CENSUS OF IRELAND.
TOWNLAND INDEX.
TO HIS EXCELLENCY GEORGE WILLIAM FREDERICK, EARL OF CARLISLE, K.G.,
&C, &C,
LOUD LIEUrENANT-GENERAL AND GENERAL GOVERNOR OF IRELAND
Mat it please toue Excellency,
I have the honour to submit for your Excellency's consideration an Index to the Townland Census of Ireland, which has been prepared in this Department.
It gives, in alphabetical order, the name of every Townland, Town, and Island mentioned in the Census publications, and the number of the Sheet of the Maps of the Ordnance Survey in which the several denominations are to be found ; also the area of each Town-land, and the County, Barony, Parish, and Poor Law Union in which it is situated.
The volume and page of the Townland Census, from which information may be pro¬ cured as to the Population, and Houses, in 1841 and 1851, and the Poor Law Yaluation, in 1851, are also given.
The Townland names are printed in Roman characters, the Towns in small capitals, and Islands, which are not Townlands, in Italics.
Notes are appended, which, state the quantity of water included •within the area of each Townland, and the cases in which a Townland comprises one or more detached portions, or is divided by Municipal Boundaries into one or more parts.
For example, the townland of " Abbeylands," in the parish of Ringcurran, barony of Kinsale, county of Cork, E.R.,
consists of five parts, containing an aggregate area of 106 a.
Sr.
32p.
; and " Ayresfields," in the parish of St.
Canice, barony of Crannagh, county of Kilkenny, having a total area of 43a.
1e.
4p.,
is made up of 16a.
2r.
26p.
within, and the remainder without, the Municipal Boundary of the city of Kilkenny.
In order to facilitate the search for any townland having more than one name, such as
" Ballydaly or Derrynagall," in the parish of Kilbride, barony of Ballycowan, King's County, it will be found under both names.
Indexes to the Parishes and Baronies follow the Townlands, so as to make the work form a complete topographical index of Ireland.
It would greatly increase the value of a publication of this nature if it were accom¬ panied by a Glossary, or explanation of the Names, and an account of their origin.
As an example of the interest which attaches to such an elucidation of the territorial divi¬ sions of the country, I beg to annex an extract from the Ordnance " Memoir of the City and North-Western Liberties of Londonderry;" and I may observe that the invaluable labours and researches of Dr.
Petrie, Dr.
O'Donovan, and Professor O'Curry have fur¬ nished ample material for this purpose, collected and arranged under the direction of Major-General Sir Thomas Larcom during the progress of the Ordnance Survey.
A.
M
