removed from Lecale Quarters:– they were Lieutenants Hugh Montgomery, Launcelot Greecé, (Gracey,) Thomas Lindsay, ------ Woodney, John Reynolds, Capt. John Wooll, James Stewart, John Dunbarr, John Tenant, James Porter, Stephen Masor, (Mercer?) and John McDowell. Of these there still exist in the barony the families of Gracey, Stewart, and Lindsay; and, up to very lately, that of Mercer and McDowell: the Mercers and McDowells being highly respectable citizens of Downpatrick. However, the Scottish populuation does not seem to have been at that time very numerous, if we may judge from the fact, that in the list of Ministers receiving stipends from the Civil Establishment in 1655,^d there is only one, the Rev. Robert Echlin of Strangford, returned for Lecale. This paucity of numbers may have arisen from the circumstance that during the Cromwellian wars several regiments had been raised in Lecale, one of which was stationed in Dundalk in 1647; which regiments, we may fairly presume, were raised exclusively out of the Scottish population, and which, no doubt, largely contributed to drain the strength of those colonists in the barony. At the period of the Revolution, in 1688, after the "Break of Dromore," Lecale was overrun by the regiment of Magenis, Lord Iveagh, who had his head-quarters at Downpatrick; when many of the adherents of King William, previous to the blockade of the ports, were taken prisoners, and others fled to England and the Isle of Man. Several petty skirmishes ensued; the Iveagh troops were defeated, and Iveagh's prisoners liberated by Captain Hunter, who, in turn, was overthrown by Major General Buchan. In August 1689, Schomberg landed in Groomsport when many of the inhabitants of the barony, who had been supporters of King James, abandoned the country for Connaught. Amid such scenes it is only natural to expect that the country would become desolate and greatly depopulated; and though, when peace was restored, many families returned to their former homes, yet numbers deserted it altogether. To remedy this, several Eiiglisli and Scots, and some farmers from the Ards, were invited here, and had large tracts of land allotted to them. Of the English fimilies the principal were Moore, Hunter, Swail, Porter, Jennings, Hunter, Neill, Nesbitt and Cochran; to which we may add the families of Seeds, Polly, Elsinor, (now changed to Nelson,) Coates, and Quaile, who were brought over from England, early in the 18th century, by the Hon. Justice Ward, and several of whose descendants are still very numerous in the parish of Ballyculter. The second colony of the Scots were chiefly Martins, Henrys, Lowres, (now Lewis,) Hoggs, Carsons, and Newwlls, whose descendants are also numerous in difierent parts of Lecale; and it is remarkable that, although the Scottish idiom never prevailed here, owing, no doubt, to the English and Scots "mixing, intermarrying, and communicating with each other, in so many different ways" so as to become one people, – yet they preserved intact some of their native customs, habits, modes of life and agriculture, up to a recent period, to such an extent, that by looking at the face of the country and observing its plantations, it could be told whether the proprietor was of Scotch or English descent, the Scotch principally planting ash trees, the English oak, elm, birch and beech. From 1725 to 1758, Primate Boulter states, in his letters, there was a continuous series of bad harvests all over Ireland, but principally in Ulster; where provisions, particularly oatmeal, (which he mentions as the staple subsistence of the inhabitants,) rose to a high price; which, conjoined to uneasiness about the exactions of the tithe farmers, induced great numbers of the northern farmers to emigrate to America and the West Indies. The emigrants, it appears, were chiefly Presbyterians, and, it may be assumed, of Scottish origin; which circumstance contributed largely to the reduction of that class of colonists, and the increase of the old English and native population in Lecale.

