Newport Parish Census - 1826 to 1844

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Kilvolane Tithe Records

(Newport Catholic Parish)

County Tipperary

Part 2 of 4 

Introduction 

This is the second part of four documents written about the tithe records for Newport Catholic Parish.  Newport Catholic Parish was composed of all or parts of the following Irish Civil Parishes – Kilvolane (Kilvellane), Killoscully, Kilcomenty and Kilnarath.  Kilvolane was later known as Kilvellane Civil Parish.  This Civil Parish is an area of interest to us as it contains records for Lackamore and Knockacappul Townlands. Lackamore is where the Boney family lived in this part of Ireland.  Knockacappul is where the Edward and Margaret Hill family lived in Ireland.   

Another name appears in these tithe records – Bartholomew Ryan.  Perhaps he is a distant relative as it is not a commonly used first name.  This Bartholomew Ryan lived about 1 or 2 miles away from Gortnaskehy Townland, where our Ryan and Campbell families lived.  Batt Ryan’s mother, Anne, was born Anne Camel (Campbell).  Her father, James Camel, lived in Gortnaskehy and married Mary Casey.  A number of Casey families can be found in Kilvolane (Kilvellane) Civil Parish.  Kilvolane may be Mary Casey’s home. 

The following schools were situated in this Civil Parish: 

Newport, Newport.  William Cox.  Protestant. A thatched house. 140 students.

Newport, Newport. John Power. Roman Catholic. An old decayed house. 135 students.

Newport, Englishtown. Pat Carney, Roman Catholic.  58 students.

Newport, Race Park.  Thomas Brennan, Roman Catholic. A thatched cabin. 80 students.

Newport, Clonbrony.  Henry Lee, Roman Catholic. A mud house.  33 students.

Newport, Clonbealy.  Edward & Mrs. Dunne, Protestants. A large house but in bad repair.  29 students. 

Kilvolane Civil Parish

The following description was taken from Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837: 

KILVOLANE a parish, in the barony of OWNEY and ARRA, county of TIPPERARY, and province of MUNSTER, on the road from Thurles to Limerick city; containing, with the post-town of Newport, 3802 inhabitants.

It comprises 8568 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £7427 per annum. there were formerly large tracts of wasteland, which, from the facility of procuring lime, have been partly reclaimed and are rapidly coming into cultivation. The system of agriculture is improved; there are large tracts of valuable bog, and several quarries of excellent limestone, which is procured and burnt for manure. Grit-stone of good quality for building is also extensively quarried; and copper mines of good ore were formerly worked with success, but have been discontinued. The scenery is finely diversified; the river Clare intersects the parish, affording advantageous sites for mills, and on the south-eastern side forms a boundary between the counties of Tipperary and Limerick. Clare Glen, which is beautifully picturesque, has been recently planted.

The principal seats are Barna, the residence of H. Lee, Esq., and Mount Philips, of W. Philips, Esq, the demesnes of which are richly embellished with stately oaks; Ballymakeogh, of W. Ryan, Esq.; Mount Rivers, of R. Philips, Esq.; Bloomfield, of E. Scully, Esq.; Fox Hall, of J. O'Brien, Esq.; Clonsingle, of R. Young, Esq.; Derryleagh Castle, of G. Ryan, Esq.; Rose Hill, of H. Hawkshaw, Esq.; and Lacklands, of the Rev. Dr. Pennefather. A corn-mill and a tuck-mill have been erected on the river Clare, near Newport.

It is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Cashel, forming part of the union of Kilnerath, or St. John's Newport; the tithes amount to £461 10s.10d.. The church, towards the repair of which the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £530, is a neat edifice, situated at Newport.

In the Roman Catholic divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Newport, in which town is the chapel.

The parochial school, in which about 120 children are taught, is endowed with 20 acres of land and is aided by subscriptions; and there are six private schools, in which are about 260 children.
There are some remains of the ancient parochial church at Ballymakeogh; the cemetery is still used as a burial-ground.

The following map shows where Kilvolane Civil Parish is located.  It encompassed Newport and land just above it.  Kilvolane includes all the land found in the bottom half of this map.  Near the top center of this map is Castlewaller Townland.  Castlewaller at one time was known as Castle Culley and considered a Ryan stronghold.  Nearby Castlewaller and to the north was where our Ryan and Campbell ancestors lived.

What are Tithe Applotment Records?

Tithes were an income tax on farming, usually about one tenth of the annual income. These were used for the upkeep of the Church of Ireland and were paid from the time of the Reformation. Before the Composition Act of 1823 it was possible to pay them in kind instead of money. From the time of the Composition Act they were supposed to be paid in cash, and Tithe surveys were carried out in each Parish to assess what the income for that parish would be. Two people were appointed by each parish to carry out this assessment.

Tax was not payable on all land, and there was even variation on the types of land from place to place.

From 1736 grazing land had an exemption - this was usually land held by landlords.

Certain crops were taxable, others weren't. Potatoes could be taxable in one parish and not in the one next door.

Tithe books are not comprehensive, people who did not hold land are not listed and some types of land were passed over absolutely, towns and cities were usually not assessed.

They are arranged by townland and usually give the acreage held by each farmer. However, note here that the measurement used was the plantation or 'Irish acre' which differs in size from the imperial or 'English acre' used in the Griffiths Valuation.

The information you get from the Tithe Books is simple:
townland name; landholders name; area of land and tithes paid. Some will list the landlords name as well. 

The Tithe Applotment Records of Kilvolane Civil Parish 

There is no standard spelling in place for the townland names.  In some respects, it appears some names were spelled as pronounced.  Even surnames are not standardized during this time.  Spelling variations are seen going from one townland to the next.  Some placenames are old names no longer used by the mid-nineteenth century.  

The Tithe Applotment records for Kilvolane showed the following title.   

Applotment in British Currency in the Amount of *

Composition of Tithes of the Parish of Kilvolane

Payable to the Rev. John Pennefather, Rector of said

Parish; Henry Lee & Mr. Cornelius Hogan, Gent. Commissioners

The following handwritten inscription appeared at the end of the record.  It is odd, but suggests the following people on this list agreed to pay a tithe to the established church.  Later in other parts of Tipperary and southeast Ireland there was a general revolt against paying these tithes.  It was known as the ‘Tithe Wars’. 

Parishioners agreed to pay the Encumbent 500 Pounds Irish Currency which is equal to 461 Pounds 10 Sterling 9 ½ Pence British Currency

23 January 1827 

Shower Townland, Tipperary, N.R. Owney and Arra, Nenagh PLU, Munster, 644 acres 

 Barna Townland, Tipperary, N.R. Owney and Arra, Nenagh PLU, Munster, 334 acres 

 Connors Townland – unknown.  This may be an old placename no longer used by the mid nineteenth century. Another possibility is that this townland appears in a different Civil Parish as yet unknown. 

** ‘Henry Stephenson’ is written in the margins

*** Sharing lease together

 Newport Townland, Tipperary, N.R. Owney and Arra, Nenagh PLU, Munster, 303 acres.  This is not to be confused with Newport Town. 

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