From the archives: Rated occupiers of Mayo's county town in 1857
By Tom Gillespie
Part One
IN January 1959 The Connaught Telegraph published a list of the rated occupiers of Castlebar for the year ending 1857. The list was taken from the General Valuation List, which was issued for the first time that year, and contains the names of all the householders in the various streets back in 1857.
Spencer Street (Townland of Curragh): James Hayes, Patrick Heyfron, Ignatius Kelly, John Wallis, John Hopkins, Patrick Bourke, John Kevaney, Patrick Livingstone, Michael Clarke, Bridget Kilroy, Anthony Connor, James Igoe, Edward Feeney, Richard Walsh, Patrick Walsh, Anthony McHale, John McKeon, Patrick Kevaney, Owen Connolly, John McKeon, Mary McEvilly, James Cronin, Anthony Canton, John Egan, Mary O’Dowd, John Heneghan, Patrick Sheehan, John Maley, James Walsh, Patrick Lavelle, John Flanagan, John McDonagh, Patrick Timlin, James Kelly, Martin Timlin, Robert Browne and Michael McCarthy.
All these persons occupied small houses and gardens with the exception of the following: Ignatius Kelly (father of Sir Malachy Kelly, Chief Crown Solicitor) who lived in a house valued at £13; John Hopkins, whose valuation on buildings came to £7-10-0; Patrick Livingstone, whose residence was valued at £5-5-0, and Michael Clarke, whose valuation on buildings amounted to £20. (This was probably the Commercial Hotel).
Spencer Street (Townland of Gorteendrunagh): Francis Flanagan, Michael Clarke, Patrick Kilroy, Bridget Boyle, Patrick Moran, James Fallon, Robert Bourke, William Bingham, Daniel Neary, Walter Walsh, Patrick Keaveney, Michael Clifford, Anne Fitzpatrick, John Flanagan, William Nicholson, Anne Murphy, Michael Londrigan, James Plunkett, Barker T. Penrose, William Lavelle, Joseph Staunton, Edmund Phillips, John Cosgrave, John Davin, John Dea, David McEvilly, Patrick Kirby, Anne Philbin and Sarah Hopkins.
All of these individuals occupied small houses and yards but no gardens. The only exception was Mr. Penrose who lived in a house valued at £16, with out offices, yard and a garden valued at £2.
One item only was exempted: The House of Refuge (on the northern side) and yard for which the lessor, Catherine Busteed, was liable for rates on half the annual rent (£4) she received for it.
The Green and The Mall (Townland of Curragh): Manus O’Donel (£20) and John Hopkins (garden only), with one house unoccupied in 1857.
There were two exemptions in this portion of the Green: the County Courthouse and the Artillery Barracks and yard (now the garda station), for which the Earl of Lucan had to pay rates on half of the annual rent (£66) he received for same.
The Green and The Mall (Townland of Gortendrunagh): William Staunton, Edward Gannon, John Casey and James Armstrong. The latter had three separate ratings of £14, £22 and £6 so that these items covered the then existing Imperial Hotel, prior to its subsequent reconstruction.
Next to Mr. Armstrong’s premises was some waste land and ruins of the old jail, upon which was erected the Bank of Ireland - now Mayo County Council’s motor tax office.
The Green and The Mall (Townland of Knockaphunta): Rev. James Hutchinson (Methodist Minister), Agnes Gallagher, Dr. Edward Knott, John Beirne, Anthony Jennings, Sarah McTigue, Maria Masterman, and John Duddy. All of these individuals resided in substantial houses.
Newtown Street (Townland of Garryduff): Hugh Keane, Michael Ruane, William Masterson, James Flannery, Patrick Radican, James Morrison, James Day, Patrick Walsh, Thomas Barrett, Thomas Flannery, Mrs. Sweeney, James Joyce, Mary Malley, Judith Londry, John Ralph, Joseph Gray, Henry Dean, Adam Campbell, Henry Lynch, Robert Diver, Susan Jennings, Michael Costello, Owen Moran, John Corbin, John Cochrane, and Patrick Quinn.
Chapel Street (Townland of Garryduff): Michael Quinn, Thomas Brandley, John Keefe, John Keefe (for lodgers), John Lynch, Patrick Rogers, Martin Monaghan, Edmond Hughes, Catherine Cuffe, Patrick Clones, Robert Brennan, John Hughes, John Carney, Catherine Fallon, Mary Feeney, Abigail Lavelle, Anthony Geraghty, John McTigue (for lodgers), Bridget McDermott, Hugh McGreevey, Patrick Rogers, Bridget Biggs and the Venerable Archdeacon McHale, P.P. (valued for land only).
There were three items exempted in this street: The old Catholic Chapel which was demolished when the Church of the Holy Rosary was erected and dedicated in 1901; the former national school which was levelled after the much larger national school (Parochial Centre) was opened in 1887. On the site of the old school, Very Rev. Canon Lyons, P.P., built the limestone structure (The Monastery), the accommodation of the new teachers for the parish, the good Brothers of St. John Baptist De La Salle; the Royal Irish Constabulary Barracks with offices, yard and garden for which the lessor, Thomas Cooley, was liable for half the annual rent (£6) that he received from the Government in respect of the letting.
The barracks embraced the private residence later occupied by Rev. Mr. Sythes, Rector, and Mr. Willians, solicitor.
The land for which Venerable Archdeacon McHale was then rated was the site upon the new Church of the Holy Roary was erected - the plot was known as the ‘Priests’ Meadow’.
Lower Chapel Street (Townland of Carrowncurry): James Flannery, Martin Cooney, John Lally, Patrick Reilly, William McLoughlin, Patrick Higgins, Patrick Gannon and Patrick Farrell (all small dwellings).
Gallowshill (Townland of Garryduff): Thomas Comber, Francis Garvey, Mary Kirby, John Flannery, and Mary Walsh. The dwellings occupied by these individuals were not large.
Gallowshill (Townland of Carowncurry): William Lally, John Higgins, Michael Beckett, Francis Flanagan, Michael Haugh and Ellen Murray. The houses rented by these people were of a small type and were later demolished.
Tucker Street (Townland of Garryduff): Arthur P. Knight, Patrick Flannelly, John Cleary, Darby O’Hora, Patrick Dempsey, Patrick Molloy, John Devine, Catherine Mannion, John Fahy, Patrick Lavelle and May McCormack - all small houses.
Bridge Street (Townland of Gorteendrunagh with the valuations of buildings given in parenthesis): James Malley (£22), Mary Young (£15), Hubert Canavan (£8-15-0), John Hewson (part of house) (£3), Mary Anne Geraghty (£8-10-0), Patrick Kilger (£19), Hynes McAndrew (£18), Henry Murphy (£22-5-0), Michel Kenny (£9-10-0), Mary Brady (£18-5-0), Winfred Joyce (£15), Thomas J. Horan (£12-15-0), Malachy Heneghan (£12), Michael Byrne (£6-10-0), John Dudgeon (£30), and William Meade (£21-5-0).
* Continued next week, in print and online