Nineteenth Century, Kilcavan    

By Joseph A. Kenny, Omaha NE- USA

 

Over the centuries, the land of Kilcavan attracted people from all around because of its rolling hills, fertile soil, and a slate quarry.   In the nineteenth century the area was in the control of Lord Fitzwilliam and was originally leased to only Protestants.  Here is the description that was given in 1728-33;

 

Mr. WATERHOUSE HOLDINGS  447 acres

On this land is a large stoned walled slated house and out houses with orchard and garden and nursery of fine young ash not yet planted out & some enclosures & plantations in the hedges.  A slate quarry of use to the estate.  [i]

 

2. Mr. WRIGHTS HOLDING 138 acres

On Wrights part, a clay & stone walled slated house, small orchard, some young trees in the garden not yet planted out & some few about the house. [ii]

 

In the old maps that were viewed, dating back to 1728, this whole area that is mentioned above, is referred to as Kilcavan and on these holdings, before 1790, lived Nicholas Kempston and William Hume.  Before the 1778 Gardiner Act,[iii]  the Protestant landlords were given leases but the Catholics were still refused leases under the Penal Laws that lasted from WILLIAM of ORANGE.    So when Kempston and Hume died prior to 1808, this was a good thing for the Catholics that were in this area because it gave them a chance to get a lease from the Fitzwilliam holdings in Kilcavan. [iv]

 

In the Hearth Money Roll for County Wicklow dated 1669 [v] we can see many Irish families had residence in the surrounding area, possibly hundreds of years before they finally got their own leases, so prior to the Gardiner Act, the Protestant Head Tenants in the Fitzwilliam Estate sub-divided their holdings into plots amongst thousands of Irish Catholics.  In other words neither the Catholics nor Protestants owned the land but this was a way they were able to get around the Penal Laws.[vi]  One of the families already in this area before 1740 was the Kennys.   They were one of the fortunate families to get a lease in 1808 and lived in a section of Kilcavan that became known as Kennystown.  The earliest reference to the name “Kennystown” was seen in 1808 and the earliest Kenny name recorded in manuscripts dated between 1733-48 was Mogue (Moses) Kenny with his family .  Then later in 1808, James Kenny with his family receive an actual lease.  

 

During the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century other Irish Catholics settled into this area; In 1827 it showed the following people on these plots in Kennystown:

 

PLOT ONE: [vii]

BARTHOLOMEW KENNY aged 49 in 1827 with his wife Nancy Farrell  aged 42  with 3 sons and 4 daughters with them in 1827.  He was a farmer in 1827 on 19 acres 1 rod .  He was called a Quarryman in 1839.

PATRICK MULLERY  age 29 with wife aged 27, 3 daughters , Labourer

ELIZABETH KENNY  (Widow) age 59 years, on 2 rods.

JOHN KENNY  age 46 Years, Labourer .

JAMES CARNEY, age 26 with wife age 40, 1 son, 3 daughters, Labourer.

 

PLOT TWO : [viii]

JAMES age, bef.1745- and died bef.1827

BARTHOLOMEW KENNY aged 60 and his wife Anne Breen  aged 57,  on 34 acres, 10 Perch with 3 sons and 3 daughters. He was called a Mason.

RICHARD KENNY aged 32 with his wife Mary Cahill, aged 20. On 11 acres.  A labourer and farmer.

THOMAS KENNY aged 58 and his wife aged 60. On 11 acres. They had 2 daughters with them in 1827. He was a farmer.

PHILIP KENNY aged 24 and his wife Ellen aged 22. They had 4 acres and 2 daughters lived with them in 1839. He was a LABOURER.

In 1839 PHILIP KENNY aged 34 and his wife Ellen aged 32 lived here on  5 acres 3 rod with THOMAS BALF aged 36 and his wife Sarah Kenny aged 28 on 11 acres 2 rod living beside him. They had 3 daughters with them in 1839 and he was called a LABOURER.

JAMES DOYLE age 36 with wife age 40, Labourer on 3 Acres 1 Rod

 

PLOT THREE [ix]

EDWARD KAVANGH AND JAMES MURPHY 26 acres 1 Rod , 22 Perch

EDWARD KAVANAGH age 50 with wife age 40, 4 sons, 3 daughters, on 12 acres 3 rods 10 perch.

MARGARET KAVANAGH AGED 80

BARTHOLOMEW KENNY ON 13 acres 12 perch, Farmer  "DOES NOT RESIDE IN THIS, ADJOINS"

 

PLOT  FOUR :[x]

PHILIP KENNY,  son of Philip Sr.   (Taken over before 1827 by Edw .Balfe) 50 Acres

WIDOW KENNY aged 57 on 1 acre, with one daughter with her in 1827

EDWARD BALF age 54 with wife age 52, on 37 acres, 2 sons,  Farmer.

