Tenants of the Clements Estate in Mohill, Co. Leitrim in 1800.

Small Sources No. 39. This is a rental of the Earl of Leitrim listing tenants in the Mohill area, Co. Leitrim on 29th September 1800. The record is from a document (NLI Ms. 12,790) in the National Library of Ireland among the extensive Leitrim Papers, which contain the records of the Clements family from 1749 to 1946. Although it contains only 67 names, the genealogical value is significantly increased by the fact that almost all leases are ‘leases for lives’, i.e. for the duration of the lives of three named individuals. For instance, the lease to Pierce Simpson below is defined as being for the lives of his sons Launcelot, Edward and Thomas. There are therefore almost triple this number of people listed, most of whom are family members with specified relationships. An illustration of a further example is below. Further information on ‘leases for lives’ and other aspects of Rentals 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 Mohill estate (of about 6,000 acres) was one of several Clements estates spread over 5 counties. The rental lists the ‘denomination’, i.e. the property name first and then the tenant. ‘Ditto‘ means ‘the same’ indicating that the tenant or property is the same as that above. The more commonly used versions of the townland names are indicated in brackets where relevant. ‘and ors.’ means ‘and others‘. Such multiple tenancies were not uncommon in Irish rentals. The land would have been divided up by these tenants by their own arrangement. Gaelic names which occur include: Conboy, Reynolds, Quin(n), Egan, Cannon and Fox. The latter is an interesting anglicisation of the Gaelic names Sionnach, and Mac an tSionnaigh. This was because the names sound like the Gaelic name for a fox. Interesting non-native names include Geoland, Pallas, Bustard, Halfpenny and Accles. If you are interested in information on specific families, some may be included in our e-book title ‘Sources for Irish Family History 2021 lists 6,500 books and articles on over 2,500 Irish families. The sources listed contain a wealth of information on the history and genealogy of the listed families. The full details of the book are described in one of our blogs.

The dates of leases range from 1751 to 1790, and the acreage of the holdings is from 21 to 224 acres. Ancestor Network will offer 1 free hour of research by a professional genealogist to conduct further research on these individuals or others in these estate papers. Click here and quote ‘Leitrim SS39’ in the subject line.

The tenants in the property are listed within the townland in which their holding was located. Further information on the location of each townland can be obtained at Townlands.ie (but only by using the currently accepted spelling of the townland name, which is indicated in brackets below).

Denomination Lessee
Anaghadarge & Selton (Seltan) John O’Brien
Gortincony & Burrant /Burrast Michael and Peter Conboy
Clonclive (Cloonclivvy) Christopher Pallas
Cloonecarrene (Clooncareen) Pierce Simpson
Corrycramph (Corracramph) Ditto
Corrishoffy (Corrascoffy) Andw. Crawford
Ditto David Crawford
Carrowbeagh Michl. Fox
Cloncoo? (Clooncoe) W. O’Brien
Cloncumber & Clonohill Robt. Johnston, Chas. Johnston & Petr. Geoland
Caldoo John Bustard
Drumdoo Darby Reynolds & ors. (others)
Drumharry Thos. Maher
Gobbagroffy (Gubagraffy) Ditto
Drumrahill John Halfpenny
Ditto Duke Crofton
Tryne (Trean) Ditto
Drumsalla …. & North Cloncoo George Harrington
Eskeragh John Crawford
Ditto Chas. Reynolds
Farnaught Jno. Elliott and Jas. Elliott
Ditto Pat Reynolds
Gortnelamph & Cloneboyna John Nesbitt

Gortlitaragh South Gortletteragh Jas. Ballam & Abm. Pratt (the lives specified in this lease are shown below, as an example. Almost all entries have similar information)

Fig 2. Extract from the rental showing the townland in which the land is leased, the tenant, and the date of the lease.

Garvagh John O’Brien

Dooneran (Doonarah) Willm. Lattimer, Fras. Lattimer & Robt. McCullagh
Drumgilra Robt. Jones Lloyd
Bohey part Wm. Egan, Fras. Cannon, W. Howard, Jno. Quin &
Ditto part Thos. Bohan, Fras. Cannon, W.Howard, Jno. Quin & Michl. Quin
Ditto part Michl. Quin, Wilm. Murphy & John Cane
Bohey Part John Reilly, John Quin, Benj. Castles & Benj. Quin
Ditto part Martin Mellon, John Mellon & ors.
Ditto part Bryan Cane, Daniel Cane & John Cane
Ditto – part and mills James Accles the elder, Andw. Accles, Wilm. Accles & James Accles younger
Laheen & Rusduane (Rosdoowaun) Henry Clements
Drumligan Arthur Mahan & ors.
Errew John Lloyd
Ditto Jas. Donally & ors.
Drumlaragh Stephen Magan
Breynross (Breanross) T Murphy & Mrs Reynolds (crossed off) ; Thos. Dunbarr, John Connor

Ditto Rev. Thos. McKean(?) & ors.; Thos.Dunbarr, John Connor

Sources For Irish Family History – James G. Ryan

A guide to books, monographs and periodical papers on Irish families. The references cited are mainly accounts of particular family lines and vary from fond and emotional accounts of families and their ancestral homes to dispassionate, well-researched and fully documented family studies and pedigrees. The greater value of the material in these references is to put some human dimension to the barren facts that may be obtained from the usual range of records. No church or civil record will inform us that our ancestors were wonderful singers or dancers; or of the details of their travels or their occupation; nor whether their recorded marriages were the culminations of great romances, or of family arrangements. Such information can, however, be occasionally found in the memoirs & letters detailed in the articles and books listed here.

Some of the Leitrim and general articles in our series on Irish Family History sources:

Leitrim sources

General Articles

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
50+ blogs containing original family history material extracted from Irish manuscripts
Census returns in Gaelic or Irish language