In 1855 the now R173 road was termed the High Road
from Dundalk to Carlingford. After crossing the
Riverstown Bridge was the village of Riverstown, in
Castletown-Cooley Townland, and after the junction
(beside the present Riverstown Inn) with what was
termed the 'road to Newry' was
Castletown-Cooley Townland on the north side and
Castlecarragh Townland on the south side. On the
latter side the land occupiers were Peter Donnelly
and Elizabeth Hanlon occupying 19 acres and 1 rood;
Matthew and James Finnegan occupying 22 acres and 2
roods; James Ward and Patrick Malone occupying 22
acres and 2 roods and last John Boyle occupying 10
acres and 3 roods.
As seen, above, in the Tithe Applotments Books,
1833, for Castlecarra [Castlecarragh] Townland a
George Finnegan was listed with a James and Michael
Finnegan for 12 Irish acres of land.
By the time of Griffith's Valuation survey,
completed around 1852, a Matthew, Michael and James
Finnegan each occupied a house and offices (that is
out offices such as sheds) and jointly 21 statute
acres and 38 perches of land. See above copy of this
record. The land was stated to be in tillage and
giving very good crops. In addition it was stated
that the occupiers of Castlecarragh Townland claimed
the sea weed, along the townland's seashore, in
proportion to their holdings.
For the good land the Finnegan's seemed to pay
£1-6-0 an acre per annum. It was stated that some
occupiers of land, in the townland, gave up their
holdings because they did not receive enough rebate
of rent. The rebate was likely sought due to the
uncertainty, generally, with the potato crops. A Pat
Carroll did leave as occupier of his house and
garden in this townland, at Plot 6c, in 1853. Could
he be the Patrick Carroll living in Lodi in 1875?
(see Missing Friends' advertisements above).
Also on this Finnegan holding was a house occupied
by a James Donnelly, free, and held at will from
Michael Finnegan and another house occupied by an
Arthur Magee and held at will, from James Finnegan,
for which he paid £1-0-0 a year.
From the various records, so far searched, this
would appear to be the position with the named
occupiers above:-
George Finnegan.
He maybe the George who was
married to a Catherine Finnegan and children
included Ann (1830); Laurence (1832) and Mary (1833)
all born in Riverstown. Since the marriage entry was
not located it is possible there were other
children. He maybe one of the George Finnegans that
died in Cooley parish around 1849-50 as he is not
listed on Griffith's Valuation.
It would appear that a Matthew Finnegan followed on
his property.
Matthew Finnegan.
Matthew is listed in
Griffith's Valuation. He was born about 1804 and
married a Judith McBride, in Lordship Parish, but
his children were baptised in Cooley Parish. Their
family included:-
Mary (1859); Catherine (1861);
Bridget (1863); Michael (1865) and Rose
(1868).
When Mathew and Judith died their son Michael and
family followed as occupiers on the property.
Michael married a Bridget Murphy of Benagh Townland
and died in 1924 in Castlecarragh Townland.
James Finnegan.
He was born about 1785 and was
possibly the person who married a Judith Finnegan.
It is probable that either James or Judith came from
Mucklagh Townland (further to the north-east of
Castlecarragh) as some of their children were born
there. The family may have included:-
Mary (1815); Mic/Michael
(1818); John (1819) and Thomas (1821) who was born
in Castlecarragh.
A Thomas (likely his son) followed on his property.
Thomas Finnegan was married to a Margaret Finnegan
in 1858, in Lordship Parish, and family, all born in
Castlecarragh and baptised in Cooley Parish,
included:-
John (1859); Bridget? (1861);
Peter (1863); James (1865); Michael (1867); Pat
(1870); Mary? (1873) and Catherine (1876). Michael
followed as main occupier of the property and
afterwards Catherine's family. Catherine was married
to a John J Hughes from Killin Townland, in Lordship
Parish.
Michael Finnegan.
He was born about 1797 and
died unmarried. James Donnelly followed on his
property.
Sally Finnegan - James
Donnelly.
A Sally (Sarah) Finnegan was
born about 1788 and married a James Donnelly, a
weaver. The weaving trade was already in
decline by the 1830s. This maybe the James Donnelly
who occupied a free house from Michael Finnegan.
Their family included:-
Mary Donnelly (1813) and James
Donnelly (1815) born in Riverstown.
This latter James Donnelly married, in 1840, his
cousin a Bridget Finnegan. This Bridget was present
at the death of Michael Finnegan above, born 1797,
so maybe she was a near relative?. These Donnellys
followed on Michael Finnegan's property. Their
family included:-
Elizabeth (1847); James
(1849); John (1851) and maybe others. The
property passed to John Donnelly and afterwards to a
Feehan family.
Could this James Donnelly, born 1815, be the witness
to the marriage of Owen Finnegan & Jane Boyle?.
Arthur Magee.
In the early 1850s Arthur
Magee paid £1-0-0 a year for the house to James
Finnegan but it was down before 1860.
So far nothing was found to
suggest the Magees were related to the Finnegans.
However in Griffith's Valuation there was no Arthur
Magee listed as the main occupier of a house in
Templetown Townland. Yet there was an Artr Magee a
sponsor in 1814 to the baptism of Owen Finnegan the
son of John and Mary Kearney of Templetown. The
latter maybe the Arthur Magee, born about 1788, who
may have been married to a Rourke girl and died in
Templetown in 1871. His occupation was a 'labourer'
which could mean an 'agricultural labourer'. But
again no record has, so far, been found to verify
that he was the same person that lived in
Castlecarragh in the 1850s.