Patrick Kissane contributes this information about the Books of Distribution and Survey and a transcription of the Survey for the civil parish of Killaha, presented in the table below. The area covered is what would be described today as Glenflesk, It is located some 14K east of Killarney town.

Read about The Books of Survey and Distribution.

The O' Donoghue clan split into two branches namely the O' Donoghue Mor and the O' Donoghue of the Glen. It was this latter branch, the O' Donoghue of the Glen, that inhabited and controlled the Glenflesk area. Their strong point was Killaha castle which is now in ruins. However they also built Killaha House which still stands and is occupied. An O' Donoghue Mor is at present recognized by the Irish Government as chieftain of the clan. The land of the O' Donoghues of the Glen was confiscated in 1586 following the Rebellion of 1584 and the Insurrection of 1641. However they continued a semi-autonomous existence for many years afterwards in the remote fastnesses of Glenflesk. Even today many of the people who live in Glenflesk are named O' Donoghue. The clan chieftain mentioned in the Survey, Geoffrey O' Donoghue, was also a recognized poet. He is celebrated as one of the Four Poets of Co. Kerry. A monument to the Four Poets stands near the court-house in Killarney.

The Theo Jones mentioned was Theophilus Jones. He was the son of the Bishop of Killaloe. He became a member of Cromwell's Parliament and subsequently replaced his brother Michael Jones as Governor of Dublin. Michael Jones had held Dublin for the Parliamentarians during the Insurrection. He was instrumental in bringing about the Restoration of Charles II and was duly rewarded for it.

The Phineas Bury mentioned was granted 588 acres in Kerry 1669.The line became extinct in 1875 following the death of the last Earl of Charleville.

The Symon Finch mentioned was Lieutenant Colonel Symon Finch, a Cromwellian officer.

The Earl of Cork mentioned was Roger Boyle.

The Hollow Blades mentioned was The Hollow Sword Blade Company, a joint-stock company founded in London in1691 to manufacture hollow-ground rapiers. It purchased land in Ireland as an investment.

The records are shown in six columns. Measurements are by acres, roods and perches. Some names have changed since the book was written. Where able to confirm a name or location, it is listed in brackets after the 17th century name. However some of the names mentioned are no longer in use and have no present-day equivalents.

1. The owner in 1641 i.e. prior to the Insurrection and Cromwellian plantation.
2. A description of the land: it is mainly a geographical place-name.
3. Unprofitable land e.g. bogs, mountains, lakes etc.
4. Profitable land e.g. arable and grazing land.
5. Acreage transferred. The acres are Plantation acres which equalled 1.62 of a statute acre.
6. The name of the owner in 1680 i.e. after a) the Plantation and b) the Restoration (which reversed some of the Plantation). However in many cases it shows Sir Valentine Browne as both the old owner and the new owner, that is, no change.

