Dovepark

Information from logainm.ie:

Irish Spelling: Páirc na gColm

Genitive: Pháirc na gColm

The word páirc in Irish translates to field in English.

This is a validated name: “Placenames or geographical names whose official, legal Irish versions are specified in various Placenames Orders in accordance with the Official Languages Act 2003. Certain placenames in Northern Ireland are also included in this category, such as counties, cities, towns and various other population centres.”

Information from O’Donnovan’s Field Name Books – (places.webworld.org database)

Description: This townland is very small. It consists of arable and pasture. The ruins of Dovepark House are in this townland. There is a church and burying place W. of this townland called Thampul Beg, Killcallan. Nothing more to be seen.

Situation: N. of the parish. Bounded on North by Knockbaan and Corbally, on E. by Drimneen, on S. by part of Drimneen and the point of Gurtnamona on West, and on W. and S.W. by Newtown.

Other places names in this townland:

Some other placenames in or near this townland are:

• Dove Park House (in ruins) (house)
• Kilcallin (church)

Information from Moycullen and its People:

Deireann an t-údar Pádraic Breathnach gurb iad na colúir a bhaist an baile seo. Is ann bhí Cill, Teach agus Tobar Cháilín.

It has been suggested, by the author Pádraic Breathnach, that the doves which nested here lead to how Dovepark got its name.

Townland History and Description

Dovepark House, a church, burial grounds and a holy well dedicated to Saint Cáilín are all here. During the famine years the poor were given soup from the kitchen from the Big House. On the 15th August, the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, the faithful made a pilgrimage to the holy well. Here, they recited the rosary while going around the well on their knees.

Griffith’s Valuation

Griffith’s Valuation was a land and property survey conducted from 1847 to 1863. Its purpose was to determine taxes based on land value and soil quality. In the absence of most pre-20th Century census data, Griffith’s can provide crucial insight to those interested in genealogy. The survey was conducted in Moycullen from 1853 to 1855. You can find the record of Dovepark in Griffith’s valuation here.

There were two landholders in Dovepark with separate plots. Anthony O’ Flaherty (1) held 40 acres, 3 roods and 37 poles/perches valued at 20 pounds. This tenement included “Herd’s, house and land.” Any buildings on this holding was valued at 5 shillings. The immediate lessor was in fee, meaning O’ Flaherty owned the land outright. 

Robert Lynch’s (2) holding was “Land (part shrubby)”. At 5 acres, 3 roods and 30 poles/perches valued at 20 pounds, the land was valued at 1 pound, 10 shillings. Robert’s immediate lessor/landholder was Anthony O’ Flaherty.

The total annual valuation of property in Dovepark was 21 pounds, 15 shillings.

The 1901 Census

 According to the Enumerator’s abstract (Form N), Dovepark only had one building which was an inhabited, single-family house. Everyone in Dovepark was Roman Catholic. There were ten people residing in the townland at the time of census collection; three men and seven women. The Information on the House and Building Return ​​(Form B1) was collected for all three households on the 2nd of April, 1901. The dwelling in Dovepark  was built of stone or brick, with a slate or tile roof. According to the Out-Offices and Farm-Steadings Return (Form B2) there were seven additional structures in the townland used for storage and farming; the structures associated with the household will be elaborated on in the relevant writeup. Individuals recorded in the household (Form A information) for Dovepark “…slept or abode in this House on the night of Sunday, 31st of March, 1901”. The Enumerator was Constable Matthew Moore.

James Kyne Household – Form A

James Kyne was head of  House 1 in the townland of Dovepark in the District Electoral Division of Slieveaneena, County Galway. According to the House and Building Return (Form B1), the dwelling was a 2nd class house, made of stone or brick with a slate or tile roof. With seven rooms and three front windows, this home is much more spacious and fortified than the typical living situations for rural Moycullen families at the time. The Out-Offices and Farm Steadings Return (Form B2) show the property also had a stable, cow and calf houses,a piggery, a barn, a shed, and a cart house.

