Fionnasclainn Finisglen

Finisklin/Fionnasclainn

Finisklin/Fionnasclainn, is a small farming, Gaeltacht, townland in the, Taobh Garbh, side of the Civil
and Roman Catholic parish of Moycullen in County Galway. It is in Spiddal (An Spidéal) Electoral
Division. Tá Fionnasclainn i gceantar Scoile Leamhchoill. It is bounded on the north by Slieveaneena,
Loughwell and Lealetter to the east, and Knockalough to the west. It is located at 53° 18′ 57″ N, 9° 14′
55″ W. It is 7km from Moycullen and 11km from Spiddal. The total area is 565 acres /.88 square miles.
View Townlands.i.e. Finisklin is part of the Moycullen bogs Natural Heritage Area.

Topography and Features

There are a few spots of this townland in cultivation. The greater portion is a wet moorish sort of land. An  tOileán Mór/Illaunmore is a cultivated field.

There are four lakes in the townland, Loch an Chip/Lough
Kip, Loch an Oileáin/Lough Illaun, An Loch Beag/Lough Beg, Loch Seanadh Chuilinn/Lough
Shancullen. There is a stream called An Sruthán Glas/Sruffaunglass. Today Wind Turbines surround it.

The Origin of the Townland name

O’Donovan’s field name books provide various spellings of this townland: Finnisglin County Registry
1832, Finnisklin High Constable for the Barony, Finesilin Printed Townland List, Finishglin Quit Rent
Ledger, Finnisklin Robt. Martin, Esq., Ross, Finnisklin Sketch Map, Finnisklin the Rev. E. French, P.P.
Moycullen, Finnisklin Thos. Martin, Esq., M.P, Finnisklin Tithe Applotment Book and Fionnasclainn
/Finnisglin in Maigh Cuilinn a Muintir – Cumann Staire Ruaidhrí Uí Fhlaitheartaigh and
Fionnasclainn/Finisklin, Logainm.ie. However, the residents spell it Finisglen.
Fionnasclainn is explained in Cormac’s Glossary as ‘A stream of clear water.’ It is explained as
‘Fíoruisce’ in ‘Maigh Cuilinn a Táisc agus a Tuairisc,’ by Pádraic Breathnach. The following explanation
is given in Maigh Cuilinn A Muintir: Is cosúil gur tháinig an t-ainm seo as leataobh fionn nó as an
bhfíoruisce atá le fail timpeall na háite. Finnisglin is named by the translation from Irish meaning ‘fair
lay–by or place of clear water or spring water’.

Places of Cultural/Historical Interest

The bogs of Finisklin are home to a range of flora and fauna, including several varieties of moss as well
as insect-eating plants, lichen, Furze, and some Rhododendron.

Field and other local names:

The Well Garden, The Haggard, Turin Ard, Garrai Seamus Mór, The Currach, Garrai Lachan, Garrai
Cnoch Cru, Garrai an Acra, The bulls garden. Garrai an Sruthán.

Land Ownership and Tenants

Down Survey 1656-1658 – Finisklin
Down Survey Name: Finishgline & Derrewoola
The Down Survey was a cadastral survey of Ireland conducted by English scientist William Petty in
1655 and 1656. The survey called the “Down Survey” by Petty because the results were set down in
maps; ‘admeasurement down’ was used; it is referred to by that name in Petty’s will.
The Down Survey 1641 (pre-Cromwell) states that the owner was Hugh O’Flaharty, Hairs (Catholic). The
Down Survey Map 1670 (post-Cromwell) states that ownership of the lands had changed and now
belonged to John Eyres (Protestant). It showed unprofitable land, 624 plantation acres, profitable land 91 acres and forfeited 91 plantation acres. John Eyre and his brother Edward were officers in Oliver
Cromwell’s army. They were granted land in County Galway as payment for their services. Eyre Square,
Galway City and Eyrecourt still reminds us of the Eyre family.

Tithe Applotment Books (1828)

The first available record of households is the Tithe Applotment Books. There was a Michael Connolly
and John Fallon & Co resident in Finisklin c1828 and the landlord was – Directors of the Law Life
Assurance Co.
Land Valuation Records (Available in Valuation Office, Abbey St. Dublin)

Census Information

Blake Census

The Blake Census was the work of Francis Xavier Blake, the Parish priest in Moycullen
between 1792 and 1825. The data for this townland is included in ‘Mountain’ area records.

Census 1841 to 1891

The only records available for Finisklin for the period between 1841 and 1891 are the total number of
houses and population

The Griffith Valuation Records (1847 – 64) – Sheet numbers 80&81

The Griffith’s Valuation records (1855) show one householder by the name of Patrick Faherty.1901 Census (Spiddal DED)

1901 Census

There were 2 households in Finisklin in 1901. There were 11 inhabitants. The heads of households were Thomas Faherty and Michael Faherty. Both occupants were farmers and Roman Catholics. All the adults could speak Irish and English. All the dwellings had walls of stone, brick or concrete and a thatched roof.

