Templemore Civil Parish and the Incidence of the Gahagan (Goghan, Goaghan, Geoghegan, Gaughan) Surname in Griffith's Valuation, County Mayo, Ireland
There were no individuals with the Gahagan, Goghan, Goaghan, Geoghegan or Gaughan Surnames documented in Templemore Civil Parish when the Griffith's Valuation was conducted in 1857.
Templemore Civil Parish falls within Gallen Barony and is part of Straide Roman Catholic Parish. Unfortunately, records for this Civil Parish don't begin early and the date range is only 1872-1880. When the Griffith's Valuation was conducted for Templemore Civil Parish in 1857, there was only one Roman Catholic Chapel in the Townland of Strade, no other churches, one Graveyard in the Townland of Knockagarraun and a Burial Ground in the Townland of Knockagarraun.
As early as 1651 Richard Rutledge applied for and obtained a patent for markets and a fair for the Townland of Straide. (Gillespie; Crawford, 1987, p. 90). When the Statistical Survey of County Mayo was conducted in 1802, the Townland of Straide was listed as having a market or fair for cattle, but none for grain and fairs were held on May 31, July 30, October 23 and November 27. (McParlan, 1802; 2007, p. 45, 47-52).
When the Griffith's Valuation was conducted in Templemore Civil Parish, Strade was quite clearly the economic hub of this area. Strade had a "Fair Green," a "Tolls and Customs of Fairs," a Pound and a Cornmill. Several Townlands such as Aghalusky, Cloongee and Knocksaxon had a Turbary and there was a Salmon Fishery in the Townland of Cloongee. The Townland of Cloonconra had a Corn Mill and there were Herd's Houses in the Townlands of Aghalusky, Ashbrook, Carrowgalda, Gorteen, Knockagarraun, Knocksaxon, Pollagh, Rathrushel, Redhill and Tawnagh Beg. The number of Herd's Houses would seem to indicate that there was fair amount of pasture/grazing area in this Civil Parish. (Griffith, 1847-1864; 2003, Templemore). Templemore was only about 4 miles from Foxford, another significant County Mayo Market Town.
As far as education goes, only one school was noted in the Griffith's Valuation, a National Schoolhouse in the Townland of Knockafall. When "A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland" was first published in 1837, Templemore was described as having 4 private schools with about 240 kids. (Lewis, 1837; 1984, p. 609).
Numerous lakes dot this Civil Parish and the River Moy flows through the Townlands of Ballylahan, Carrowgalda, Gorteen, Rathrushel, Tawnagh Beg and Ummool. There were no designated "bog" parcels in the Griffith's Valuation for Templemore Civil Parish.
A variety of different Landlords were represented in this Civil Parish, but Sir William H. Roger Palmer Bart, Henry Joynt, Reps Fras Blake Knox and Sir Comptom Domvile Bt were the most prevalent.
Templemore Civil Parish saw a significant population drop during and after the peak famine years like many other Civil Parishes in County Mayo. In 1841 the population of Templemore was 4,251, dropping to 2,387 in 1851. This number continued to decline and by 1911 there were 1,938 people in this Civil Parish. (O'Hara, 1982, p. 8).