Classaghroe (Leagan Gaeilge – Clasach Rua): The townland of Classaghroe is situated five kilometres north of Glenamaddy Town in north-east County Galway. The Irish form of the townland name translates as ‘the red valley/trench’, clasach meaning valley, or trench and rua meaning red. Other forms of the townland name listed in O’Donovan’s Field Name Books are Clasach Ruadh and Classaroe.
Distinctive Features:
- There are three distinct clusters of houses fitting the definition of clachan villages containing about thirty eight dwellings and a Corn Kiln discernible in the southern part of the townland on the 1840 Historic Ordnance Survey Map of Classaghroe.
1656-58 Down Survey: The Down Survey name of the townland is given as Lisagowen, Shellehane, Carrowlissbeg. The landowner is listed as Hugh Geoghegan who is described as being a Catholic. The unprofitable land was adjudged to be 230 plantation acres with the profitable land amounting to 154 plantation acres. The area forfeited came to 154 plantation acres.
1823 – 1838 Tithe Applotment Books: Surviving documentation of the Tithe Applotment Books is in poor condition making it difficult, and in some cases impossible, to decipher the names of landholders. In so far as it can be ascertained the Catholic landholders in the townland of Big and Little Classaghroe who paid the tithe (tax) levied to support the Established Church (Church of Ireland) were Thomas Kenny, Daniel Kine, Denis Kine and Martin McDermott. Protestant occupiers of agricultural holdings were exempt from this tax.
1838 O’Donovan’s Field Name Books: O’Donovan describes the townland as follows – “There is a portion of bog situated in the N.W. corner of this townland. There are two villages not named in the South portion. The road from Kilnalag to Glanamadda passes through the S.W. portion. The remainder of the townland is tillage and pasture.”
1856 Griffith’s Valuation: The townland covers an area of 448 acres 3 roods 21 perches and the total rateable valuation of the land and buildings combined amounted to £176 2s 0d.
There were 42 occupiers in Classaghroe at the time the survey was conducted – Cunca, Egan (3), Fahey (3), Finigan, Flanagan, Keavney (2), Kelly, Kenny (6), Kilaheeny, Kyne (14), Mannion, McDermott (3), Meldon, Morgan, Moore (2) and Sweeny. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation the landlord in Classaghroe was Sir St. George Gore.
Adjoining Townlands: The following townlands share a border with Classaghroe – Ardeevin, Ballinastack, Cloonminda, Cloonacross, Cornacoyntia, Gorteen (Templetogher Parish), Kilsallagh (Kilcroan Parish) and Straid (Templetogher Parish).
Census Records: Population and Household data for the townland of Classaghroe:
| Census Years | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 2011 |
| Population | 220 | 195 | 152 | 136 | 151 | 121 | 117 | 110 | 61 |
| Households |
40 |
41 |
39 |
29 |
28 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
21 |
Glenamaddy and the Irish Folklore Collections:
The article posted on this website under the ‘Heritage > Folklore’ tab provides an overview of the folklore material submitted by Glenamaddy parishioners to the National Folklore Commission, now known as the Irish Folklore Collections. It also explains the background to the 1937 Schools’ Collection (Bailiúchán na Scol) project which has good representation from a parish perspective
The Irish Folklore Collections housed in the Folklore Department of University College Dublin contain a treasure trove of folklore material, some of which is accessible online. Both the Main Manuscript Collection and the Schools’ Collection contain a considerable number of submissions from collectors and informants who resided in the parish of Glenamaddy. The quick reference directories featured in the ‘Parish > Townlands’ section of this website complement the user-friendly search features of the dúcas.ie website and are helpful in tracking Schools’ Collection submissions associated with townlands. Submissions are categorised under – School, Teacher, Language, Volume Number, Page Number, Collector, Collector’s Townland, Informant and Informant’s Townland. Where applicable, Schools’ Collection directories showing online townland-related submissions appear at the end of the following townland posts on this website – Ballinapeaka, Ballinastack, Barna, Boyounagh More (Middletown), Bushtwon, Cashel, Classaghroe, Cloonacross, Clooncon East, Clooncon West, Cloonkeen, Cultiafadda, Eskeromullacaun (Esker), Felimspark, Glenamaddy, Gortaganny, Gortnagier, Kiltullagh, Knockauns, Lisheenaheltia, Loughpark, Meelick, Scotland, Shannagh More, Stonetown and Woodfield.
Schools’ Collection Townland-Related Quick Reference Directory:
Parish folklore submissions contained in the Schools’ Collection are also accessible online via the following links:-
Árd Aoibhinn National School – Part 1 – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613680
Árd Aoibhinn National School – Part 2 – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613681
Glenamaddy Girls’ National School – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613677
Glenamaddy Boys’ National School – Part 1 – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613678
Glenamaddy Boys’ National School – Part 2 – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613679
Gort na Léime National School – Part 1 – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4569061
Gort na Léime National School – Part 2 – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4569062
Lisheenaheltia Girls’ National School – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613675
Lisheenaheltia Boys’ National School – https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613676
Glenamaddy submissions which form part of the Main Manuscript Collection are not posted online but may be examined in the reading room of the Folklore Department in U.C.D., Belfield, Dublin 4. Typed versions of some of the parish contributions contained in the Main Manuscript Collection are published under the ‘Heritage > Folklore’ tab on this website.
Quick Reference Directory of Glenamaddy folklore submissions in the Main Manuscript Collection:-
Author: Pat Keaveny
Sources:
Townlands in County Galway
1840 Historic Ordnance Survey Map
Place Name Books of Galway
The Down Survey of Ireland
The Tithe Applotment Books, 1823-1837
Griffith Valuation – Ask About Ireland
Central Statistics Office
National Archives: Census Reports 1901/1911
Essex University: Historic Population Census Reports
Historic Environment Viewfinder