Dee,
In Griffiths Valuation for 1858 there is just 1 Boyce farm in Bohirril Park. It was plot 2 occupied by Daniel Boyce. It consisted of a farmhouse, outbuildings and just under 24 acres of land. In addition there was a corn-mill & kiln. 24 acres was enough land to give a satisfactory income rather than luxurious but there would have been additional income from the corn mill, so it’s conceivable that they were quite well off by the standards of the time. A lot better off than the average labourer, certainly.
2 possible deaths for that Daniel. One registered in 1868 aged 80 and the other in 1873 aged 50. Neither is on-line free yet. You would need to order copies from GRO Roscommon to see if they relate to your family.
Londonderry Sentinel of 22 July 1890 has an article reporting serious assaults. John & George Boyce both of Bohirril had been arrested and were in Letterkenny Police station. They had been returning from a holiday in Scotland and allegedly assaulted Daniel & Agnes Crossan also of Bohirril and John Connolly of Booragh. The Crossans and Connolly had been going home from Letterkenny market on Friday evening between 7 & 8 o’clock and overtook the Boyces. An altercation took place at the crossroads at Ballaghderg, and abusive language was indulged in, culminating in a regular melee, in which whips and sticks were freely used. 3 police officers went to the scene and then to the Boyce household where the 2 were arrested. They were bailed to attend court next Petty Sessions, and Dr Erskine Moore, Letterkenny, dressed the wounds of the injured.
The Larne Times of 22nd June 1907 carries a report from Letterkenny Petty Sessions where John Boyce of Aughilenty summoned John Boyce of Bohirril for assault. John Boyce was convicted and fined 5 shillings. The incident is also in the Londonderry Sentinel 15th June 1907 where it reports that John Boyce of Aughilenty had been walking down Letterkenny Main St when John Boyce of Bohirril hit him over the head with stick and then knocked him off the footpath. Some time later he assaulted him again. Bohirril’s account was that they both “jundied” together and that he (the accused) was struck, but did not strike the complainant. The court didn’t believe his account and convicted.
The Derry Journal of 8th March 1907 reports a case in Letterkenny Petty Sessions where William James Boyce of Bohirril was in court in connection with a breach of the peace case. If I understand the article correctly he had been convicted at a previous hearing, fined 5 shillings and bound over to keep the peace. 3 sureties had offered financial guarantees for his behaviour. It appears that he had failed to behave acceptably and the hearing was to discuss forfeiting the sums offered as surety. Interestingly, the police Inspector prosecuting “appealed to the magistrates to deal as leniently with the defendant as they could, seeing that he had already paid a large sum for costs in connection with the case of which the breach of the peace arose. On the suggestion of the District Inspector the magistrates decided to estreat each of the 3 parties in 1 penny and costs. Boyce appeared personally and applied to have this not done, but the magistrates adhered to their decision.”