Of the old native Irish tribes, branches of the Dal Fiatach, mentioned by Dudley M. Firbis as residing at Dun-da-leathglas, (Downpatrick,) it would be folly to attempt tracing any direct descendants at the present time; particularly as surnames were not adopted by the Irish until the tenth century, and from there being so many migrations of the Ulidian tribes to Leinster and other parts of Ireland: for even in 1666, when Mr. Firbis wrote, he states that they had become "extinct ultimately, except a few of them who are a long time in insignificance." The principal tribes of the Dal Fiatach were the Cinel Aengus, the Clan Fiachaidh, the O'Cairill, and the O'Connmaigh; but, unless they adopted other tlian the tribe-names, there are none of them now in Lecale. From the Clanna Rudhraidhe, of which Magenis and Macartan are branches, was descended Cathal, living in the 8th century, from whom Leath Cathail (Lecale) derives its name, and whose descendants long held its lordship; and from the same Cathal was descended the family of O'Morna, otherwise MacGiolla Muire, who frequently appear as lords of the territory, even subsequent to the English invasion. The name, in the Irish Annals, is sometimes written MacGillmurray, MacGilmorie, or Gilmor, (Dr. Reeves in his researcbes, stating Gilmor as the present equivalent;) but, though some of the descendants of these "lords" may have so Anglicized the name, the original one of MacGiolla Muire, written M'llmurray, is still common in the barony, and was pretty numerous, in that part of Rathmullan called Scollogstown, up to a recent date. A family called MacMilmorie was resident in Kilwater, County Westmeath, in the reign of James I., whether an offshot of the Lecale family is uncertain; but it has been suggested, and is very probable, that the various families of Murrays in Carrickmannon in Castlereagh, and Slieveaniskey in Iveagh, are so. We have before observed, that the King of Ulidia, in de Courcy's time, was Duinnshleibhe O'h-Eochadha, also of the Dal Fiatach race; and whose descendants, according to the topographical poem of O'Dagan, afterwards branched into the two families of O'Dunlevie and O'Heochy, which last very singularly Anglicized their name, not to Hoey, but Hawkins. The name Dunlevy is now unknown in Lecale; but up to a late period there were several families named O'Heoghy. The only proprietor of Irish lineage we find in Lecale, in the reign of Elizabeth, is Donat Magrory or MacRory, (as the chief of the Kilwarlin branch of Magenis was called,) who died in 1599 seized of the lands of Clogher, near Downpatrick, and of the Odd Hall and several messuages in that town, and which lands Owen his son, and Donnell his grandson, successively held up to 1662. It is probable it was sold shortly afterwards; as, in the Letters Patent creating the manor of Killough, granted to Sir Robert Ward, Knt., dated 29th May, 1671, we find the lands of "Clougher" included in the grant. But, although there were no native proprietors for the last two centuries, the rural population was extensively Irish, continuing so to the present day; thus proving the correctness of the theory, that, in the country districts, the population is, or rather was, averse to migration, while, in towns, it was ever changing. A very slight examination of the Tithe Book previously referred to, in conjunction with the Rental of the Cromwell estate in 1708, (then comprising the town of Downpatrick and aabout 70 different denominations,) shews at once that, whilst not more than seven or eight of the families resident in Downpatrick now remain, the same names and families which resided throughout the Barony are still to be found in the same identical localities. The principal Irish families now inhabiting the territory, which we wish to state as nearly as possible according to their relative numbers, are the McKeatins, Hynds, Maglenons, (in other parts of Ireland this family have dropped the Mac, and are simply Glennon,) Hannets, (who have Scotticized their name to Hanna,) Connors, Magreevys, Taggarte, McConveys, Crangles, McKeameys, (who latterly have dropped the Mac,) Killens, McIlmeals, and McCumuskeys, (Mac Cumuseagh), a name which we have found in no other part of Ireland with the Mac prefixed, excepting Dublin, and there they are natives of Downpatrick. This name, Cumuscagh, was frequent amongst the Picts, or Cruithnians, who, at an early period, made Lecale one of their habitats; the townland, Ballytrostem, being derived from Trostem the Druid who accompanied the first of the Cruithenians who settled in Ireland. Another name, Curoe, common in Lecale, is also we believe peculiar to it, as we have not found it elsewhere, but whether of Pictish or Milesian origin is uncertain.

J. W. H.

[c] The Down Survey returns William Merryman as having been possessed of seven townlands in the Parish of Kilclief, principally episcopal lands. The Merrymans and Wards frequently appear as trustees of the Russells, and other Lecale families, and several intermarriages between the Russells and Wards are recorded. – See Lodge, vol. vi. p. 68, and Ulst. Mg.

[d] Reid. vol. IT., p. 498.

[e] Journal of the House of Commons, March 1647.

The above article is reproduced from the Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 1, 1853.

The Anglo-Norman Families of Lecale in the County of Down

In the month of February, 1177, Sir John de Courcy accompanied by his brother-in-law Sir Armoric St Lawrence, Sir Roger le Poer, twenty-two knights and 300 foot soldiers, and many of the Irish, according to Lord Lyttleton, marched from Dublin to Ulster, reaching the city of Down on the fifth day, which he surprised, and, without resistance, captured and rifled. The Annals of the Four Masters, of Ulster, of Innisfallen, &c., record many battles as being fought between De Courcy and the Ulster Irish, principally with the chieftains of Ulidia, at that period held by the family of Mac Donslevy, originally called O'h-Eochadha. (O'Haughey.) Victory sometimes leaned to the native forces, but ultimately to the English, owing, in some degree, to their superior description of arms, and the almost impenetrable armour with which they were clad, (as stated by Hanmer,) as well as to De Courcy's own gigantic strength and indomitable courage, and the support which he received from the clergy, who were constrained by the Bulls of Popes Adrian and Alexander, and by the influence of the Cardinal Legate Vivian, then in Down. There can be little question but the number of De Courcy's troops has been vastly underrated; and that the success which he achieved attracted still greater numbers, who flocked to his standard, hoping to share in the spoils, "the cloathing, gold, silver, plate, and rich booties," which, Hanmer writes, the English obtained, "without checke or controulment of any," on their first victory in Down. Eventually, such was the progress of his arms, that he subjugated to the English crown the greater part of the maritime coasts of Ulster, from the Boyne to the Bann, with considerable portions of the interior, having his chief castle at Downpatrick in the territory of Lecale. But the Irish, though defeated, were not subdued; and to protect his conquest of Lecale, De Courcy found it necessary to erect a chain of upwards of 18 castles, (including the seven in Ardglass,) girdling the entire sea-coast and river of Lough Coyne from Dundrum to Ath-na-cleidhe (now Annacloy) on the Marches; with another at Clough to guard the mountain passes from Iveagh, and which stood in view of the greater fortress of Dundrum. This remarkable feature in the topography of this and the adjoining districts, could not fail to strike such a keen observer as Mrs. Hall, and we accordingly find her writing that "along the whole of its borders -- north, south, east, and west -- are the ruins of numerous castles. The character of the scenery, indeed, strongly reminded us of the 'Barony of Forth' in the county of Wexford; for everywhere we noted indications that a comparatively small number of strangers had been living in the midst of enemies, whom they had 'come to spoil,' and who were, consequently, compelled to keep 'watch and ward' at all seasons, in or about their 'strong houses of stone.'"

