Colonel James Grove White: Curragh

Sheet 22, 6 inch O.S. Sheet 164 or 175, 1 inch O.S.



Barony of Duhallow. Parish of Kilbrin.

It lies about quarter of a mile south of Kilbrin R. C. church, and on west side of Castle Cor demesne.

Curragh is the Irish for "a moor" (O'Donovan).

See explanation of Cuirreach or Currach in Joyce's "Irish Names! Of Places," i., 463 (J. F. Lynch).

Professor W. Butler, in "The Divisions of South Munster under the Tudors," gives:- “MacDonough, besides his chief house at Kanturk, also had the Castle of Curragh.” (Journal for 1897, p. 235).

Smith (pub. 1750) writes:- At Curragh, a little to the north of Kanturk, was a castle of the MacCarthys, and near it a most excellent chalybeate water (i., 281).

Lewis (pub. 1837) adds that the modern mansion of Neptune Blood, Esq., was erected on the site of the castle (ii., 34).

In 1814 the Revd. D. O'Keeffe lived here. Kanturk was then the post town. (D.N. P.)

The Field Book of 1840 states:—"Curragh townland, 'a moor.' This townland is of considerable extent, nearly square. Contains two Danish forts, a couple of plantations, and a few scattered houses and a couple of streams. It is situated in the central part of parish of Kilbrin." (Ord.Sur. Off. Dub.)

Mr. Patrick Herlihy, national school, Ballygrady, adds:- “About the years 1822-24 a detachment of soldiers was stationed at Curragh to keep the Whiteboys in check. The field where they camped is still known as the 'Camp field.'"

A Lieutenant who served at Curragh was afterwards Sir Hugh Gough, who distinguished himself in India.

An auxiliary workhouse was built here during the famine years 1846-9. This building was of considerable size, and was, it would appear, well filled during the famine,. It was thrown down about the year 1860.

During the penal days mass was celebrated under a whitethorn bush in Curragh, called sgeac na g-creig. The bush has been destroyed, but the name still attaches to the field where it grew. Many of the old people were in the habit of praying when they passed this bush.

Curragh is rich in limestone; building stone of very good quality has been quarried here.

It is at present divided into two large farms, one of which is occupied by Mr. Daniel Nugent, J.P., and the other by Mr. ^Patrick Lynch.



Author:

Colonel James Grove White



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