Conacre
Encyclopedia
Conacre in Ireland
, is a system of letting land
, formerly in small patches or strips, and usually for tillage (growth of corn or potato
es).
During the 19th century, conacre land was normally let on an eleven month system - considered to be of sufficient length to sow and harvest a crop but without creating a relationship between landlord and tenant. Holding the land under conacre granted no legal rights to the land with rent being paid in cash, labour or a combination of both. Most common in Munster and Connaught for a variety of crops while in Leinster and Ulster, conacre was used almost exclusively for a potato crop alone. In former times one third of agricultural land in Northern Ireland was let as Conacre. Some historians believe that it was one of the factors responsible for the Great Irish Famine.
The land owner would manure the land before letting, usually at a rate of between £6 and £14 per acre in 1840. The principal defect in the practice was the nature of its speculative system; the labourer who took the land was frequently an indigent speculator who, dependent on the weather, either made a profit or faced ruin. During the 19th century, there were many cases of middlemen renting the land and then sub-letting on conacre to desperate landless labourers or cottiers at a high profit.
In March 2009, a ruling by the Court of Appeal
removed tax relief on land with development potential which has been let under Conacre. Commenting on the ruling, the Ulster Farmers' Union president said "With one third of the land in Northern Ireland let as conacre, the ruling needs to be carefully considered by many local families. Inheritance of land within families is an important aspect of family farming in Northern Ireland and we want to protect that. We certainly don't want to see farming families facing unforeseen large tax bills."
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, is a system of letting land
Land management
Land management is the process of managing the use and development of land resources. Land resources are used for a variety of purposes which may include organic agriculture, reforestation, water resource management and eco-tourism projects.-See also:*Sustainable land management*Acreage...
, formerly in small patches or strips, and usually for tillage (growth of corn or potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es).
During the 19th century, conacre land was normally let on an eleven month system - considered to be of sufficient length to sow and harvest a crop but without creating a relationship between landlord and tenant. Holding the land under conacre granted no legal rights to the land with rent being paid in cash, labour or a combination of both. Most common in Munster and Connaught for a variety of crops while in Leinster and Ulster, conacre was used almost exclusively for a potato crop alone. In former times one third of agricultural land in Northern Ireland was let as Conacre. Some historians believe that it was one of the factors responsible for the Great Irish Famine.
The land owner would manure the land before letting, usually at a rate of between £6 and £14 per acre in 1840. The principal defect in the practice was the nature of its speculative system; the labourer who took the land was frequently an indigent speculator who, dependent on the weather, either made a profit or faced ruin. During the 19th century, there were many cases of middlemen renting the land and then sub-letting on conacre to desperate landless labourers or cottiers at a high profit.
In March 2009, a ruling by the Court of Appeal
Court of Appeal of England and Wales
The Court of Appeal of England and Wales is the second most senior court in the English legal system, with only the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom above it...
removed tax relief on land with development potential which has been let under Conacre. Commenting on the ruling, the Ulster Farmers' Union president said "With one third of the land in Northern Ireland let as conacre, the ruling needs to be carefully considered by many local families. Inheritance of land within families is an important aspect of family farming in Northern Ireland and we want to protect that. We certainly don't want to see farming families facing unforeseen large tax bills."