With portions of the lands thus conquered, De Courcy richly endowed many of the monastic houses; also amply rewarding such of his fellow-soldiers, as determined on abiding his fortune, with similar grants. Sir John Davies, in his "Discoverie of the True Causes why Ireland was never subdued, &c.," mentions the Audeleyes, Gernons, Clintons, and Russells, as among such "voluntaries;" -- whilst Harris, in his History of the County of Down, gives, in addition, the families of Savage, White, Riddel, Sandal, Poer, Chamberlane, Stokes, Mandeville, Jordan, Stanton, Passelew, Copland, and Martell; and adds, "perhaps the Fitz-simons, Crowleys, and Bensons." The "perhaps," of Harris is, however, perfectly gratuitous, as it is highly probable he extracted his list from the Act for the attainder of Shane O'Neill, passed in the 11th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth; which, after enumerating the Queen's numerous historical titles to the realm of Ireland, mentions the conquest of Ulster, by John de Corsie, who "brought the people of the same in due subjection to the crown of England; and for his painefull service and worthy deedes, did hold and possesse the sayd countrey of Ulster quietly of the king of England's gift: of whose companions in armes there remaineth at this day in Ulster, as a testimonial of that conquest, certain stirpes of English bloud; as the Savages, Yordans, (Jordans), Fitz Simons, Chamberlins, Bensons, Russels, Audeleyes, Whites, and many others, as proprietors of large portions of land, hardly and valiantly hitherto kept by them, although with great peril and povertie." In a M.S. written about 1598, and printed in Dubourdieu's Antrim, it is also stated that De Courcy planted in Le Cahill sundry English gentlemen, "where some of their posterity yet remain. Their names are, Savages, Russels, Fitz-simmons, Audlies, Jordans, Bensons." In the list, subsequently given by Harris, of the principal gentlemen resident in Down in the time of Queen Elizabeth, (query, end of her reign?) of those decidedly of British origin he mentions only the families of Savage, Fitz-simmons, Dowdal, White, Benson, Russel, Jordan, Audley and Mandevill; omitting those who have been stated as followers of De Courcy, the Riddels, Sandals, Poers, Chamberlanes, Stokes, Stantons, Logans, Passelews, Coplands, Martins, and Crollys; though some of these, for instance the latter, were then possessed of ample possessions in Down, as also the Chamberlanes; for we find, by an Inquisition held at Downpatrick, 14th September, 1634, that so late as 1615, Roger Chamberline, of Mozellrath, in Louth, then granted to Francis Annesley, Baron of Mountnorris the estate of Cloghmaghercatt, (now the town of Clough,) in whose family it remained until 1783, when it was sold to the grandfather of the present proprietor, David S. Kerr, Esq.

Some of the above names, under their Norman forms, are to be found in the attestations to the monastic grants from De Courcy, to Down, Neddrum, &c., and in the grants from his followers, to Neddrum. Thus Adam Camerario we may presume to be the founder of the Chamberlanes, Roger de Dunseforth of the Jordans, Willielmo de Coupland of the Coplands, Radulfo Martel of the Martels, Simone Passelew of the family of that name, Walter de Loga of the Logans,^a Will de Stokys of the Stokes; and we may fairly presume that Osberto T. Tussel, an attesting witness to the grant of Ballykinlar from De Courcy to Christ Church is a copyist's mistake for Russel.^b It is very probable however, that the Riddels, Poers, Stantons, Passelews, and Martels, never resided in Down, though the map accompanying Connellan's translation of the Four Masters, places the Martels in Upper Castlereagh, and the Stantons and Le Poers in Lower Castlereagh; but nothing can be more incorrect than this map in the placing of most of the English and Irish families in Down, as we find the Russels placed in the south of Dufferin. which belonged to the Whites, instead of in Lecale; and the Fitz-simons in the Ardes, which belonged to the Savages; the Audleys in Lower Castlereagh, and the Jordans in Upper Castlereagh; though it will appear that all these families were located in Lecale. Harris, it will have been perceived, has the Mandevilles so late here as Elizabeth's reign: we have for this, however, no other evidence, and we think it highly probable that that family, as well as the Logans, and Stokes, had left Ulster shortly after the death of the "Red Earl."

