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Looking for Barahulla

GalwayLoughrea (Galway)

Hello! My grandmother Mary Elizabeth Burke was born in Loughrea in 1874 (parents Patrick Burke and Maria Keating). I have recently had information that there may be a genetic match relationship between me and a Patrick Nevin family in the area. The descendants of Patrick Nevin have information that he was born in 1813 in Barahulla, Kilchrist (spelled like that in their notes), Loughrea. They also had notes that this Barahulla was at the foot of a mountain, north of Loughrea town. I have seen that Kilchrist is south of Loughrea and I can't find any place called Barahulla. I know some old placenames are no longer in "official" use but I'm hoping you will be able to tell me where Barahulla is/was. I think this is important in trying to trace this possible genetic relationship.

Many thanks for your help.

CMST

6 replies

I wonder if that townland might be a misinterpreted or badly written 'Ballycuddy' - which is the name of a townland in Kilcreest civil parish. The townland consists of just over 300 acres and is located just south west of Kilcreest village.

Less likely but also worth noting as possibilities are the other 'B' townlands in the civil parish - Ballingarry, , Ballynacurragh and Ballynagran

Nothing near to Loughrea closeby to the north that I can find that could fit as being described as a 'Mountain', or even a reasonably sized hill. Even though the directions are 'off', the terrain in the Kilcreest area is a better fit, as it's hilly to the south and south east of this.

See View from Ballycuddy to the south east  (Google Street view)

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you very much for your suggestions and the View.  Maybe that is it.  However, I can't help but wonder if it's a lost placename from pre-OS days.  In Co Cork, for example, there is a townland called Baurnahulla (Bhearna na hUla) which resembles Barnahulla a lot.  Maybe there's someone who might know about the old placenames in Kilchrist parish.   Thank you very much for your help. 

CMST

There are several people with the surname Burke listed in Kilchreest civil parish in the Tithe records that might be worth noting, including one with land at Ballycuddy townland - no Nevins though..  see : Tithe Applotment records, Kilchreest

The Tithe records are dated 1827 for this parish and includes a few variations for the placenames.

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Hello again.  I perhaps should have mentioned that Patrick Burke and Maria Keating may have been from the Tynagh/Portumna area before marrying and settling in Loughrea. (I had heard this but don't have any other details about it.) Patrick Burke was a "herd" and moved to different estates. My grandmother was born in Tullahill, part of Tullagh Upper I think.  Have no idea if they were connected with any Kilchreest area Burkes.  It's definitely something I should look at though.

Many thanks for your help!!

CMST

Hello again to "shanew".  I was thinking about your suggestion of Ballycuddy being the "Barrhulla" I was looking for.  Since the Irish placename for Ballycuddy was "Baile Choide", I can see more now the possibiity of this.  I have seen also that on the Tithes reports, there is also a Ballycuddy Mountain which I suppose was more or less the same place.  Am I correct about that? 

I guess right now, I'm just trying to figure out if I'm in the right place.  I saw there was the word "Mountain" written, North of Loughrea, sort of between Cappataggle and Pollatlugga (Killalaghtan parish).  That caught my eye but, of course, it's nowhere near Kilchreest so probably isn't the right place.

Thank you very much for your help.

 

 

 

CMST
Interesting at you have a connection / clue to th Cappataggle area as that is the area for my Nevin connections from the 1700s to the present day.
John Kenny

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