Moneyshanere is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan

Kilcronaghan

Kilcronaghan is a civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Containing one major settlement, Tobermore, and lying on the descending slope of Slieve Gallion, Kilcronaghan is bordered by the civil parishes of Ballynascreen, Desertmartin, Maghera, and Termoneeny. It lies within the former...

, County Londonderry

County Londonderry

The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...

, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

. It lies in the north-west of the parish on the boundary with the civil parish of Ballynascreen, and it is bounded by the townlands of: Calmore

Calmore

Calmore is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the north-west of the parish, and is bounded by the townlands of; Granny, Moneyshanere, Moyesset, and Tobermore...

, Drumcrow

Drumcrow, Kilcronaghan civil parish

Drumcrow is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the north of the parish with the Moyola River running along its northern boundary. It is bounded by the townlands of; Drumballyhagan, Drumballyhagan Clark, Drumconready, Kirley...

, Drumballyhagan Clark, Duntibryan, Granny

Granny (townland)

Granny is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the west of the parish on the boundary of the civil parish of Ballynascreen, and is bounded by the townlands of; Calmore, Duntribryan, Moneyshanere, Mormeal, and Tamnaskey...

, Moneyguiggy, Moybeg Kirley

Moybeg Kirley

Moybeg Kirley is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the north-west of the parish, with the Moyola River forming its northern boundary. It is bounded by the townlands of Drumconready, Drumcrow, Kirley, Moneyguiggy, and...

, and Tobermore

Tobermore (townland)

Tobermore is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the north-east of the parish, and is bounded by the townlands of; Ballynahone Beg, Calmore, Clooney, Drumballyhagan Clark, Moneyshanere, and Moyesset...

. It was apportioned to the Drapers

Worshipful Company of Drapers

The Worshipful Company of Drapers is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London; it has the formal name of The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Drapers of the City of London but is more usually known...

 company and Crown

The Crown

The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...

 freeholds.

The townland currently lies within Tobermore electoral ward of Magherafelt District Council

Magherafelt District Council

Magherafelt District Council is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Council headquarters are in Magherafelt. The Council area stretches from Lough Neagh and the River Bann in the east and into the Sperrin Mountains in the west and is divided by the Moyola River. It covers...

, however in 1926, it was part of Tobermore district electoral division as part of the Maghera division of Magherafelt

Magherafelt

Magherafelt is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 8,372 people recorded in the 2001 Census. It is the biggest town in the south of County Londonderry and is the social, economic and political hub of the area...

 Rural District. It was also part of the former barony of Loughinsholin.

The town of Tobermore

Tobermore

Tobermore is a small village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is located two and a half miles south of Maghera and five miles west of Magherafelt. Tobermore lies within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan and is part of Magherafelt District Council...

 lies partially in this townland, and those of Calmore, Moyesset

Moyesset

Moyesset is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the centre of the parish, and is bounded by the townlands of; Calmore, Clooney, Gortamney, Killytoney, and Tobermore...

, and Tobermore. The local parish church of Kilcronaghan also lies within Moneyshanere.

Etymology

The Irish origin the name Moneyshanere derives from is unknown. Several possible origins have however been given over the years:

• Moín na Seánoir (bog of the old man/bard/druid)
• Muine Sean Iúir (thicket of old yews)
• Muine Sean Oir (thicket of old spindle trees)
• Muine Sean Fhéir (brake of the old coarse grass)
• Mona Sean Saighir (crest/ridge of the ancient priest)

Alfred Munn Moore in his Notes on the Place Names of the Parishes and Townlands of the County of Londonderry, makes note that St. Ciaran was known as the "ancient priest" or "Sean Saighir", possibly referring to St. Ciarán of Saigir.

History

Population

Year	Pop.
1841	137
1851	115
1861	105
1871	99
1881	109
1911	342 a
1926	99
a - along with townlands of Calmore and Moneyshanere, population counted as part of total for Tobermore town

Size (acres, roods, poles) Year a, r, p 1851 369, 0, 27 1881 369, 0, 27 1926 368, 3, 16 Earlier recorded forms Year Form 1609 Mollishanare (O.S.) 1613 Mollyshanare (Charter) 1613 Montshenar 1622 Moneshanar 1654 Manishinor 1657 Molyshanare 1659c Monishnare 1661 Mannishinore 1663 Morishnose 1767 Monishanere 1813 Monishanere (S.M.) _{(O.S.) - Ordnance Survey map 1609
(Charter) - Charter of Londonderry 1613
(S.M.) Sampson's Map}