Ballynahaglish Civil Parish and the Incidence of the Brennan Surname in Griffith's Valuation, County Mayo, Ireland
There were no Brennans documented in Ballynahaglish Civil Parish when the Griffith's Valuation was conducted in 1856.
Ballynahaglish Civil Parish falls within Tirawley Barony and is part of Backs Roman Catholic Parish. Kilbelfad Civil Parish is also part of this Catholic Parish. There are two further divisions of this Catholic Parish that you may come across Backs (Rathduff) and Backs (Knockmore). The LDS microfilm covering this Catholic Parish is 1279205 and the date range covered is 1829-1880. When the Griffith's Valuation was conducted in 1856, there was only one Roman Catholic Chapel; it was located in the Townland of Knockmore. The Townland of Ballynahaglish was the location for the only Graveyard.
I couldn't find any patent applications for fairs or markets for Ballynahaglish Civil Parish. Ballynahaglish was only 2 1/2 miles from Ballina, one of County Mayo's major market towns of the 19th century. There were no designated "Fair Greens" or "Tolls and Customs of Fairs" in the Ballynahaglish Civil Parish Griffith's Valuation when it was conducted in 1856. As far as commercial activity goes, it was minimal and scattered throughout the Civil Parish. The Townland of Bellass had a Tuck Mill, the Townland of Corroy had the only Corn Mill, and there were no documented Kilns, Military Baracks or Pounds. There was one Orchard in the Townland of Ballyderg. Herd's Houses were present in the Townlands of Curragh, Derrygaury, Derrynamuck and Gortaskibbole. This would seem to indicate a fair amount of pasture/grazing land in this Civil Parish. The River Moy did appear to course through many different Townlands of this Civil Parish including Ballyhiernaun, Ballynahaglish, Carrowtreila, Coolcronaun, Corlummin, Curragh, Derrygaury, Drumrevagh, Rahans, Rathbaun, Rathnaconeen, Srah, Sraheen and Tonybaun. (Griffith, 1847-1864; 2003, Ballynahaglish). Samuel Lewis describes an "extensive tracts of bog" area in this Civil Parish. (Lewis, 1837; 1984, p. 156). I didn't see any documented "bog" parcels in the Griffith's Valuation, but there were several lakes, Derrymannin Lough, in the Townland of Derrymannin and Lough Alick in Derrynamuck.
As far as education goes, there were two National Schoolhouses, one in Ballynaraha and one in Lissaniska West. There was also a Schoolhouse in the Townland of Rathnaconeen. (Griffith, 1847-1864; 2003, Ballynahaglish). According to The Topographical Dictionary of Ireland by Samuel Lewis, this Civil Parish also had one hedge school. (Lewis, 1837; 1984, p. 156).
A vast array of landlords were represented in this Civil Parish with Oliver Jackson being the most prevalent, followed by Jane E. Pugh, Lord Clanmorris, Major John Frederick Knox, Honorable Edward Perry, Thomas Jones and Colonel Charles Knox among others. (Griffith, 1847-1864; 2003, Ballynahaglish).
Ballynahaglish Civil Parish like many other Parishes in County Mayo had a significant drop in population during and after the peak famine years. In 1841 there were 5,397 people living in Ballynahaglish Civil Parish, dropping to 3,397 in 1851. By the year 1911 there were only 2,678 people remaining in the area. ('Ohara, 1982, p. 7).