An Achaill

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An Achaill or Aghills is a townland of 297 hectares or 733 acres and in the early part of the 20th century, 376 individual fields were mapped in this townland.

It is in the Electoral Division of Shreelane, in Civil Parish of Castlehaven and the Roman Catholic Parish of Kilmacabea.

An Achaill is bordered by An Bráid (Brade) and Cill Pháidín (Kilfadeen) to the east, Sraoilleán (Shreelane) and Gort na Daibhche (Gortnadihy) to the north, An Currach Beag (Currabeg), Doire Liath (Derryleigh) and An Leathardán Beag (Lettertinlish) to the west and Fornocht (Forenaght) to the south

OpenStreetmap contributors, with input from the Castlehaven & Myross History Society, have created a detailed townland map including all its minor placenames. Zoom in for further detail.

Etymology

An Achaill was interpreted by Bruno O'Donoghue as the hill (height or mound). Other interpretations say that it could come from aichil (a fresh-water eel found in Aghills Lake) or eóchoill (a yew-wood)

History

Shepperton: The Townsend family introduced the name of Shepperton and , at one time, they owned a mansion there.

Housing

As part of Griffiths Valuation in 1853, a survey of house quality was carried out to calculate what rates were due by each household. These were issued in 1850 in the form of house books (Pg 1, Pg 2, Pg 3, Pg 4) and a guide on how to interpret these can be seen here. These show that 36 of the 39 houses in the townland at the time were class 3. This means that they were all thatched houses with stone walls with mud or puddle mortar (as opposed to houses built with stone or brick and lime mortar). Within class 3 there are a number of different categories. 12 of these houses are old (more than 25 years old) but in repair. Another 19 are described as being old (more than 25 years) but out of repair while three are described as old and dilapidated, scarcely habitable. The other two Class 3 houses are described as medium (not new), deteriorated by age and not in perfect repair. Three houses in this townland at this time are class 1 which means that they were slated and built with stone or brick and lime mortar - one is described as an ordinary building and finish, one is medium (not new), slightly decayed, but in good repair while the other is old (more than 25 years) but in repair. 35 of the 36 Class 3 houses in the townland at this time are between 5 foot (!) and 8 foot tall which indicates that they are single storey at this time. One of the class 3 houses seems to be 18 foot tall and one of the class 1 houses was 25 foot 6 inches tall at this time suggesting that they were two storye at thaat time.

By the 1901 census (Pg 1, Pg 2) there are just 22 occupied houses in this townland at this time and all have walls of stone, brick or concrete. Six still have thatched roofs while the other sixteen have roofs of slate, iron or tiles. Sixteen houses have two, three or four rooms with two of these having no window in front, 8 having just two windows in front (indicating that they are probably still single storey at this time) and six more having five windows in front. Five houses have either five or six rooms with five windows in front while the other house in this townland has 13 or more rooms and 12 windows in front.

When we advance to the 1911 census (Pg 1, Pg 2) there is an increase to 24 occupied houses in this townland and, not surprisingly, all have walls of stone, brick or concrete. Just three now have thatched roofs while the other 21 have roofs of slate, iron or tiles. Ten houses now have two, three or four rooms with two of these having one window in front, five having just two windows in front (indicating that they are probably still single storey at this time) and the other three have three, four and five windows respectively. Thirteen houses now have either five or six rooms with 12 of these having five windows in front while the other has six windows in front (they are probably two storey at this point). The remaining house in this townland still has 13 or more rooms and 12 windows in front.

Places of Interest

Lios: There is a ringfort (lios) in this townland. A ringfort is a circular fortified settlement that were mainly built during the Bronze age up to about the year 1000.

Lake: There are a number of lakes in this townland: Shepperton Lake, Shreelane Lakes (Upper and Lower), Aghills Lake and Loch Staley. Loch Staley is also partially in Forenaght and Brade.

Country House: ???*** According to the Buildings of Ireland website (https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/20914209/shepperton-park-aghills-cork) this is a detached three-bay two-storey house, built c.1780, with later porch entrance porch addition (north), five-bay garden front (east) and lean to single-bay two-storey extension to west. Now disused. Hipped slate roofs with rendered chimneystacks and cast-iron rainwater goods. Rubble stone construction with render and slate hanging. Rendered walls to porch, channelled to form ashlar effect. Square-headed openings, some blocked, with single one-over-one timber sliding sash windows. Tripartite one-over-one timber sliding sash windows to south. Round-headed triple of one-over-one timber sliding sash windows to porch. Stone sills throughout. Square-headed door openings throughout with timber panelled door having sidelights and overlight to porch and replacement timber panelled door with overlight to side south. Rubble limestone boundary walls with gate piers and wrought-iron gates. Range of outbuildings to rear, having pitched slate roofs and rendered walls. The appraisal (written on the 01-08-2008 at the time of the site visit) comments: though now sadly neglected, this fine country house retains much of its historic character and charm. Its former high status is obvious from the first edition Ordnance Survey map, which shows related structures included landscaped grounds, a lake, gate lodge and ranges of outbuildings. The slate hanging is a particularly notable feature as it was traditionally used throughout Cork county and is now unfortunately, increasingly rare.