MICHAEL HANDRICK age 36 with wife Margo Balfe age 30,  on 12 acres, 3 daughters , Broguemaker

MARY BALF WIDOW, 50 years, 3 sons, 3 daughters.

JAMES SUMMERS, age 35 with wife age 27, labourer.

.

PLOT FIVE  [xi]

PATRICK KENNY but taken over before 1827 by WILKINS?  13 Acres 1 rod  39 perch.

 

Also in Kennystown on other plots were:

JOHN LEE,- widow BYRNE,- MAURICE DALTON,- HUGH BYRNE,-

GARRETT BYRNE,- widow BOLGER,- DENIS KAVANGH, - MATHEW HUNT,

all with families. [xii]

 

When the Leases were granted in 1808 to those in Kilcavan, the lease was always constructed as follows: :

 

INDENTURE BETWEEN THE RIGHT HON. WILLIAM WENTWORTH EARL OF FITZWILLIAM AND RIGHT HON. CHARLES WILLIAM WENTWORTH FITZWILLIAM COMMONLY CALLED VISCOUNT MILTON THE SON AND HEIR OF THE SAID EARL OF THE FIRST PART AND ...................................WHEREBY THE SAID EARL AND VISCOUNT MILTON APPOINTS DEMISES AND GRANTS UNTO SAID ............. ALL THAT DWELLING HOUSE TENEMENTS AND ALSO ALL THOSE SEVERAL CLOSES INCLOSURES OR PARCELS OF INCLOSED LAND ARABLE MEADOW AND PASTURE GROUND THERETO BELONGING PART OF THE LANDS OF ......................... CONTAINING WITH THE SOIL UNDERNEATH THE BUILDINGS ACCORDING TO A SURVEYED ADMEASUREMENT THEREOF LATELY MADE BY MR. CALEB BROOKSBAND..........................( BE THE SAME MORE OR LESS) WHICH SAID PREMISES WERE

( AMONGST OTHER TENEMENTS) LATE IN LEASE TO................. AND SINCE TO ........................ AND ARE NOW IN THE POSSESSION TENURE HOLDING OR OCCUPTATION OF SAID ................... TOGETHER ETC . TO HOLD FROM .................... FOR AND DURING THE NATURAL LIFE OF ..................... FOR 21 YEARS TO RUN THEREWITH AT AND UNDER THE NONRESIDENCE RENT OR SUM OF #................... and #...........TO PLANT ........ FOREST AND ............... APPLETREES. LIBERTY TO COPICE .................  [xiii]

 

If you add the following names and conditions to this LEASE then you get what all those at KILCAVAN received as proof of lease :

LAND OWNER-, TENANTS NAME - AND DATE

Part of KILCAVAN

AMOUNT OF  ACRES, RODS AND PERCHS

late in lease to NICHOLAS KIMPTON AND WILLIAM HUME both deceased.

In the natural life of USUALLY THE YOUNGEST CHILD

#15 residence and #10 to plant, i.e. 100 forest trees and 20 apple trees. [xiv]

Liberty to copice CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LAND i.e. 3 ACRES. 

 

Here is a list of married couples that had children in Kennystown between the years 1832 and 1855. [xv]

More information can be found at www.kennytree.com

 

Date of Baptism    Surname        Father          Maiden          Mother                Place

 

1835 Sep 14	Balf	Thomas	Kenny	Sally	Kennystown
1840 Sep 23	Balfe	Michael	Kealy	Catherine	Kennystown
1842 Apr 3	Balfe	Nick	kealy	Kath	Kennystown
1845 Feb 10	Balfe	Thomas	Kenny	Sally	Kennystown
1837 Apr 24	Birch	Terry	Doran	Mary	Kennystown
1846 Jan 23	Blake	Thomas	Nowlan	Ellen	Kennystown
1843 Oct 25	Carton	Denis	Hickey	Bes	Kennystown
1833 Dec11	Doyle	John	Kenny	Kitty	Kennystown
1833 Mar 24	Handrick	Michael	Balf	Mary	Kennystown
1855 Aug 29	Jacob		Jacob	Jane	Kennystown
1844 Apr 24	Kehoe	Denis	Handrick	Mary	Kennystown
1840 Dec 14	Kenny	Maurice	Nolan	Ellen	Kennystown
1836 Mar 30	Kenny	Phil	Kenny	Ellen	Kennystown
1842 Aug 5	Kenny	Richard	Cahil	May	Kennystown
1834 Sep 13	Kilbride	John	Kenny	Rose	Kennystown
1838 Apr 10	Loughlin	Phil	Hickey	Mary	Kennystown