Up to the time of Cromwell a continued intercourse and intermarriage of the old British families were kept up between the inhabitants of Lecale and of the County Louth; the communication between the districts being maintained, at an early period, according to Harris, by sea, "while the Irish possessed all the passes in the mountains between the two counties." This intercourse arose not alone from the sympathy of common origin and motives of mutual defence, but also from the fact, that many of those families held property in both places; such as the Dowdalls, Clintons, Whites, Chamberlines and Stokes, whom we find constantly appearing in the 'Inquisitions' as trustees for the Lecale families; and that, in the confusion consequent on the death of the "Red Earl," and the fierce wars of the O'Neills, many of these families parted with their lands in Lecale, and removed to Louth, Meath, and Dublin; thus accounting in some degree for their decay and disappearance out of Down. But many of them clung with desperate fidelity to the ancestral homes and fertile fields which their forefathers had won with their good broad-swords; and we believe we do not exaggerate when we state, that one half of the present population of Lecale is their direct posterity, the remaining moiety being of modern English, Scotch, and Irish descent. At first it seems difficult to account for so many of the descendants of the old Anglo-Norman settlers being located here, while they have disappeared from the rest of the County; but this apparent difficulty will vanish, when we recollect that a great portion, more than one half of this Barony, belonged to the Church, and that, prior to the suppression of the religious houses, from the reign of Henry the seventh the Fitzgeralds held, (with a short period of intermission,) the large estates of Ardglass and Strangford; -- that no forfeiture, of any importance, took place until the time of Cromwell; -- and that consequently, there being no sudden change of proprietors, there was no new plantation and expulsion of the old stock.

To be continued...

[a] There are many families of the name of Logan in Lecale as well as the rest of Down, but they are of Scotch origin. Walter Logan of Provestown, in the Ards, a Scotchman, 18 May. 11, James I, received a grant of denization to be free of the yoke of Scotland. The Wardlaws, also, who are supposed to be of English descent, are Scotch. William Wardlow, of Lismullen, now Bishops Court, received alike grant in 1614.

[b] Lodge vol. vi. p. 140, under Lord Kingsale, writes that, in 1196, De Courcy took a garrison-castle at Killsandall, where he placed one Russel, who, making an incursion into Tyrconnel, was killed in his return with a great booty, with many of his men, by Flachertach O'Molldory, king of Tyrconnel, -- The Four Masters, under the date 1197 call this castle "Kill Sanetan," and state it as being built by De Courcy and the English of Ulidia, on which they left Roitsel or Rotsel Pitun in command, and, though they mention his defeat, say nothing of his being killed. It is very possible the mames were identical, the affix Pitun being subsequently abandoned. The castle of Killsandall was on the east side of the river Bann, near Coleraine: its foundations are still visible. -- See O'Donovan, Four Masters; -- Reeves, Eccl. Antiquities. p.p. 74-324, -- and Primate Colton's Visitation, pp. 29-31.

The above article is reproduced from the Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 1, 1853.

Surnames in the County of Down (pt 2)

IV. REMARKS ON PARTICULAR NAMES.

Considering how many surnames there are in this county, it is natural to suppose that some will present strange, or interesting, or illustrative varieties. One of the commonest is that in which changes of vowels occur, either in accordance with local peculiarities of speech, or merely from caprice. On the former ground we have Rabb^e and Robb, Larimer and Lorimer; Taggart^f and Teggart; Harvey^g and Hervey; and, probably, we must ascribe to mere caprice, Abernathy, Nisbet, Nisbitt, Nesbett; and Arskine for Erskine. In other instances, the lengthening or shortening of a vowel requires an alteration in the consonants, when the word is written; but the principle is the same. Thus, Clelland, Cleland; Dorian, Dorrian; Magorian, Magorrian. Sometimes the spelling is varied to the eye, but the sound is identical to the ear; as Boal, Bole; Ray, Rea, Colquhoun, Cahoon, Cahoone; Waddle, Waddell.

A very common change in a surname is the addition of a plural termination by the vulgar, as Laws, Hopes, Mathers, Humes, Humphress (Humphry), Stotharts (Stoddart), Grimes (Graham), Dodds, Burns (Byrne), Barns (Baring), Sevens (Sefton), O'Briens.

The modes of abbreviation are sometimes very peculiar. One of the commonest is to omit the prefix Mac or O, and thus we have such names as 'Crory, 'Connell, 'Hagan, 'Keating, 'Kee, 'Keown, 'Kinney, 'Millen, 'Mullen, 'Neill, &c. Another very usual plan is to shorten the word to the extent of a syllable, by omitting a vowel or consonant; as Ste(v)enson, Shiel(d)s, Gar(de)ner, Titter(ing)ton, Pol(loc)k; Madole, for MacDowell, Greer, for MacGregor, Pender, for Prendergast.^h

There is often a vulgar form of a surname which is never written, the correct form being used only on rare occasions. Thus, Buttonit (Arbuthnot), Kimmins (Cumming), Kinnigam (Cunningham), Bruertonⁱ (Brereton), Frazure (Frisell), Haskiss (Hesketh), Skendritch (Scandrett), Merriday (Meredith), M'Elshender (Alexander.)

Sometimes the consonants of cognate origin are interchanged. Thus, by an indiscriminate use of two liquids, in names originally distinct, Torney^j and Torley become the same; so, also, Mulligan^k and Milliken; Lydiate and Liggart, or Legate; McQuiggan and McGuiggan.