Besides the ringfort listed above, the Historic Environment Viewer also maps a country house in this townland

Interesting Placenames

Besides the places named above we have mapped the follow field-names in this townland: Páirc an Tobair (the field with the well - according to Lankford it was noted for very cold water - in the old days the water was used for hardening butter), Field Of The Well, The Cabhlach Field (field with the ruin - according to Lankford there was a house in this field many years ago), Closh (according to Lankford there was a cluster of 5 houses built next to each other which was known as a "closh" which is Irish for enclosure or yard. Also noted in Lankford as Cloch. The location is unknown but there are a few fields known as The Murdering), The Caill (meaning unknown - maybe coill (wood) or cill (children's graveyard) or caol (marsh)), Páirc Éamon (Eamonn's field), Móinteáin Dubh (boggy field), Green Field, The Rownas (meaning unknown), Páirc na Fónamh (translation unknown - described in Lankford as a good field with lots of uses - páirc is a field), The Glen (described by Lankford as having a steep hill down and flat at the bottom), The Common, Hanlwee (meaning unknown - maybe named after one of the families that rented in this townland as mentioned below - Harnedy's or Herlihy's? - could it be Hanley's?), The Cluain (the meadow)

The N71 runs through this townland and was once known as The Coach Road. Another road is known as The Old Road. There are a few crossroads in this townland such as Derryleigh Bridge, the Island Cross, Island Cross and Currabeg Bridge.

If you want to see the actual location of any of these, go to detailed townland map on Open Street Maps. If you know any other field names or placenames in this townland (or if you need to correct any or give further background information), please contact us at [email protected]

Folklore

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Families and Notable Residents

The Tithe Applotment books of 1825 list the following family names: Townsend, Connell, Hegarty, Collins, Keane, Browne, Connell, Collins, Collins, Brien, Walsh, Cathegan, Walsh, Donahue, Brien, Brien, Brien, Dampsey, Tobin, Tobin, Connelly, Brien, Sullivan, Brien, Brien, Donovan

Griffiths Valuation of 1853 lists the following family names: Buckley, Buckley, Dwyer, Bryan, Dennis, McCarthy, Hayes, Harnetty, Mahony, Donahue, Driscoll, Walsh, Walsh, Walsh, Townsend, Daly (gate-lodge), Cremmins, Mahony, Collins, Sullivan, Collins, Bryan, Tobin, Buck, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Bryan, Regan, Connell, Collins, Bryan. The following families had land only: Herlihy, Brickley

The Census of Ireland of 1901 lists the following family names: McCarthy,Hegarty, Mahoney. Purdon (with Hayes (visitor), Donahue and Jennings (both servants)), Burke, Collins (with Dwyer (visitor)), Brien, Donoghue, Driscoll (with Rossley (mother-in-law)), Connelly, Harnedy, McCarthy, Buckley, Brien (with Donovan (servant)), Tobin, Brien, Brien, Brien, Brien, Collins, Connell, Regan (with Dineen (grandson))

The Census of Ireland of 1911 lists the following family names: Warren (with Thimbleby (mother and 2 x niece), Trotman (visitor), Kirby (servant) and Minahan (servant)), Buckley, Regan, Harnedy (with Attridge (servant)), Collins, Brien, Collins, Connell, Tobin, Harnedy, Brien, Driscoll (with Burke (grand-daughter)). Mahony, Brien, Connolly, Brien (with Buckley (servant)), Donaghue, Donaghue, Brien, Brien, McCarthy, Aherne, Regan, O'Connor

Note: the term 'with' refers to a person or persons of a different family name staying in the house. This may have been an in-law or other relative, a guest, or a farm labourer/housekeeper or domestic servant.

Demographics and Landholding

		*Occupiers	Population	Change	Link to record
1825	Tithe Applotment	26	145 (est)		1825
1841	Census of Ireland	60 (Inc. 1 unoccupied)	344
1851	Census of Ireland	43 (Inc. 2 unoccupied)	221
1853	Griffith's Valuation	36 (Inc. 3 unoccupied)	170 (est)		1853
1861	Census of Ireland	34	174
1871	Census of Ireland	33 (Inc. 2 unoccupied)	182
1881	Census of Ireland	29 (Inc. 1 unoccupied)	165
1891	Census of Ireland	26	150
1901	Census of Ireland	22	133		1901
1911	Census of Ireland	24	125		1911

*Occupiers generally equate to households having a house and land but may also include households having houses but no land.

Between 1656 and 1658 the Down Survey mapped all areas of the country to track ownership of land after much had been granted to followers of Cromwell after the war of the 1650's. At this time the proprietors (titulados) of this townland were Dermot, William and Teige MacShittery. It is not believed that anybody with this name lives in the townland today (thankfully). The townland was known as Aghill at this time.

The proprietor of this townland in 1841 was the COI Church or Ecclesiastical Commission for Ireland. It was held under a renewable lease by Maurice Townsend of Skibbereen and sub-let to tenants.

In 1841, the soil was described as being rough in the south part while the north part produces middling crops of wheat, oats, potatoes and some flax.