1911 Census (Spiddal DED)

There were 2 households in Finisklin in 1911. There were 12 inhabitants. The heads of households were
Thomas Faherty and Michael Faherty. Both occupants were farmers and Roman Catholics. All the adults
could speak Irish and English. All the dwellings had walls of stone, brick or concrete and a thatched roof.

Households update 2021

There are 4 households in Finisklin today.

Summary data for the Griffith’s Valuation and the 1901 and 1911 Census

Story of Finisklin households

The ‘Tithe Applotment Book’ c1828 Michael Connolly and John Fallon & Co resident in Finisklin c1828,
but there is no further record of those names.

The Griffith Valuation shows Patrick Faherty, and the Census returns of 1901 and 1911 show a Thomas
and a Michael Faherty in the Townland. The descendants of Michael Faherty still reside in Finisklin. We
are grateful to one such descendant, Patricia Higgins nee Faherty, for her contribution to this report.

A Mr. Thomas Walsh married Thomas Flaherty’s daughter Ellen c1905. Thomas Walsh later sold the
farm and moved to Australia. Pat and Nora Keane from Rosmuc bought the farm. Pat Keane and his son
Máirtin were fluent Irish speakers and renowned storytellers. Their Grandson Padraic Keane still resides
in the Townland.

People of Finisklin

The landholders of Finisklin leased their small holding from various landlords until 1903, when they got
absolute ownership of their holdings. The traditional way of life existed from the famine years well into
the 1960’s. Over this time rural life changed extraordinarily little.

Up until the 1980s they sowed potatoes, vegetables and corn and reared beef, pork, and poultry for the
local markets. They made butter for sale and raised hens and sold the eggs. Fair days for Finisklin people
were held in Spiddal and in the Fair Green Galway for cattle, sheep and horses and a pig fair was held in
the Fair Green, Moycullen.

Families were self-sufficient. We killed our own pig each Autumn. Ned Michael Martin would come
back and cut up the pig for us. They would put it in a timber barrel and salt it. We had bacon for the year.
Mum would make the best black puddings out of the blood. The pork steaks (Griskins) were lovely too.
Today, the farm family members combine off-farm work with part-time farming, including saving
enough turf for their own needs.

Killing the Pig

‘Families were self-sufficient. We killed our own pig each Autumn. Ned Michael Martin would come
back and cut up the pig for us. They would put it in a timber barrel and salt it. We had bacon for the year.
Mum would make the best black puddings out of the blood. The pork steaks (Griskins) were lovely too.
‘Patricia Higgins
‘Máirtin Hynes, who resided with the Faherty family was an expert in killing and curing the pig for
families in the adjoining townlands. He was also the chief Banbh (piglet) castrator, an operation that
made me wince.’ Walter McDonagh

Notable Finisklin People

Fr. Michael Faherty

Fr Michael Faherty Parish Priest of Spiddal and Lisdoonvarna. Fr Michael was a granduncle of Patricia
Higgins and Nicky Faherty,

Sr Rosaria Faherty was a Dominican nun and taught in South Africa, she was an aunt of Patricia and Nicky.

Pastimes

The locals fished for trout in the lakes in the area. They would visit each other’s houses in the evening
and chat and play cards. Sean Keane RIP Bred many a prize-winning Connemara Pony. All the young
lads from the neighbouring villages would come to Finisglen on Sunday to play football in the field
behind Keane’s house. The ladies knitted Aran sweaters; they picked black berries to make Jam. On
Sundays we went mountain climbing on our land.

Photo Album

References

(1) https://www.townlands.ie
(2) Google Maps Route Planner
(3) The Geological Heritage of County Galway – Report of Gortgar Drumlins
(4) Place names of Galway Galwaylibrary.ie/place, O’Donovan’s field name books:
(5) www.logainm.ie The Placenames Database of Ireland was created in collaboration with The
Placenames Branch (Department of Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht)
(6) Maigh Cuilinn a Muintir – Cumann Staire Ruaidhrí Uí Fhlaitheartaigh
(7) Maigh Cuilinn a Táisc agus a Tuairisc – Pádraic Breathnach
(8) Blake Census – moycullen.galwaycommunityheritage.org
(9) Down Survey 1656-1658, – http://downsurvey.tcd.ie › down-survey-maps
(10) Tithe Applotment Books – http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie ›
(11) http://www.askaboutireland.ie › griffith -valuation
(12) Land Valuations Records, Valuation Office, Abbey Street Dublin
(13) Blake Census – moycullen.galwaycommunityheritage.org
(14) 1841-1891 Census gures www.histpop.org
(15) Census of Ireland 1901/1911 National
Archives census.nationalarchives.ie/help/history
(16) Prompt list – https://moycullen.galwaycommunityheritage.org
(17) General information and Place Names, Patricia Higgins
WMcD 06/04/2021Fr. Michael Faherty, originally from Finnisglin, was Parish priest in Spiddal and Lisdoonvarna. His nephew, Nicolas Faherty, currently lives in Finnisglin.