In the barony of Mourne, the name Cunnigan is found; it is very distinct in its origin and use from Cunningham, with which it is often confounded. Megraw is given here separately from McGrath, but, in reality, the two names are one. Muckle and Meikle are Scotch forms of the English Mutch and Mudge; Little is common to both countries, probably in some instances altered from Liddell. McCaw is sometimes changed into McKay, as Make and Mack are into Malcom; but they appear to be distinct names. Uprichard (for Ap-Richard) is a singular instance of the Welsh settlers retaining the uncontracted form, though, on their native hills, the name usually takes the form Pritchard. Edgar^l is vulgarly pronounced Agar, and some branches of the clan spell the name so, or Eager. It is pleasing to find that the ancient name of Magennis is abundant in both Iveagh and Locale, the old territory of the family; that Savages and Whites are still pretty numerous in Ards; and that Bagnall is not extinct in Newry. Hamilton prevails nearly all over the county.

There are several families of Saxon descent, whose names are commemorated in the names of townlands, villages, &c.; so that though they may not appear upon the present map they are well known in the topography of the district. Without entering into an explanation of the individual names, the following may be enumerated: Sea-Forde, Castle Ward, Acre^m-McCricket, Isle-McCricket, Island-Henry, Jordan's-Acre, Jordan's-Crew, Dodd's-Island, Island-Teggart, Reilly's-Trench, Gilford, Hill-hall, Mount-Stewart, Echlin-ville, Mount-Alexander, Russell's-Quarter.

The term "town," is affixed on very slight grounds. Two families of the same name residing near each other, on a public road, might give such names as Briggs's-town, Hendry's-town, Megaghy's-town; and three would certainly do so. Among the many names of this kind we have the more formal ones of Carson's, Coniam's, Cook's, Greg's, Herd's, Hogg's, Marshall's, Priests', Slone's, Thomas's, Waring' s, and Whigham's towns. Of all these names, Carson and Sloane, in italics, are the only ones which appear on our map. More than half these places are in Ards, and three of them in the parish of Donaghadee.

Long before the settlement of Ulster, it was customary to name a place by appending the owner's name to the prefix "Bally." The Saxon settlers adopted the same plan, partly from analogy, and partly as a matter of necessity; for, as a general rule, except in countries newly discovered or explored, it is unquestionable that "the common people fix all our names of places." Omitting the prefix "Bally," and selecting only those names which occur on the map, there are townlands called Bally Adam, 'Black, 'Henry, 'Kelly, 'Vick-na-Kelly, [the town of Kelly's son], 'Magee, 'Martin, 'McConnell, 'McCormick, McKeown, 'Murphy, 'Rogan, 'Roney, 'Russell, 'White. In no instance does the position of the local name now coincide with the same name as applied to persons. There are several other townlands named from families,ⁿ which do not appear on the map; and the prefix "Bally" occurs associated with them in like manner. Other prefixes are connected with family names; as Rath-Gorman, Rath-Cunningham, Rath-Mullan, Tully-Branigan, (the hill of B.) Lis-na-Mulligan, (the fort of M.) Tir-Fergus, (the land of F.) Tir-Kelly, Saul, (i.e. Sabhal Phadraig, the barn of Patrick.) Sometimes, without naming a family surname, a large denomination is indicated; as Craig-na-Sassanach, the rock (or rocky land) of the Saxons, in the parish of Saintfield; and Carn-Albanach,^o the stone heap of the Highlanders.

An examination of the names of the townlands would lead us away too far from the present subject, and might also forestall a special paper by some learned Gaelic scholar. But it may be permitted to name a few in a note. Some proclaim a Saxon^p ancestry; others, again, are obviously of Celtic^q origin.

There are large districts in Upper Iveagh and Mourne thinly inhabited; and even in the lowlands there are spots where the inhabitants are few. In the parish of Kilkeel, there are townlands embracing more than 11,000 acres, or about seventeen square miles, with only one inhabited house! In Kilbroney, there is an area of 5,000 acres, or nearly eight square miles, with only two families resident. In the whole county there are 184 townlands which have not more than ten inhabited houses in any of them; and there are 22 others which have none whatever. Of the former, the greatest number are in Ards [36], and Lecale [66.] Of the latter, the greatest number are in Upper Iveagh [8], Lecale [5], and Mourne [4.]

In contrast with this diffusiveness, instances of the close condensation of families are more numerous and curious than in Antrim. The name Carse appears on the map in the parish of Killinchy: and all the persons of this name in the barony reside in this parish. Moreover, they are all found in one townland, Carrigulliam. There are thirteen families of the name Morrow in the same barony, of whom six are found in Derry-boy of Killileagh. The McIlwaines are all in Dromara parish, and in that part of it which lies in Kinclarty. There are eleven families of the name Blaney in Lecale; and six of them are found not only in one parish (Dunsfort) but in one townland (Sheepland More.) There are twenty-two Thomsons in Kinclarty, and fourteen are in the part of Magheradrool which lies in that barony. Five out of seven of the name Jennings are found in Ballynacraig, in the parish of Inch; and six out of nine of the name Neil are in Wood-grange of Down. Half of the Dicksons are in Ballygorian More of Clonduff; nearly all the Hooks in Corbitt of Magherally; and about half of the Annetts of Mourne, in the townland of Ballyvea. As before, each name is placed in the parish, without any attempt to secure a more minute localisation.

