Munterconnaught
Encyclopedia
Munterconnaught is a civil
and ecclesiastical parish of County Cavan
in the Republic of Ireland
. It is located between the southern shores of Lough Ramor
and the county boundary with County Meath
.
Muintir meaning people and Connacht
being the western province. However, it actually has nothing to do with this and is named after Choncur, one of the 13 sons of the O'Reilly's of Breffni
. The O'Reilly Clan ruled the area of Cavan and Leitrim
which was known as Breffni for centuries.
country, lush farmland and lakeshore. It featured in Griffith's Valuation
in the 1850s.
Lewis' Topographical Dictionary in 1837 wrote of Munterconnaught
s:
in 1922 destroyed all surviving Irish census records from before the 1901 census, and most Church of Ireland
records, with rare exceptions. Munterconnaught's census records from 1821 survived the inferno significantly intact along with some other parishes in Cavan.
Munterconnaught Parish Church, Knockatemple was built in 1831. It is one of the Church of Ireland
places of worship in the Virginia Group of Parishes in the Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. The other churches in the group are Lurgan Parish Church in Virginia
(built 1821), Killinkere
Parish Church (built 1817), and Billis Church (built 1844). The four churches were amalgamated under one incumbency
in 1972.
Roman Catholic parish
The Roman Catholic Parish of Castlerahan and Munterconnaught is one of the parishes in the Diocese of Kilmore
. St. Bartholomew's Church, Knockatemple (built 1847) is the Munterconnaught part of the parish, and St. Mary's Church, Castlerahan (built 1834) and St. Joseph's Church, Ballyjamesduff
(built 1966) are in the Castlerahan part of the parish.
club has won many championships and leagues since its re-affiliation in 1969. The team was originally formed in 1926 but records date the playing of some form of football in Munterconnaught as early as the 1860s. Munterconnaught GFC was featured in an advertising campaign by Coca-Cola
sports drink Powerade
in 2008 which described the underdog GAA club as a 'never give up' team.
. The journalist and political advisor Jim Duffy is of Munterconnaught descent through his mother, Bernadette Duffy (neé Cadden), who was from Munterconnaught. She had been a student in Munterconnaught National School in the 1940s.
Civil parishes in Ireland
The parish was once an ecclesiastical unit of territory based on early Christian and monastic settlements. It came into existence in Ireland in the 12th and 13th centuries and was continued by the Church of Ireland, the Established church, from the time of the Tudor conquest...
and ecclesiastical parish of County Cavan
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It is located between the southern shores of Lough Ramor
Lough Ramor
Lough Ramor is a large natural lake of 741 hectares situated near Virginia, County Cavan. From early records Vita Tripartita identified as being in the territory of Cenal Muinreamhair. The literal meaning of the term Muinreamhair is 'fat-neck' and appears to be derived from a prehistoric or...
and the county boundary with County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
Etymology
The name Munterconnaught has often been mistaken as being derived from the IrishIrish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
Muintir meaning people and Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
being the western province. However, it actually has nothing to do with this and is named after Choncur, one of the 13 sons of the O'Reilly's of Breffni
Kingdom of Breifne
The Kingdom of Breifne or Bréifne was the traditional territory for an early Irish tribal group known as the Uí Briúin Bréifne...
. The O'Reilly Clan ruled the area of Cavan and Leitrim
County Leitrim
County Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
which was known as Breffni for centuries.
Civil parish
Munterconnaught consists of drumlinDrumlin
A drumlin, from the Irish word droimnín , first recorded in 1833, is an elongated whale-shaped hill formed by glacial ice acting on underlying unconsolidated till or ground moraine.-Drumlin formation:...
country, lush farmland and lakeshore. It featured in Griffith's Valuation
Griffith's valuation
Griffith's Valuation was a survey of Ireland completed in 1868. -Griffith's background:Richard John Griffith started to value land in Scotland, where he spent two years in 1806-1807 valuing terrain through the examination of its soils...
in the 1850s.