The house and landholder recorded on the House and Building Return was James Kyne himself, and the census return for the household was collected on 2nd of April, 1901.

The home was occupied by a family and two other individuals. All the individuals were Roman Catholic and born in County Galway. All adults and children spoke English and Irish.

At the time of the 1901 census collection there were two other individuals present in House 1. John Welby (20) and Sarah Welby (18) worked as a farm servant and a domestic servant respectively in James Kyne’s household. They were unmarried and could read and write.

James Kyne (39) was a Farmer. His wife, Mary (30), has her occupation column left blank. Both James and Mary could read and write. 

The Kynes had six children at the time of census collection, none of whom were married. Bridget (11), Mary (9) and Timothy (6) are all listed as “scholar”, meaning they attended school. They could all read and write. 

The three youngest Kyne daughters; Anne (4), Margaret (2) and Honor (3 months) could not read, and their occupation columns indicate they did not attend school. Margaret and Honor’s language proficiency is unclear, while Anne spoke both Irish and English.

The girls do not appear on the 1911 Census.

Anne Kyne was born the 5th of November, 1896 in Dovepark. Her birth record can be viewed here. Anne died of whooping cough on the 24th of May, 1901 in Dovepark. She was four years old. Anne is one of several infants and young children that died of whooping cough during the spring of 1901 in Moycullen. Her death record can be found here.

Margaret Mary Kyne was born the 3rd of October, 1898 in Dovepark. Her birth record can be viewed here. She died May 28th, 1901 of pneumonia in Dovepark. She was three years old. Her death record can be viewed here.

Honor Kyne was born the 25th of December, 1900 in Corbally townland. It says that her father, James, Was a resident of Corbally at the time. Her birth record can be viewed here.

A death record or any other record which would detail Honor’s circumstances between the 1901 and 1911 Census or has not been found at this time.  

On the birth records of the three children, it shows that their mother’s maiden name was Walsh.

The 1911 Census

According to the Enumerator’s abstract (Form N, pg. 2), Dovepark only had one building which was an inhabited, single-family house. Everyone in Dovepark was Roman Catholic. There were nine people residing in the townland at the time of census collection; four men and five women. The Information on the House and Building Return ​​(Form B1) was collected for all three households on the 7th of April, 1911. The dwelling in Dovepark  was built of stone or brick, with a slate or tile roof. According to the Out-Offices and Farm-Steadings Return (Form B2) there were four additional structures in the townland used for storage and farming; the structures associated with each household will be elaborated on in the relevant writeup. Individuals recorded in the household (Form A information) for Dovepark “…slept or abode in this House on the night of Sunday, 2nd of April, 1911”. The Enumerator was Constable Johnston Morrison.

James Kyne Household – Form A

James Kyne lived in House 1 in the Townland of Dovepark, in the District

Electoral Division of  Slieveaneena, County Galway. According to the House and Building Return (Form B1), the dwelling was a second class house, made of stone or brick with a slate or tile roof. With seven rooms and three front windows, this home is much more spacious and fortified than the typical living situations for rural Moycullen families at the time. The Out-Offices and Farm Steadings Return (Form B2) show the property also had a stable, a piggery, a fowl house, and a barn.

The home was occupied by a single Roman Catholic family.

James Kyne (55), a Farmer from Co. Galway, was the head of household. James and his wife, Mary (45) had been married for 23 years as of 1911. Mary had given birth to ten children, seven of whom were still alive. Mary has no occupation listed. James and Mary were born in Co. Galway, as were all seven of their children.

Brigid (21), was single and has no occupation listed. Mary (19), Timothy (17), and Nora (10), are all listed as “scholar”, meaning they attended school. These three Kyne children are specified as single. Peter (7), was also marked as scholar. Margaret (4) and Michael (2) were the two youngest Kyne Children.

The Kyne Family was Roman Catholic, and all but two could read and write; Margeret and Michael are marked as unable to read. All members of the family were bilingual English and Irish speakers, except Michael.

The householder recorded on the House and Building Return was James Kyne himself, and the census return for the household was collected on 7th of April, 1911.