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Books of Survey and Distribution

Extract from Books of Survey and Distribution (1680) for Killaha

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.