Small Sources 11: This document lists ~100 tenants in the area of Listowel, Co. Kerry in 1755. It is among the papers of the Earl of Listowel but the property was then owned by the Knight of Kerry. It lists the property name (all appear to be townland names) and the rents due on 29th of September 1755. Further information on the family estate can be found here. Rentals are the records of the landlord on tenants, their holdings, and their payments. Although these might appear to be purely business records, many contain rich family information. A full description of rental formats and practices, and on the useful family information they can provide is in our blog Rentals as a resource for Irish family history.
The original document is in the National Archives of Ireland (reference NAI M 2353) and is a single large page with six columns: 3 per tenant. The numbers indicate the rent in £.s.d ( i.e. pounds, shillings and pence).The high rents for most holding (See Figs 1 and 3) suggest that most tenants are gentry, or perhaps ‘middlemen’ who sublet the property to smaller tenants. However, those listed in the village of Lixnaw (Fig 2) are smaller tenants. Note the description of the holdings in Fig 2, i.e. Small garden, Malthouse and garden etc, and also the very small rent in comparison to those stated in Figs 1 or 3.
The original document is in poor condition and there are therefore gaps in the transcription. Question-marks indicate uncertainties; and ‘….’ indicates an indecipherable word. First names are abbreviated in most cases (Jno = John, Frs = Francis etc). Identifiable townlands are in the Barony of Clanmaurice, and in the PLU of Listowel, Co. Kerry.
The names in the list include many that are common in Kerry and also names of both Gaelic/Norman families and also Anglo-Irish gentry. The gaelic names include Crowly, Fitzmaurice, Hallinan, Scanlan, Crean and Cooney. Also included are the Anglo-Irish families who were large land-owners in Kerry such as Raymond, Kittson, Julian, Stoughton and Mason. Further information on some of these families may be available through our e-book title ‘Sources for Irish Family History 2021
‘. It lists 6,500 books and articles written about specific Irish families. It provides access to a wealth of published information on about 2,500 Irish families.
The images of the document above and below were created by Ancestor Network in the National Archives of Ireland and are reproduced here through their courtesy. If you need help in following up on anything related to this source, or any other Irish research, you can outline your requirements here and we will let you know what we might be able to do for you. Ancestor Network will offer 1 free hour of research by a professional researcher to conduct further research on these individuals, or on other tenants of this estate. We can also obtain images of the original documents. Click here and quote ‘Kerry SS11’ in the subject line. Flyleaf Press also have a guide to research in Kerry – see here.
The document contents are listed below, noting that there are gaps in the pages, and that many words are illegible.
Tenement (usually a townland) / Tenants name / yearly rent (£.s.d.)
Deal & Kilconolo / Jo. Fitzmaurice Esq / 99.0.0
Farren Peirse / Ex Richd. Birch / 30.0.0
Drummin / Ex. Dd. Gun / 28.0.0
Ballybonion / Frs. Creagh / 41.0.0
Kieleheny / Ex. Jno. Dee / 18.0.0
Ballyeagh / Ex. Lt. Jno Miller / 40.0.0
Ballyeagh Warren / Patt Crowly / 12.0.0
Cashion Ferry / Wm. Keady (Ready?) / 8.0.0
Balingown & Kilamiro / Edm. Lina… / 25.0.0
Kiltean & Kilarada / Ex. Capt. Gregory / 66.0.0
Lebanos? / Jas. Raymond / 37.0.0
Balyegan / Ex of Jas. Raymond / 27.0.0
Balydonogue / Ex of Geo. Gun / 32.0.0
Coolkeragh / Ex of Alex Elliott / 81.0.0
Shaun…ta / Ex Chr. Julian / 8.0.0
Tullamore & Tullabeg / do. / 85.0.0
Pullagh / Earl of Shelburne / 8.0.0
Aghahotrish / Ex of Rd. Peirse / 20.0.0
Gortacrussane / Dd. Stott? / 40.00
Drommurrin / Thos. Buttler / 41.0.0
Listowhile / Ex of Jas. Julian / 110.0.0
Gortshanavoa / Ex of Thos Collins / 15.0.0
Coolevana / Jas. Raymond / 15.0.0
N. Div. Ilaneaneev / Robt. Kittson / 10.0.0
…/ Jon. Kittson / 91.0.0
Dromligat / Michl. Scanlan & Exec.