Owner 1641	Land Description	Land Unprofitable acres:roods:perches	Land Profitable acres:roods:perches	Acres Transferred acres:roods:perches	Owner 1680
Jeoffrey Donoghy als (alias) O	Killaha (Killaha)		338:2:0	338:2:0	Phineas Bury
Dohnogh of ye Glinn (Geoffrey O'
Donoghue of The Glenn)
The Same	In ye Same		85:0:0	24:3:10	Phineas Bury
				60:0:30	Robert Mercer
The Same	Lonoboy (Shronaboy?)		180:0:0	29:0:15	Robert Mercer
The Same	In ye Same		110:0:0	496:1:15	Sr Theophilus Jones
The Same	In ye Same		613:0:0	613:0:0	Do.
The Same	In ye Same		235:1:34
The Same	Drumduffe		95:2:04	95:2:04	Robert Mercer
The Same	Gortacaugh		125:1;15	125;1:15	Ditto
The Same	In ye Same		40:0:0	40:0:0	Ditto
The Same	Bauleochraghery 3 gn (gneeves)		52:1:08	52:1:08	Earle of Corke
The Same	In ye Same		60:1:20	60:1:20	Ditto
The Same	Tullogh (Tullogh) 3 gn (gneeves)		61:3:28	61:3:28	Ditto
The Same	In ye Same		160:0:0	160:0:0	Ditto
The Same	Dromdirallagh (Dromdiralough)		217:0:16	26:1:24	Ditto
The Same				190:2:32	Theophilus Jones
The Same	Cappagh (Cappagh)		45:0:0	45:0:0	Ditto
The Same	In ye Same		148:1:0	148:1:0	Ditto
The Same	In ye Same		55:0:0	55:0:0	Ditto
The Same Jeoffrey afores. (aforesaid)	Rusheenbegg (Rusheen Beg)		145:2:20	145:2:20	Sr Theophilus Jones
The Same	In ye Same		55:0:0	55:0:0	Ditto
The Same	Inchyanglanna (Inch)		375:0:0	375:0:0	Ditto
The Same	In ye Same		170:0:0	100:0:0 plus 5 gn (gneeves)
				70:0:0	Ditto
The Same	Gortilicky (Gortalicka)		358"2:0	144:0:0	Symon Finch
				30:0:0	Samuell Barkly
The Same	In ye Same		470:0:0	798:0:0	Sr Theophilus Jones
The Same	Gortilly (Gortilly mountain)		330:1:20	103:3:21	Henry Feltham
The Same	In ye Same		310:0:2	636:1:33	Sr Theophilus Jones
The Same	In ye Same
The Same	Cooleichanogh		367:3:25	367:3:25	Ditto
The Same	In ye Same		395:0:0	395:0:0	Ditto
The Same	Derrybanan (Derrbanane)		990:2:0	990:2:0	Ditto
The Same	In ye Same		205:0:0	205:0:0	Ditto
The Same	Croghane (Crohane mountain)
	Mungane (Mangerton mountain?)
	Corngower Connaghhuskagh	880:0:0
The Same	Conin & Cullin		1556:0:0	20:00:00	Symon Finch
The Same	In ye Same		240:3:01	1774:3:31	Sr Theo Jones
The Same	Cleaghdagh Riegh (Clydaghroe?)		4570:3:03	5:00	Willaim Sheldon
				7:00:00	Richard Wilkinson
				4558:0:0	Sr Theo Jones
The Same	Clenanghmore		3045:0:0	3045:0:0	Ditto.. Hollow Blades
The Same	Drumkearabane (Drumcarbin?)		310:0:0	310:0:0	Sr Theo Jones
The Same	In ye Same		490:0:0	490:0:0	Ditto
The Same Jeoffry afor. (aforesaid)	A. Redd. Bogg ( A "red bog" is a	48:1:20
	bog from which peat can be extracted)
The Same	Annaghmore 9 gneeves (Annaghmore)		1165	1165	Theophilus Jones
The Same	In ye Same		70:0:0	70:0:0	Ditto
The Same	Rusheenmore (Rusheen More)		575:0:0	575:0:0	Ditto
The Same	In ye Same		350:2:10	350:2:10	Ditto
The Same	Islandmore (Islandmore)		63:0:0	63:0:0	Ditto
	als. (alias) ye great Island
The Same	Killeene (Killeen)		310:0:0	310:0:0	Ditto
The Same	In ye Same		175:1:20	175:1:20	Ditto
The Same	Cloghan (Cloghane)		260:1:36	260:1:36	Ditto
The Same	In ye Same		30:0:0	30:0:0	Ditto
The Same	Gilkagh		182:3:20	182:3:00 (sic)	Ditto
The Same	Artegalvan (Ardteegalvan)		187:2:32	187:2:32	Ditto
The Same	In ye Same		135:0:0	135:0:0	Ditto
The Same	Knockanemrish (Knockanimrish)		120:3:32	120:3:32	Ditto
The Same	In ye Same		53:0:0	53:0:0	Ditto

This page created February 2, 2013 for County Kerry, Ireland, at roosweb.ancestry.com and Ireland Genealogy Project.