Lewis' Topographical Dictionary in 1837 wrote of Munterconnaught
Townlands
Munterconnaught has a total of 6450 acre (26.1 km²; 10.08 sq mi) and made up of the following 14 townlandTownland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
s:
- Ballaghdorragh, 325 acre (1.32 km²; 0.507812948994581 sq mi)
- Behernagh, 771 acre (3.12 km²; 1.2 sq mi)
- Carrick, 557 acre (2.25 km²; 0.870313269507635 sq mi)
- Corronagh, 369 acre (1.49 km²; 0.576563009781539 sq mi)
- Croaghan, 442 acre (1.79 km²; 0.69062561063263 sq mi)
- Crossafehin, 218 acre (0.88221548 km²; 0.340625301171749 sq mi)
- Eighter, 718 acre (2.91 km²; 1.12 sq mi)
- Island , 369 acre (1.49 km²; 0.576563009781539 sq mi)
- Knockaraheen, 316 acre (1.28 km²; 0.493750436560884 sq mi)
- Knockatemple, 497 acre (2.01 km²; 0.776563186616328 sq mi)
- Knocknagartan, 251 acre (1.02 km²; 0.392187846761968 sq mi)
- Knocknaveagh, 422 acre (1.71 km²; 0.659375583002194 sq mi)
- Lurganboy, 272 acre (1.1 km²; 0.425000375773926 sq mi)
- Ryefield, 923 acre (3.74 km²; 1.44 sq mi)
Census records
Munterconnaught is one of the few locations in Ireland to have early census returns that survive. The destruction of the Public Records Office in the Four CourtsFour Courts
The Four Courts in Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's main courts building. The Four Courts are the location of the Supreme Court, the High Court and the Dublin Circuit Court. The building until 2010 also formerly was the location for the Central Criminal Court.-Gandon's Building:Work based on...
in 1922 destroyed all surviving Irish census records from before the 1901 census, and most Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
records, with rare exceptions. Munterconnaught's census records from 1821 survived the inferno significantly intact along with some other parishes in Cavan.
Ecclesiastical parishes
Church of Ireland parishMunterconnaught Parish Church, Knockatemple was built in 1831. It is one of the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
places of worship in the Virginia Group of Parishes in the Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. The other churches in the group are Lurgan Parish Church in Virginia
Virginia, County Cavan
Virginia is a small town of 3,939 inhabitants in County Cavan, Ireland. It was founded at Aghanure during the Plantation of Ulster and was named Virginia after Queen Elizabeth I of England....
(built 1821), Killinkere
Killinkere
Killinkere is a civil and ecclesiastical parish of County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. It is located between the towns of Virginia and Bailieborough.-Civil parish:...
Parish Church (built 1817), and Billis Church (built 1844). The four churches were amalgamated under one incumbency
Incumbent (ecclesiastical)
In Anglican canon law, the incumbent of a benefice, usually the parish priest, holds the temporalities or assets and income.Depending on the terms of governance of each parish an incumbent might be either:...
in 1972.
Roman Catholic parish
The Roman Catholic Parish of Castlerahan and Munterconnaught is one of the parishes in the Diocese of Kilmore
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kilmore
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kilmore is a Roman Catholic diocese which is mainly in the Republic of Ireland although a few parishes are in Northern Ireland. It is one of eight suffragan dioceses which are subject to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Armagh...
. St. Bartholomew's Church, Knockatemple (built 1847) is the Munterconnaught part of the parish, and St. Mary's Church, Castlerahan (built 1834) and St. Joseph's Church, Ballyjamesduff
Ballyjamesduff
Ballyjamesduff is a medium-sized town with a population of 2,240 in County Cavan in Ireland, located on the R194 regional road. Formerly a market town and winner of the 1966 and 1967 Irish Tidy Towns Competition, Ballyjamesduff is now one of the fastest growing towns in the region due to its...
(built 1966) are in the Castlerahan part of the parish.
Sport
Munterconnaught's Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
club has won many championships and leagues since its re-affiliation in 1969. The team was originally formed in 1926 but records date the playing of some form of football in Munterconnaught as early as the 1860s. Munterconnaught GFC was featured in an advertising campaign by Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
sports drink Powerade
Powerade
Powerade is a sports drink manufactured and marketed by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in 1988, its primary competitor is PepsiCo's Gatorade...
in 2008 which described the underdog GAA club as a 'never give up' team.
People
Local celebrities included the singer-songwriter Austin Tighe, and actor Liam Riddley, who had a recurring role as muscles in the television series GlenroeGlenroe
Glenroe was an Irish television drama series broadcast between September 1983 and May 2001 on RTÉ One. The programme was a spin-off from Bracken, a short-lived RTÉ drama itself spun off from The Riordans. Glenroe was broadcast on Sunday nights at 20.30, generally from September to May. The show was...
. The journalist and political advisor Jim Duffy is of Munterconnaught descent through his mother, Bernadette Duffy (neé Cadden), who was from Munterconnaught. She had been a student in Munterconnaught National School in the 1940s.
Further reading
- Declan Cooney (ed), Munterconnaught: a history, 1847–1997 Knocktemple History Committee (Knocktemple, Ireland) ISBN 0953226301
- List of Cavan census substitutes
- See also this link to local history research studies about Cavan, including Munterconnaught.