The Townland of Ballymacallion in the Parish of Dungiven

The townland of Ballymacallion is situated about four miles north of the town of Dungiven on the road to Garvagh and Ringsend [see map of the locality]. Ballymacallion was part of the civil parish of Dungiven in the barony of Keenaght. Later it was part of the District Electoral Division of Gelvin  in the Poor Law Union of Newtownlimavady.

The figures in the table below [compiled from the official census] show how the number of people and [inhabited houses] changed during the period 1831 to 1901.
 

The most striking feature in the table is the fact that in 1901 the numbers of people and houses in Ballymacallion were a quarter of the numbers in 1831. This decline had begun even before the Famine. Between 1831 and 1841 the population fell by 22%. During the Famine decade of 1841/51 it fell a further 12%. Between 1851 and 1901 the population declined a further 66%, producing an overall decline of 77% between 1831 and 1901. The population decline in the first half of the nineteenth century was mainly the result of emigration of farming families who had probably sub-divided their farms to excess. The decline in the later part of the nineteenth century was also the result of emigration of both farmers and cottiers resulting from the consolidation of farms.

The table below shows the religious breakdown of the population in the townland in the early nineteenth century, calculated from the 1831 Census Returns.
 

The 1831 Census Returns also list the names of the 35 householders and two other families that appear to be homeless. The religious breakdown of the population is interesting when compared with the later 1901 Census Returns. The Tithe Applotment Book of 1834 gives the names of the main landholders in the townland - 22 names were listed. You might want to compare these names and properties with those in the 1831 Census Returns and the 1858 Griffith's Printed [Tenement] Valuation and see how many you can match up.

The 1858 Griffith's Printed [Tenement] Valuation shows that this was a townland of farms ranging in size from c.12 acres to over a 100 acres - the largest being that of Dorrington Boyle. The reason for the larger farms is the fact that much of the eastern part of the townland is upland. The townland is close to Benbradagh, a well-known landmark in the area. The 1832 Townland Valuation lists 5 houses that were considered for valuation. However, no further details are available on the dimensions, age and condition of these houses. Their location is shown on the accompanying valuation map.

The Griffith's Revision Books will show you the changes in each holding and help you to link the names and properties in the 1858 Griffith's Printed [Tenement] Valuation with those in the 1901 Census Returns. The table below shows the number of people and houses in the townland in 1901 and the religious breakdown of the population.

Apart from the sharp reduction in the number of families and houses, the major difference between 1831 and 1901 is the complete turnaround in the percentage of the Roman Catholic and Presbyterian populations. The Roman Catholic families who had been a third of the population in 1831 were now two thirds in 1901. This appears to have been the result of a number of Presbyterian farming families moving out of the townland in the second half of the nineteenth century. I have not investigated where they went or why they left.

Families

In this particular townland I have chosen the Mullan family for more detailed study. This family, along with the McCloskey, Doherty and Boyle families of 1859, still live in the townland today. Names such as Morrow, McKeever, Oliver, McLoughlin and Irwin, present in 1859, have gone from the townland, although some of these names can still be found in the wider area.

Copyright 2018 W. Macafee.