Of Patt Furnel?? / 302.0.0
Culeanilig Cregan / Denis Mahony / 81.0.0
The left edge of the page is missing for next 6 entries
…Woodland / Earl of Shelburne / 30.0.0
..legan / Andw. Sheahan / 90.0.0
..kanebrack / Thos. Quile / 31.10.0
…onogan / Jas. White / 19.10.0
…indaff / Ex of Rd. H…ddy / 51.0.0
..ineirugh / Ex. Wm. Hi…ric / 100.0.0
Inchmaguleragh / Jno. Quilter / 12.0.0
Two Knockagowls / Dd. Stitt / 53.0.0
Two Knockinunanes / Kerry Weir / 51.0.0
East Billeragh / Robt. Purcell / 21.10.0
West Billeragh / Geo. Birch / 33.0.0
Upper Cooln…line / Ulisses Fitzmaurice / 18.10.0
Lower co. / Thomas Purcell / 30.10.0
Two Ballydoohig / Wm Raymond Esq / 47.0.0
T…hand / Jno. Fitzmaurice / 18.0.0
Dromelagh / Joseph Huddy? / 47.0.0
Rathlea / John Coggan / 81.0.0
Banemore & Ballygarrett / Richd. Collins / 61.0.0
Island Bromadara / Ex. Le. Kerry Lyn / 10.0.0
Lyeracroompana / Darby Carty / 20.0.0
Gortaclogane / Ex. Thos. Halloran / 30.0.0
Pullin ?? / Exx. Thos Hanninan / 30.0.0
…duglassey / Dd. Ollif & … Twiss / 33.0.0
Second column starts here
Kilf..ry / Geo. Church / 120.0.0
Muckinagh / Ex Wm. Coggan / 31.0.0
Knockburr.. / Kiln. Gregory Esq. / 37.0.0
Lissah.. (Lissahane?) / Ex. Richd. Birch / 31.0.0
Finuge & ..ffa.. / Richd. Morris Esq / 101.0.0
East Bal…uricall / James Weir / 29.0.0
West Ba…ical / Cottiers / 44.0.0
Ballycuskey / Exs. Lt Kerry Lynn / 29.0.0
Balintohir / Ex Eugene ? ..gha / 50.0.0
Knockandacurraheane / do./ 6.10.0
…eehan / James Weir / 34.0.0
East do. / Richd. Copply / 28.0.0
Inisbeg / Earl of Shelburne / 24.0.0
Tullymaksherisk / Ex.Thos. Peirse / 33.0.0
Ballinagara / Ex. Jo. Peirse / 30.0.0
Ahabeg / Wm Raymond Esq / 144.0.0
Balinvoher / Thos. Stack & Danl.McDermot?/ 17.0.0
Two Mackinoghs / Richd. Dalrimple / 42.0.0
? Divn. Of Ballincloher / Thos. Stoughton Esq. / 75.14.0
Cloghercanon? / Edm. Oliff / 55.10.0
Gortadrislig / Richd. Sells ? / 26.10.0
Dromroe / Gt. Peirse / 23.0.0
Tullacrimeen / Doctr Jo. Botell / 12.10.0
The ‘denominations’ column is torn for next entries – start of place names is therefore missing
..anal / Jo. Twiss / 23.0.0
.aad / Kerry Lyne Blk / 17.0.0
.h / Ex. Harmon Fitzmaurice / 80.0.0
Jas. Raymond / 96.0.0
Earl of Shelburne / 100.0.0
James Mafon (Mason?) / 91.0.0
..oughtra / Henry Wilson? / 14.10.0
..rquin / John Harnett / 71.0.0
..enny / Wm. Sills / 75.10.0
.. Crosbie / 12.0.0
…uilean? / Do. / 5.0.0
..ano / Exs. of Robt. Hilliard / 32.11.0
.e / Capn. Jno Bolton / 87.0.0
…Fenit / Monitor? Carey / 90.0.0
Outward do. / Owen Sulivan / 51.0.0
F…William / Edmd Cummane / 6.0.0
The ‘denominations’ column is torn for next entries – centre of some place names is missing
Ol..w/ Timothy Almond / 1.0.0
Ma..se & Custom of Ardfert Fair / Thos. Parks / 7.10.0
She…ws? / Denis Sheheran? / 0.16.0
HIgg.. / Darby Crean and
Wh..ones / Denis Lawlor / 1.2.0
..Knockaalig / ?. Fitzmaurice / 4.10.0
Kilreany / Wm. Gun Esq. / 4.0.0
Ballyonery? / Jon. Sta..on / 1.0.0/
Gur…insigh / Kn. of Kerry / 0.9.0
Bal..no / do. / 0.3.4
Crat..Garryanna / Richd. Ponsonby Esq / 7.3.8
Bal..? & Balynei.. / ..Trinity College / 6.13.4
Bal.. / Ex of Robt Oliver Esq / 8.0.0
Irr.. (Irramore?) / do. / 0.3.4
Ard… & Ballinprior / Sn Mau:? Crosbie Ard.. / 4.0.0
De…. Lands …. & /
Lis… & Kilcloony / Wm. Raymond Esq. / 100.0.0
The ….rke / Wm Pary / 40.0.0
Gr….iger / Jno. Justice? & Jno. Cooney / 30.0.0
L….lgera / James Weir / 14.0.0
Further articles in our series on Irish Family History sources include:
- Petty Sessions– the records of local courts
- Catholic Church records
- Grand Jury Presentments – records of local councils on payments for public works and staff
- Rentals – management of tenants by estates and the records created
- Middle names – the use (or non-use) of second or middle names in Irish records
- How comprehensive are Irish Civil Records?
- Census returns in Gaelic or Irish language
- 70+ blogs with names extracted from manuscript sources from many counties (including Cork). A handy map index to these is available here.
Kerry Sources
- Tenants of Crosbie Estate in Ardfert, Kerry 1805-12
- Tenants of the Sandes estate in North Kerry 1797 – 1828.
- Tenants of the Trant Estate in Dingle, Co. Kerry in 1791
- Kerry petitioners against eviction 1828
- Schoolchildren in Tarbert, Co. Kerry in 1809