These simple facts show, if we required any such proof, that the centrifugal tendency is not great among the agricultural classes. In several instances, by the appending of the terms "junior" and "senior," and by all the other Christian names differing, I think I can recognise a father and his five sons "(who, ten or fifteen years ago, were a single household,) claiming for their family surname an honourable place on our little map. But if we include not merely brothers, but cousins, there is no doubt that there are many such instances. If we take in second cousins, (viz., persons having had a common great-grandfather,) the name may rise to one of the second rank, still allowing for a reasonable proportion to sink below the level of our test, -- the parliamentary suffrage; or to be drained off for town population or colonists. If a father, with a growing family, had settled here so recently as 1780, he might be represented at this hour by his great-grandsons, sturdy farmers, of thirty years old, "be the same more or less." But, as the majority settled a generation or two earlier, we have a superabundant population not on the voting list, in the proportion of live households to one.

[It is a peculiarity of articles like the present that every one suggests half-a-dozen others; and the last paragraph reminds me that no attempt has yet been made to write the "Family History" of our northern counties. The materials for it exist, but are passing away. I propose, health and leisure permitting, to write one or two such articles, which may not only interest by the facts themselves, but, as in the present case, may serve to guide others in researches of a similar kind.]

IV. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF NAMES

As before, the figures in the columns of the Table show the baronies in which the names occur upon the map; and this Table should show the whole 440 occurrences of the 252 names. The figures I denotes a name of the first Class, or one printed in small capitals; and 2, 3, 4, indicate block type. Roman Letter, and Italics, respectively.

The number [--?--] [--?--] [--?--] [--?--] [--?--] [--?--] [--?--] [--?--] county : thus, there are 123 which take precedence of Adams, and 97 which precede Agnew. In the table referring to Antrim, five or six names sometimes amounted to the same general number, but their order was put down according to the alphabetical arrangement, A more correct plan is followed here, the nature of which will be apparent from the order for the two counties given above. Boyd, Campbell, and Patterson, are all ranked as ninth in order, that is to say, only eight numbers precede them; but the next following, [McKee] is twelfth, as there are eleven which precede it. It is in this way that the names are all numbered 109, and the next number is 119; five are equal at this grade, and the next is 124, &c. Each of the group which is lowest in order is numbered 232; and such of them as appear in Upper or Lower Iveagh, Lecale, or Ards, might have disappeared from the map had there been the usual number of fourteen baronies instead of ten.

I am encouraged to believe that I do not overvalue this subject, from the numerous favourable testimonies which have been recorded respecting it, during the past three months. But as yet, only the first stone has been laid. If we had a map of Ireland, showing from twenty to fifty leading names in each county, we should be able to track the Saxon from the channel to the ocean, in his accumulations by conquest, grant, intermarriage, or purchase. If the same thing were done for England, our populations would, as it were, photograph themselves in their respective positions; and the numerous local causes which give rise to peculiar appellations would be ascertained with unusual facility; just as in geographical terms one shire is celebrated for "Halls," another for "fields," another for "becks," &c.; and so the "Tre, Pol, and Pen," of Cornwall are only indications of a large class of facts. In Scotland, though famine, the sword, clearance, and emigration have all swept over the country, a map of this kind would put flesh upon the dry bones, and muster each clan on the spot which it claims as its own. Instead of the loose generalities of topographers and tourists, we should ascertain the facts with absolute certainty; and, from the association of places and persons, it is impossible to say how much light might be thrown upon family and general history on the one side, or on local etymologies on the other.

If we widen the horizon of our researches, and suppose this work done for the countries in the north and west of Europe, what limit can be placed to the knowledge which we should acquire of our neglected continental relations? The Du Bois [wood, a wood, or Atwood] would figure under the Anglican metamorphosis of Boys and Boyce; and Cordeaux would be traced in Cordukes, just as the French beaux is vulgarised into English "bucks." In like manner, in the Scandinavian districts of our islands, Truelove would be represented in its original form, "Troe lof," ["bound in law, or bondsman"] while the northern Olav would be found altered to MacOlav, MacAulif, and Macauley.

It is needless to pursue these reflections farther. Let me only request that those literary explorers who may have patience sufficient to travel in the same path, will remember that I have gone two stages of the journey with them. And, I can assure them, that my guidance, whether of little or of much value, has been given with laborious accuracy, and the most sincere good faith.