 

 

1856 Dec 30	Blake	John	Kavanagh	Joanna	Kilavan
1854 Aug 9	Leveston	William	Nowlan	Bridget	Kilcanes
1840 Nov 7	Bennett	Dick	Doyle	Biddy	Kilcavan
1847 Jan 10	Brandy	Patrick	Trainery	Ellen	KIlcavan
1850 Mar 14	Brenity	Thomas	Byrne	Lisa	Kilcavan
1837 Jul 24	Brennan	Jas	Byrne	Margo	Kilcavan
1840 Jul 19	Brennan	John	Byrne	Mary	KIlcavan
1841 Aug 23	Byrne	James	Doyle	Kitty	Kilcavan
1841 May 24	Byrne	Matt	Murphy	Rose	Kilcavan
1833 Jan 1	Byrne	Michael	Kenny	Mary	Kilcavan
1841 SEp 21	Byrne	Michael	Conneran	Anne	Kilcavan
1852 Aug 30	Cahill	Moses	Kenny	Elen	Kilcavan
1854 Jan 26	Cahill	Moses	Nowlan	Ellen	Kilcavan
1859  Oct 16	Clare	Farrell	Walker	Mary	Kilcavan
1840 Jan 22	Clare	John	Hart	Jenny	Kilcavan
1834 Feb 26	Collins	John	Byrne	Biddy	Kilcavan
1862 May 16	Collins	John	Kinsella	Anne	Kilcavan
1853 May 29	Conway	Thomas	Neill	Margaret	Kilcavan
1854 Mar 19	Cuff	James	Roney	Margaret	Kilcavan
1840 May 20	Doyle	James	Kenny	Catherine	Kilcavan
1841 Jul 4	Doyle	Justin	Nowlan	Ann	Kilcavan
1855 Jan 28	Edwards	Moses	Cullen	Mary	Kilcavan
1852 Oct 30	Farden	Michael	Byrne	Ann	Kilcavan
1840 Jan 30	Farrell	Peter	English	Anne	Kilcavan
1845 Feb 2	Fitzpatrick	William	Doran	Sarah	Kilcavan
1841 Aug 4	Foster	James	Balfe	Margo	Kilcavan
1841 Aug 1	Jones	Thomas	Brien	Margo	Kilcavan
1848 Jul 12	Kavanagh	Phelim	Byrne	Mary	Kilcavan
1854 Jun 17	Keating	Patrick	Kehoe	Margaret	Kilcavan
1840 Sep 22	Kehoe	Patrick	Breen	Biddy	Kilcavan
1841 May ?	Keho	Denis	Hanrick	Mary	Kilcavan
1841 May 7	Kelly	Will	Cousins	Ellen	KIlcavan
1839 Apr 7	Kenny	John	Byrne	Mary	Kilcavan
1864 Nov 6	Kenny	Maurice	Sinnott	Ellen	Kilcavan
1852 Mar 19	Kenny	Patrick	Byrne	Mary	Kilcavan
1849 Feb 26	Kenny	Richard	Cahill	Mary	Kilcavan
1853 Aug 10	Kenny	Richard	Hickey	Mary	Kilcavan
1845 Oct 26	Lacy	Martin	Foster	M.A.	Kilcavan
1851 May 17	Leveston	William	Nowlan	Bridget	Kilcavan
1841 Oct 12	Murphy	Frank	Hikey	Anne	Kilcavan
1841 Feb 14	Neil	John	Hegarty	Betty	Kilcavan
1838 Jun 23	Neill	Sill	Hogan	Jane	Kilcavan
1861 Apr 21	Nolan	James	Kennedy	Mary	Kilcavan
1853 Sep 21	Nowlan	John	Clare	Margaret	Kilcavan
1847 Feb 22	Poor	Michael	??	Catherine	Kilcavan
1852 Sep 30	Rourke	Arthur	Kenny	Mary	Kilcavan
1841 Jan 20	Sinnott	James	Kehoe	Sally	KIlcavan
1832 Dec 16	Somers	James	Kenny	Alice	Kilcavan
1857 May 17	Southern	Larry	Collins	Eliza	Kilcavan
1840 Dec 30	Tumpkin	James	Griffin	Anne	Kilcavan
1856 May 18	Cuff	Martin	Byrne	Elizabeth	Kilcaven
1841 Nov 16	Balance	James	Neil	Judy	Kilcavin
1845 Jan 3	Brennan	James	Byrne	Mary	Kilcavin
1834 Dec 15	Brennan	John	Byrne	Mary	Kilcavin
1837 Jun 25	Brien	William	Kavanagh	Biddy	Kilcavin
