The Undertakers from 1610
In his popular Times Past column, historian Jonathan Smyth takes a brief look at the early plantation in Cavan...
In the early Ulster Plantation, there were three types of ‘grantees’ who undertook to fulfil certain requirements on the lands they received. They were referred to as English undertakers and Scottish undertakers (from the civilian population) and then there was a third group called the servitors who were made up of military personnel. The land given to the English and Scottish was to be of equal measure, and their combined share amounted to ‘one and a half’ times what was ‘jointly’ given to the servitors and the native Irish.
In a paper by R.J. Hunter, published in the Breifne journal of 1973-1975, titled ‘The English Undertakers in the Plantation of Ulster, 1610-1641’, Hunter takes a look at the subject of English Undertakers in the barony of Loughtee, Co Cavan. He wrote that three different sized estates were offered to the settlers in 1610, that of 2,000 acres, 1,500 acres and 1,000 acres to include whatever bog or wood was found within them ‘without that being assessed for rent payment to the crown’.
Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary describes the commission of investigation carried out on behalf of King James I through his lord deputy to establish Cavan’s suitability for plantation. The results were reported back to the king who allowed for the reorganisation of church lands along the following manner: ‘The termon, or church lands, in the ancient division, were 140 poles, or about 3,500 acres, which the king reserved for the bishop of Kilmore; for the glebes of the incumbents of the parishes to be erected were allotted 100 poles, or 2,500 acres; and the monastery land was found to consist of 20 poles, or 500 acres’. Whatever remained was distributed to undertakers; ‘1360 poles, or 34,000 acres, which were divided in to twenty-six proportions, seventeen of 1,000 acres each, five of 1,500, and four of 2,000’, each of which was to become ‘a parish, to have a church erected upon it with a glebe of 60 acres’.
The land presented to the undertakers had of course some less pleasing strings attached and one of the stipulations was that they were ‘forbidden’ to let any of the land to the ‘native Irish’. Hence, the estates of the English and Scottish undertakers were expected to have no Irish tenantry after the three-year settlement period was completed. The estate owner was expected to live on the estate for the first five years, after which he could place an agent in charge during his absence.
An undertaker with 1,000 acres could keep 300 for his own use and was expected to erect a ‘stronghold’ with defensive bawns (walls) in which to live securely. Both the undertaker and tenants were expected to take the ‘oath of supremacy’ swearing allegiance to the English crown. Lands were also obtained by 280 native Irish people who could rent holdings to Irish tenants. The 1622 commission was to show that some English undertakers had leased land to Irish tenants, for example Stephen Butler had many Irish inhabitants on his Cavan estate of which it was stated the ‘British complain thereof generally that they can get no reasonable bargains till the Irish be removed’. More information on the Butler estate can be found in Belturbet, County Cavan, 1610-1714: The Origins of an Ulster Plantation Town, by Brendan Scott. Included below are a sample of the those who obtained estates.
Loughtee: English undertakers in Loughtee between 1610 and 1620 were John Taylor, from Cambridgeshire; Sir Hugh Wirrall, from Enfield, Middlesex; John Fishe, from Bedfordshire; Richard Waldron, from Leicestershire; Stephen Butler, from Bedfordshire; Sir Nicholas Lusher, and William Lusher from Surrey. Of the Seven, Stephen Butler was considered the wealthiest with lands amounting to 13,552 acres, as compared to William Lusher who had 5,754 acres.
Castlerahan: Native Irish who received land in Castlerahan were Walter Thomas Bradie, and Patrick Bradie, Gents; Cahir McShane O’Reilly, of Cornegall, Gent; Barnaby Reily, of Nacorraghes, Gent; Shane McHugh O’Reilly, of Ballaghana, Gent; Thomas McJames Bane ( O’Reilly), of Kilmore, Gent; Philip McBrien McHugh O’Reilly, Gent; Owen McShane O’Reilly, Gent; Bryan O’Coggye O’Reilly; Mulmorie McOwen O’Reilly; Hugh Roe McShane O’Reilly; Philip and Shane O’Reilly, brothers; Shane McPhilip O’Reilly, Gent; Shane Bane O’Moeltully ), Gent; Edward Nugent, Gent; Owen McMulmorie O’Reilly, Gent; Hugh McGlasney ( O’Reilly), Gent; and Shane McPhilip O’Reilly. In Castlerahan, the servitors were Sir John Elliott, Knight; John Ridgeway, Esq; Sir William Taaffe, Knight; Roger Garth, Gent; and Sir Edmund Fettiplace, Knight.
Clankee: Scottish Undertakers in Clankee were Esme Stuart, Lord Aubigny, son of the first Duke of Lennox; William Bailie, Esq; John Raleston, Esq; and William Downbarr.
Clonmahon: The native Irish who received lands in Clonmahon were Mulmorie McHugh Connalagh O’Rely, Gent; Gerald Fleming, Esq; Hugh McBrien O’Reilly, Gent; Edward Nugent, Gent; Christopher Nugent, Gent; Edward Nugent, Gent; Philip McTirlagh Bradie, Gent; and Richard Fitzsimons. The servitors were Sir Oliver Lambert, Knight; Joseph Johnes, Gent; John Russon, Gent; and Anthony Atkinson, Gent.
Tullygarvey: The servitors granted lands were Sir Thomas Ashe, Knight and John Ashe, Gent; Archibald and Brent Moore, brothers, Gents; and Captain Richard Tirrell, Esq. The native Irish who received lands in Tullygarvey were Mulmorie Oge O’Reylie, Gent; Mulmorie McPhilip O’Reilie, Esq; Hugh O’Reylie, Esq; Terence Braddy, Gent; Morish McTully, Gent; Thomas Braddy, Gent; Connor McShane Roe O’Bradie, Gent; and Henry Betagh, Gent.
Tullyhunco: The Scottish Undertakers were Sir Alexander Hamilton, of Endervicke, in Scotland, Knight; Sir Claude Hamilton, his son, Knight; Alexander Achmootie and his brother John Achmootie; and John Browne, of Gorgeemill, Gent.
Tullyhaw: Servitors were Sir George and Sir Richard Greame, Knights; Hugh Coolme and Walter Talbott, Esq; Nicholas Pynnar, Esq; Bryan McPhilip O’Reilly, Gent; Edward Rutlidge, Gent; and Thomas Johnes, Gent. Land grants to native Irish include, John and Connor O’Reilly, Gent; Cahir McOwen O’Reilly, Gent; Cahell McOwen O’Reilly, Gent; Donell McOwen O’Reilly, Gent; Owen O’Sheredan, Gent; Cahill McBrien O’Reilly, Gent; Mulmore McHugh McFarrall O’Reilly, Gent; Cormacke McGawran and Donough Magauran, Gent; Hugh McManus Oge Magauran, Gent; Breene Oge McGauran, Gent; Mulmorie McTirlagh O’Reilly, Gent; Felim, Brian, and Cahir, sons of Hugh O’Reilly, late of Ballaghaneo Tirlagh; McHugh McBryan Bane O’Reylie; Bryan McKernan, Gent; Donnell McFarrall Oge McKernan, Gent; Calvagh O’Gowne Gent; Shane McCabe, Gent; ___ McThomas McKernan Donill Backagh McShane O’Reilly, Gent; and Bryan McShane O’Reilly, Gent.
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