A. HUME.

Order in the County	NAMES	A r d s	C a s t e l r e a g h		D u f f e r i n	I v e a g h		K i n c l a r t y	L e c a l e	M o u r n e	N e w r y
			L	U		L	U
124	Adams,	4					4
98	Agnew,	3				4
53	Allen,		4				4
26	Anderson,	3	4	2			4
232	Angus,	4
109	Annett,									1
232	Archer,					4
168	Armstrong,							4
62	Baillie	1
210	Baird,	4
198	Bassett,								3
92	Beattie,					3
142	Beck,						4
14	Bell,		4			1	1
98	Bennett,			2
109	Bingham,						2
80	Black,					2
73	Blakeley,			2			4
183	Blaney,								2
18	Boyd,	1	2	4		4	4
134	Boyle,	4
210	Byrne,	4
5	Brown,	1	3	3		1	1	2
62	Burns,						2
109	Burns,						2
12	Campbell,	2	4	4		2	2
98	Carlisle,			2
168	Carse,		4		4
39	Carson,			3			3		3
124	Caughey,	3
44	Chambers,			2		2	4
224	Clanny,	4
42	Clarke,			2		4
48	Cleland,			2	4
119	Connor,								4
124	Cooper,	4
161	Corbett,					4	4
168	Corran,	4
88	Coulter,								4
142	Cowan,						4
98	Craig,					4
109	Crangle,	3							3
39	Crawford,	2		2
124	Cromey,						2
189	Croskerry,							4
161	Crothers,						2
142	Cunnighan,									2
53	Cunningham,			4			4				4
232	Cupples,						4
67	Davison,			3
168	Dalzell,	4
88	Denvir,								1
71	Dixon,						2
183	Dodds,						3
124	Donnan,	2
142	Doran,						4
189	Dorrian,	3
142	Doyle,						2
98	Edgar,			4
210	Emerson,					4
183	English,					3
57	Erwin,					1		4
142	Fegan,						4
31	Ferguson,	4	1	4		3	4
80	Finlay,	2
46	Fitzpatrick,						1		4	4
30	Fitzsimmons,								1
142	Gardner,					3
17	Gibson,		3	2		1
210	Gilchrist,								7
161	Gill,			4
95	Gillespie,					2	4
67	Gilmore,				4		3
232	Glenny,										4
57	Gordon,						4	4
11	Graham,			1		1	3		9
189	Grant,						4
161	Green,					4
224	Gunning,	4
15	Hamilton,	4		3		1	3
28	Hanna,					3	2		2
109	Harper,				4
134	Harvey,			4
109	Harrison,					2
232	Harshaw,						4
161	Hawthorne,						4
80	Henry,						3
32	Heron,					2	2
168	Hinds,								2
210	Hook,					4
161	Hughes,								3
224	Hutchison,
161	Hutton,						4
189	Innis,								4
80	Irvine,	4
134	Jackson,			2
36	Jamieson,		2	2		2
224	Jardine,						4
95	Jennings,							4	4
8	Johnson,	2	3	2	4	2	4	2
142	Jones,					3
168	Jordan,					4
198	Kearney,								3
44	Kelly,	4				4	3	4
48	Kennedy,	4	3			4
161	Keown,								2
36	Kerr,		4			2	4
142	Killen,								2
183	King,						4
168	Kirk,			4
168	Kirkpatrick,			4
124	Knox,					2
161	Lavery,					4
161	Law,					4	4
198	Lawther,				4
198	Lennon,	4
189	Lilburn,					2
57	Lindsay,		4			2	3
232	Livingstone,					4
168	Lockhart,					3
210	Loughlin,						4
39	Lowry,		4	4	3
232	Macken,						4
20	Magee,			3		4			1
62	Magennis,						1		3
88	Magill,					2	3
168	Maglennon,								2
224	Magowan,					4
124	Magreevy,								2
198	Maguire,							3
119	Malcomson,			3			4
168	Marshall,						4
2	Martin,	2		1		1	1	1	2
183	Megraw,								2
124	Mercer,					1
124	Miller,	3
210	Mills,					4
88	Mitchell,					3
198	Moorhead,					4
4	Moore,	1	1	3	4	2	2		2	4
134	Moreland,	4
142	Morgan,						4
97	Morrison,	4					2
15	Morrow,		2	2	2	4
232	Muckle,	4
80	Mulligan,					4	2
142	Murdoch,			4
28	Murphy,		4				2
22	Murray,		3	3			1
95	McAlister,						3
134	McAulay,						3
73	McBride,						2
53	McCartney,					4	2
198	McCaw,					4
57	McClelland,					3	1
168	McClory,						2
92	McComb,					4	4
62	McConnell,		3	3
189	McConvey,
119	McConvill,						2
142	McCormick	4
22	McCullough,		2				2
168	McCracken,	4
98	McCutcheon,	2
98	McDonnell,	4
34	McDowell	4	2	4	4
161	McEvoy,						3
210	McGifford,	4
198	McGivern,						3
224	M'Gorrian,								4
67	M'Grath,	2					4		4
232	M'Grattan,	4				4	2
109	McIlroy,
183	McIlwaine,							4
224	M'Keag,	4
92	McKeating,	4							1
3	McKee,	1	2	1	3	1	1			4
109	McKeown,					2
80	McKibbin,					4				4
232	McKinney,						4
98	McKnight,						2
119	McMaster,	4
142	McMillen,		2
57	McMullan,						2	4	4
75	McMurray,					2
189	McNabb,	3
134	McRoberts,			4
210	Napier,								4
98	Neill,								3
88	Nelson,					2
142	Nesbitt,								4
168	Nicholson,					2
210	O'Hagan,						3
34	O'Hare,						1
109	O'Neill,						3
22	Orr,	2	1	4						3
7	Patterson,	2	3	1	4	1	4	2
62	Patton,	1	3
71	Porter,						2
51	Quin,						4			4
42	Ray,			3			4
232	Radcliffe,						4
210	Rankin,	4
32	Reib,	3				4		3
142	Robb,		2
13	Robinson,	2	2	2					2
80	Rodgers,					3
142	Rogan,							2
75	Rooney,						1		4
142	Rowan,						2
210	Rush,					4
26	Russell,	3	4	4			4		4
198	Rutherford,					3
168	Sands,					4	4
42	Savage,	3					4	4	3
232	Scandrett,					4
21	Scott,			2		1	3
161	Seed,								2
189	Shannon,						4
25	Shaw,	3		1			4	4
119	Skelly,			4		4
36	Sloane,		4	3			4
1	SMITH,	1	3	2	4	1	1	2	1	3
109	Spence,			4		4
142	Speers,						2
210	Stanfield,					4
210	Starkey,								3
75	Stevenson,	4					4
9	Stewart,	1	3	2	2	4	2
142	Taggert,								2
48	Taylor,	4							2
6	Thomson,	4	3	1		1	2	1
134	Todd,						2
124	Torley,								4		4
161	Trainor,								4
232	Uprichard,					4
98	Walker,					4
18	Wallace,	1	4				1
97	Walsh,					4
224	Warden,	4
161	Warnock,	2
189	Waterson,								4
46	Watson,		4			2
198	Waugh,					4
53	White,	3					4
198	Whiteside,					4
10	Wilson,	3	4	2		2	3			4
51	Woods,					3	2
67	Wright,					3	4
80	Young,						2