1833 Feb 23	Byrne	James	McCann	Anne	Kilcavin
1844 Aug 1	Byrne	John	Doyle	Catherine	Kilcavin
1846 Sep 5	Byrne	John	Behan	Margo	Kilcavin
1844 Jul 25	Byrne	Matt	Murphy	Rose	Kilcavin
1834 May 3	Byrne	Michael	Conran	Anne	Kilcavin
1835 Jan 10	Byrne	Michael	Kenny	Mary	Kilcavin
1835 Jan 29	Byrne	Michael	Kehoe	Betty	KIlcavin
1839 Mar 11	Byrne	Sill	Murphy	Anne	KIlcavin
1857 May 16	Cahill	Moses	Nolan	Ellen	Kilcavin
1849 Jan 17	Carney	James	Doyle	Bridget	Kilcavin
1855 Aug 31	Clare	Farrell	Walker	Mary	KIlcavin
1842 Apr 3	Clare	John	Kavanagh	Johanna	Kilcavin
1834 Jun 17	Collins	Bill	Byrne	Mary	Kilcavin
1850 Dec 9	Collins	John	Doyle	Bes	Kilcavin
1838 Jan 21	Cuff	James	Rooney	Margaret	KIlcavin
1833 Jun 6	Cuff	John	Neal	Mary	Kilcavin
1839 Mar 1	Cuff	Thomas	Dempsey	Sally	Kilcavin
1842 Feb 18	Cuffe	James	Roney	Margo	Kilcavin
1862 Jan 19	Cuffe	Pat	Ailmer	Mary	KIlcavin
1849 Jul 3	Cuffe	Patrick	Bolger	Susan	Kilcavin
1833 Jun 25	Doolin	Thomas	Leary	Ellen	Kilcavin
1842 Jul 31	Doyle	John	Kenny	Cath	Kilcavin
1835 Jan 11	Griffin	George	Carroll	Mary	Kilcavin
1844 Apr 22	Hagarty	John	Brien	Betty	Kilcavin
1842 Mar 29	Hickey	Patrick	Keane	Dolly	Kilcavin
1842 Jul 10	Hughes	Henry	Keogh	Ann	Kilcavin
1844 Oct 3	Kavanagh	Phelim	Hickey	Mary	KIlcavin
1852 Jan 20	Keating	Patrick	Kehoe	Margaret	Kilcavin
1850 Jun 10	Kehoe	Edward	Casidy	Catherine	Kilcavin
1835 Feb 11	Kehoe	James	Free	Hana	Kilcavin
1835 Nov 29	Kehoe	John	Rourke	Bet	Kilcavin
1842 Dec 5	Kehoe	Patrick	Breen	Biddy	Kilcavin
1842 Jul 11	Kenny	John	Byrne	Mary	Kilcavin
1851 Dec 11	Kenny	Richard	Hickey	Mary	Kilcavin
1833 Feb 11	Keogh	??	Rourke	Betty	Kilcavin
1838 May 10	Maher	Thomas	Kavana	Betty	Kilcavin
1834 May 25	McGuire	Matt	Doyle	Mary	Kilcavin
1834 Nov 10	McGuire	Michael	Trenary	Anne	Kilcavin
1840 May 24	Murphy	Frank	Hickey	Nancy	Kilcavin
1844 Sep 14	Murphy	John	Collins	Ellen	Kilcavin
1835 May 3	Murphy	Martin	Dunn	Ally	KIlcavin
1837 Dec 3	Murphy	Patrick	Dobbs	Judy	Kilcavin
1835 Mar 19	Nolan	Lawrence	Fox	Cath	Kilcavin
1851 Nov 11	Nowlan	John	Clare	Margaret	Kilcavin
1848 Jan 20	Nowlan	Patrick	Kinselagh	Elizabeth	Kilcavin
1844 Feb 22	Roark	Art	Kenny	Mary	Kilcavin
1841 Oct 12	Roark	Arthur	Kenny	Sally	Kilcavin
1833 Aug 10	Sinnot	John	Keogh	Sally	Kilcavin
1850 Nov 11	Southern	Laurence	Collins	Bess	Kilcavin
1842 Aug 14	Sutherland	Larry	Collins	Eliza	Kilcavin
1850 Sep 22	Synnott	John	Kehoe	Lisa	Kilcavin
1849 Jun 6	Tompkin	James	Griffin	Anne	Kilcavin
1834 Sep 15	Whelan	Patrick	Shannon	Jane	Kilcavin
1851 Feb 13	White	Morgan	Murphy	Judy	Kilcavin
1846 Nov 2	Carthy	John	Simpson	Margo	Kilkaven