An Chrois Liath - Castlehaven and Myross

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An Chrois Liath or Crosslea is a townland of 17 hectares or 42 acres and in the early part of the 20th century, 32 individual fields were mapped in this townland. It is the second smallest townland in the parish.

It is in the Electoral Division of Castlehaven South, in Civil Parish of Castlehaven and the RC Parish of Castlehaven and Myross.

Crosslea is not referenced in the Down Survey record for Castlehaven.

An Chrois Liath is bordered by Ard Gaotháin (Ardgehane) to the west, An Bán Íseal (Bawnishall) to the east and Leic Eoghain (Lickowen) 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 Chrois Liath was interpreted by Bruno O'Donoghue as the grey cross or cross-roads. JM Burke agrees with grey cross in his Southern Star article in 1913 but says that another possibility is Cros Slighe which means a by-road. It is interesting to note that at the time of the Tithe Applotments in 1825, the townland was described as Cross Leahy.

History

The 1823 Battle of Tráigh Leacach, a violent encounter that took place during the Tithes Wars and which resulted in a number of deaths, was partly fought in Crosslea. Full accounts of this infamous 'battle' may be found in two detailed articles in the Castlehaven & Myross History Society Journal Vol. 1 - 2020 (see Further Reading below)

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 and a guide on how to interpret these can be seen here. These show that two of the three houses in the townland at that time were class 3. This means that they were thatched houses with stone walls with mud or puddle mortar. One was described as being old (more than 25 years), but in repair while the other was old and out of repair. The other house was class 1 which means that it was slated and built with stone or brick and lime mortar - it was described as being medium, deteriorated by age and not in perfect repair. All houses in the townland at this time are between 6 and 8 foot tall which indicates that they are single storey at this time.

By the 1901 census, there is just two occupied houses and both have walls of stone, brick or concrete and a roof of slate, iron or tiles. Both have two, three or four rooms and one has two windows in front (which indicates that it was probably single storey at this time) while the other had three windows.

When we advance to the 1911 census there is still two occupied houses and, not surprisingly, both have walls of stone, brick or concrete and a roof of slate, iron or tiles. Both now have five or six rooms while one has 3 windows in front while the other has 5 which indicates that this, at least, is probably two storey at this time

Places of Interest

Tráigh Leacach: This is one of three townlands which touches this beach. It translates to Slatey Strand according to Parish Histories and Place Names of West Cork Bruno O'Donoghue. Leacach also means “abounding with flat stones". There was a famous battle on this beach in 1823 during the Tithe Wars and a policeman was killed here.

Flax Pond: There was a flax pond in the field in front of the beach at Tráigh Leacach

There are no sites listed in this townland listed in the Historic Environment Viewer.

Interesting Placenames

Besides the places named above we have mapped the follow field-names in this townland: Páirc Mhór (big field), Gortín (small field), Páirc na gCapall (field of the horses - used for grazing horses), An Chlais Mhór, (the big field - described as a meadow but has rock in it), Tuar Beag (small pasture where cattle would stay overnight), Upper Spoda (meaning unknown), Lower Spoda (meaning unknown), The Chlais Bheag (small field), The Hill, Coimín na mBád (hollow of the boats - perhaps wrong?), Poll na gCaorach (the hole of the sheep), Jack's Garden (might be related to a Jack Connolly who was renting land in this townland in the 1851 Griffiths Valuation), Nellie's Garden (might be related to an Eleanor Connolly who was renting land in this townland in the 1851 Griffiths Valuation), The Game Sanctuary (got its name as pheasants were put here), Carraige an Áit (rock of ?), Gleannín Bríde (Bridget's glen/valley), Páirc na gCaorach (sheep's field), Garraidhe Óg (young/new potato field), The Meadows

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

Tuireamh Thragha Leagaig

Nuair eirigheas ar maidin tamall roimh eirighe ne ghrein

Do chuala clagairt an airm sa traig lem thaobh

Bhí pudar a lasa le hairm do chaiti pleir

Tá ni raibh de cabhair againn ach caraig i láimh gach n-aon

An triur fear ba cionntach sa bhuais do tógadh iad suas na mbragha

A dtarac tri thalamh ne Tuatha go n-deaghadar go gruadh an Tuir Bhian

Do thainig an captaen fior-uasal, is an sagart gur mhór mhaith a chail

Do thug ortha faoiseamh is fuascailt is do scaoileadh iad uatha go slán

Ciach uaha an mhuintir a tháinig nar sheasaimh an lá linn go fial

Gasra d'fearaibh breagh sásta sa Zheochán do thatlingheadar thiar

Muna mbeadh Doncha an fairire suairc-fhear, do leagadh thuas ar a mBan

Do leanfaí to teasaidhe a thuaig iad is deanfai dhoibh pluais ins an tráig

Ní raibh piléir na dribheir dar luadhasa na raibh a chroidhe ag buala thar barr

Ar eagla an "Orange" a bhuala do thainig le fuaimíní an sráid

Ba thrua gan an Maraitin féin ann go sinn a chlaon corp ar lár

Is go bhfunadh gan faire gan foithin a shuile go n-iteadh na caig

Families and Notable Residents

The Tithe Applotment books of 1825 (where the townland is recorded as Cross Leahy) list the following family names: Connolly, Connolly, Connolly.

Note: Three occupiers of that names were listed: Jack, Denis and Batt - all having an equal share (indicating that they were closely related, possibly brothers).

Griffiths Valuation of 1853 lists the following family names: Connolly, Connolly, Connolly.

Note: Three occupiers are listed: John Connolly (known as Bat - probably a son of Batt Connolly as recorded in 1825); John (Senior - possibly the same man as Jack Connolly recorded in 1825); Elenor Connolly (quite possibly the widow of Denis Connolly). As John Batt now has twice as much land as John Senior, it might be deduced that John Batt inherited Denis's land but is responsible for the care of Denis's widow (as their houses are listed as 2a and 2b).

The Census of Ireland of 1901 lists the following family names: Leary (with Connolly (sister) and Sheehan (servant)), Connolly,

James Leary (an ex RIC Constable) is the brother of Margaret Connolly. Margaret Connolly, it might be assumed was originally an O'Leary who married a Connolly but has been widowed. Sheehan is their farm labourer. The other family is one of the original Connolly families. The head of the household, Batt Connolly, is most likely the son of John (Batt) Connolly as recorded in 1853)

The Census of Ireland of 1911 lists the following family names: Leary, Connolly

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	3	15 est.		1825
1841	Census of Ireland	3	24
1851	Census of Ireland	4 (Inc. 1 unoccupied)	24
1853	Griffith's Valuation	2 landholders 1 landless	10		1853
1861	Census of Ireland	4	30
1871	Census of Ireland	3	18
1881	Census of Ireland	2	9
1891	Census of Ireland	2	8
1901	Census of Ireland	2	11		1901
1911	Census of Ireland	2	8		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. The most prominent proprietor (titulado) of this townland at that time was Teige Downeinge. This townland was part of Bawneishall at that time.

The proprietor in 1841 was Rev Michael Beecher of Mallow and his agent was John Connelly of Skibbereen. It was all held by tenants without a lease.

In 1841,the soil was described as half coarse and half middling, producing middling crops of wheat, oats and potatoes.