[e] Compare those with the provincialisms form for farm, and band for bond.

[f] Like bagger for beggar.

[g] Compare sergeant, Derby, Berkley, Hertford. 

[h] Compare this with the English Chumley for Cholmonde ey.[sic]

[i] This form occurs in the ancient records of Cheshire, which is the original seat of the name.

[j] Compare the provincial words "flannen" and "chimley."

[k] The interchange of g and k occurs provincially in braggot, for bracket, and shog for shock. Similarly from tabak (a native American word for pipe), came the Spanish Tobago, whence the English word tobacco.

[l] The four families (using the term family in a large sense) of Dunbar, Hume, Edgar, and Dundas, all trace their descent in an unbroken male line, from a common ancestor - Cospatrick, Earl of Northumberland, [-?-] William I. It should be borne in mind that surnames originated about the twelfth century. The record of the relationship is preserved to this hour in their armorial bearings; three of them having the same charge, but varying the tincture, and the fourth varying both slightly. See Drummond's History of the Noble British Families, and Douglas's Peerage, by [-?-]

[m] The term is here used in the general sense of an enclosure. Thus, our Saxon forefathers called the church-yard "God's acre" See Longfellow's Poems. "It does not appear that in ancient times, an acre signified any determinate quantity of land; and when, at length, it came to signify a specific quantity, the measure still varied, till it was fixed by the statute, called the Ordinance for Measuring of Land, passed in the reign of Edward I. The perch, or rod, however, with which land was measured, not being the same in all places, the acre, of course, still varied, as it does to to this day. In some instances in Cornwall, what is called an acre, is not less than a hundred statute acres! The Cheshire, the Lancashire [also, the Cunningham, the Irish Plantation], and the statute acre, consist of very different quantities." -- Boucher's Archean Glossary.(?)

[n] Bally Barnes, 'Branigan, 'Bryan, 'Copeland, 'Cullen, 'French, 'Garvigan, Gilbert, 'Lucas, 'MacNamee, 'Maginaghy, 'Megaughy, 'Macarnett, 'Macaratty, 'Maconoghy, 'Macateer, 'MacKeown, 'Minnish, 'Mullen, 'Nicol, 'Philip, 'Rickard, 'Ridley, 'Stokes, 'Walter, 'Ward, 'William.

[o] There are two townlands of this name in the parish of Moira, of the extent of about twenty-three and twelve acres respectively. Neither of them has any resident population.

[p] Killinchy-in-the-woods, Narrow-water, Quarterland, Grey Abbey, White Abbey, White Church, Fish Quarter, Broom Q., Nuns' Q , Church Q., Spittle Q , Saul-Q, Q. Bailee, New Castle, Trooper-field, Holy-wood, Bishop's-Court, (in Ards formerly the episcopal residence.) Strang-ford, Sheep-land, Green-castle, the Strand (popularly the Sthron', at Killough.)

[q] Coolsallagh (the wood of osiers), Ballysallagh (the place of the willows, or osiers), Knock-na-goney (the hill of the rabbits), Billy-knock (the town of the hill), Knock-breckan (the fern hill.) The parish of Knock, in Lower Castlereagh, was united with the parish of Breda, in Upper, forming the present parish of Knock-Breda. [Between the rivers Senegal and Gambia, in Western Africa, lies Sene-Gambia showing a similar union of names,] Tully-na-kill (the hill of the church), Tullyard (the high hill), Tullymore (the great hill) Tullylish (the hill of the fort), Lisduff (the black hill), and Lis-na-brague, Lis-na-gade, Li-na-Gonnell, and Lis-na-Tierney, all in the parish of Aghaderg. -- Ardglass (the green height). Derry boy (the yellow oak wood), Derry oge (the young oak wood), Ross (the promontory), Ross-glass (the green promontory), Ross-connor (Connor's promontory), Slieve-na-griddle (the mountain of the sun, exhibiting traces of idolatrous worship at its summit), Inch (the island, from its situation in reference to the Quoile river). Bally-kinler (the town of the candlestick, certain endowments from it having provided candles for the high altar in one of the two cathedrals of Dublin), and Glass-mass, in Cumber (green field.) The Holywell-station, on the Chester and Holyhead railway, is called "Greenfield," by the English, and "Ma(c?)s-Glass," by the Welsh.

The above article is reproduced from the Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858.