Abstract: Story collected by a student at Baile Nua, Gabhal tSulchóide school (Newtown, Co. Tipperary) (no informant identified).
Original reference: 0578/1/1
School Baile Nua, Gabhal tSulchóide [Vol. 0578, Chapter 0001]
County The Schools' Manuscript Collection : County Tipperary Schools
The Parish of Solohead [duchas:4867405]
Long ago Solohead consisted of two parishes - Solohead Mór and Solohead Beag. Solohead Beag had its church at Kyle, and the ruins of it are still to be seen. Kyle is situated about a half a mile north of Tipperary Town. This church at Kyle is very old and was a consecrated church. There are records that it paid dues to the Pope as early as 1100 A.D. It is not rightly known where the church for the parish of Solohead Mór was situated, but there were at least three churches in the parish from time to time. It has been proved that two of those churches are not old enough, so there remains the probability that the third one might be the correct one. This one was situated in the townsland of Ballyryan in the present parish of Solohead, and about a quarter of a mile to the north of the present church. The other two churches
The Parish of Solohead [duchas:4867406]
mentioned were situated - one in the townland of Russelstown about a mile south west of the present church, the other was situated in the graveyard attached to the present church. The land in the parish of Solohead was owned at one time by the OBriens and the ORyans. The name of the largest townsland in it is Ballyryan. Local tradition has it that after the Cromwellian Plantation the land was given to one Stanley afterwards known as Lord Stanley. He was an absentee landlord hence his possessions about Solohead were administered by agents, one of whom was named Boulten. Stanley was considered a fairly decent landlord but his agents were both hated and feared, especially Boulten. Boulten has special favourites of his whom he enriched at the expense of his less favoured tenants, some of whom were evicted for no reason whatever. Their
The Parish of Solohead [duchas:4867407]
rents were refused and they were then compelled to leave the land, which was then given to the agent's favourites. Hence the formation of so many ranches about Solohead. The evicted tenands had to seek refuge in foreign lands, while others dwelt in hovels by the roadside. The most notable of the ranches thus formed were Russelstown, Acroboy, Ballykisteen, Ballyryan and Gurtdrum. Ballykisteen and Russelstown were given to the Heuston family who were Protestants. Acroboy was owned by another Protestant named Thompson who was illitrate and is supposed to have come from Scotland. He spent his means on drink and gambling and died a pauper. Gurtdrum was given to the Moloneys who at one time were evicted out of small holding at Acroboy but were given a far bigger farm at Gurtdrum. Ballyryan was given to the Marnanes, who maintained possession for one generation only
The Parish of Solohead [duchas:4867408]
On the Ballyryan estate was situated the old village of Solohead, and it had its church there also, probably the old church of the Parish of Solohead Mor. All traces of village and church have now dissappeared. Those small farmers who were evicted from Ballyryan were given cottages at Monard Cross. Cottages were built for ten families there, and it was thought that the occupiers would become servants and workmen for the owners of the neighbouring estates. The descendants of only two of the evicted families now live at Monard - ONeills and Dees. The agents and greed of the people were responsible for many of the evictions which were very often carried out without the knowledge of the landlord. Stanley was supposed to have been a fairly humane man, as the following will testify - As already mentioned there were many families having farms on the Ballyryan farm, on
The Parish of Solohead [duchas:4867409]
the road leading from Solohead to Clonbrick. The landlord used to visit his possessions about once a year, and on one occasion when passing along the road mentioned, he enquired what had become of all the families who dwelt there in former times. He was promptly given the reply by his agent "that they preferred to go to America", although they really had been evicted a short time before. The land attached to the Parochial House at Solohead was the subject of a dispute about this time. This field, consisting of about 14 acres is separated from the Ballyryan farm by the railway line from Limk. Jct to Limerick. The Marnanes of Ballyryan wanted to get this field also, but the landlord gave it to the Parish Priest - a Fr. Moloney. The Marnanes must have been fairly sure of getting it because they caused a mound of earth to be raised on either side of the Railway line for the purpose of
The Parish of Solohead [duchas:4867410]
building a bridge over the line and thus joining up the lands on both sides. The Marnanes failed to get the field and Fr. Moloney is supposed to have cursed them and predicted that none of their breed would ever be owners of Ballyryan. After one generation Ballyryan passed out of the hands of the Marnanes, and a family by the name of D'Arcy from Tipperary Town became owners.
Original reference: 0578/1/1
The Parish of Solohead
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