Burriscarra Civil Parish Characteristics, County Mayo, Ireland
Burriscarra Civil Parish falls within Carra Barony and is part of Burriscarra and Ballintober Roman Catholic Parish (established in 1839) (Mitchell, 1988, p. 87). Ballintober Civil Parish and Touaghty are also part of this Roman Catholic Parish. The Parish records are covered in microfilm numbers 1279210, 979699 and 926220 and roughly cover the years 1839-1903 depending on which film you order. When the Griffith's Valuation was conducted ion 1857, there was one Roman Catholic Chapel in the Townland of Carrownacon and Graveyards were present in the Townland of Castlecarra.
I couldn't find any patent applications for fairs or markets for Burriscarra Civil Parish. When the Griffith's Valuation was conducted there were no "Fair Greens" or Tolls for Markets and Fairs" in any Townlands of this Parish. Burriscarra Civil Parish was however less than 6 miles from the town of Hollymount, a significant market town in the mid 19th century in County Mayo. There was relatively little of a commercial nature noted in this Civil Parish Griffith's Valuation. There were no Corn Mills, Tuck Mills, Kilns, Pound or Military Barracks. There was a Forge in the Townland of Newtown. There were Herd's Houses in the Townlands of Ballycally, Burriscarra, Castlecarra and Drumnashinnagh, a Caretaker's House in Ballycally and Rinaneel, a Gate Lodge in Clogher and a Gatehouse in Roughaun. There were only 23 Townlands in this Civil Parish when the Valuation was conducted in 1857 (three of which were named, occupied islands in Lough Carra) and that was about the extent of the economic activity. (Griffith, 1847-1864; 2003, Burriscarra).
As far as education goes there was a Board of Education National Schoolhouse in the Townland of Carrownagreggaun that is centrally located in the eastern side of the Parish. Samuel Lewis in his "A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland" described a school in the Chapel at Carnacon in his section of Burriscarra Civil Parish. (Lewis, 1837; 2005, p. 232). I am unsure where this Town or Townland is located.
There appears to be a significant amount of reclaimed land in the areas around the lakes in Burriscarra Civil Parish. I didn't see any designated "Bog" parcels in the Griffith's Valuation for this Parish.
Valentine O. C. Blake, Patrick C Lynch, George H. Moore, John Nolan Ferrall and Myles McDonnell were the most prevalent landlords in Burriscarra Civil Parish followed by a smattering of others. When Hussey De Burgh compiled a list of "The Landowners of Ireland" (those with greater than 500 acres) he listed Valentine O.C. Blake as having 4,198 acres in County Mayo and 7,690 in County Galway. His Home was listed as Towerhill, Ballyglass, County Mayo. There was a Patrick C Lynch listed (Patrick Crean Lynch) who held 2337 acres in County Mayo. (De Burgh, 1878; 2007, p. 38, 283). I couldn't find information in De Burgh's compilation on George H Moore, Myles Mc Donnell or John Nolan Ferrall. When the Statistical Survey of County Mayo was conducted in 1802, Patrick C Lynch was listed as being a Resident landlord in the Townland of Clogher. (Mc Parlan, 1802; 2007, p. 105). Samuel Lewis in his "A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland" shows J. McDonnell, Esq. in Carnacon. (Lewis, 1837; 2005, p. 232).
The population of Burriscarra Civil Parish declined during and after the peak famine years like many others in County Mayo, Ireland. In 1841 the population stood at 1,681, dropping to 913 in 1851. By the year 1911 the population of this Civil Parish was down to 516 people. (O'hara, 1982, p. 7).