Ballymagauran (), historically known in English as Ballymagowran and also sometimes spelled Ballymacgovern or Ballymagovern, is a hamlet and townland in the west of County Cavan in Ireland. Townlands.ie: Ballymagauran Townland, Co. Cavan. https://www.townlands.ie/cavan/tullyhaw/templeport/ballymagauran/ballymagauran/ It lies on the border with County Leitrim, lying within both the civil parish of Templeport and the historical barony of Tullyhaw. Townlands.ie: Barony of Tullyhaw, Co. Cavan. https://www.townlands.ie/cavan/tullyhaw/ Ballymagauran is located at the southern end of the barony of Tullyhaw on the R205 road between Ballinamore and Ballyconnell.
Medieval history
In medieval times, the Mac Shamhráin (anglicised as McGovern or Magauran) Robert Bell, The Book of Ulster Surnames, p. 163. The Ulster Historical Foundation (U.H.F.), Belfast, 2021 (2022 reprint; originally published by The Blackstaff Press, Belfast, 1988). túath of Teallach Eachdhach (Tullyhaw), then part of West Bréifne in Connacht, was divided into economic taxation areas called ballibetoes, from the Irish Baile Biataigh (anglicised as 'Ballybetagh'), meaning 'A Provisioner's Town or Settlement' (Tullyhaw is now a barony in County Cavan). The original purpose of a ballybetagh was to enable the farmer, who controlled the baile, to provide hospitality for those who needed it, such as poor people and travellers. The ballybetagh was further divided into townlands farmed by individual families who paid a tribute or tax to the head of the ballybetagh, who in turn paid a similar tribute to the clan chief. The steward of the ballybetagh would have been the secular equivalent of the erenagh in charge of church lands. There were seven ballibetoes in the parish of Templeport. Ballymagauran was located in the ballybetagh named after it. The historical spellings of the ballybetagh are Ballymackgawran & Ballimacgawran (Irish = Baile Mhic Shamhráin = McGovern's Town or Magauran's Town).
After 1400 A.D., Ballymagauran became the chief seat of the Mac Shamhráin (McGovern or Magauran) clan, who were the lords of Teallach Eachdhach (Tullyhaw). Their previous seats were in Coologe and Killywillin. A medieval Duanaire or Poembook belonging to them is the oldest such surviving book in Ireland and describes various incidents at Ballymagauran. The Vikings may also have been in the area as the pommel of an inlaid Viking sword (Petersen Type H) dating from c. 900 A.D. has been excavated from a fort on the shore of Ballymagauran Lake.
The earliest surviving mention of the placename is in the Annals of the Four Masters under the year 1431 A.D., which states that Thomas, proceeded with a great host into Teallach Eachdhach, to take vengeance on the inhabitants for the death of his kinsman. He plundered, spoiled, and ravaged the territory, and slew many of the chiefs of it. He also burned Ballymagauran, and then he returned home in triumph.
In 1455, the Annals state that a war broke out between Philip, the son of Thomas Maguire, heir to the lordship of Fermanagh, and Magauran. Philip pitched his camp at Beann-Eachlabhra and Brian and Tuathal, Philip's sons, went forth with twelve horsemen and thirty-seven infantry, burned Magauran's town (Ballymagauran), and the greater part of his territory, and killed Melaghlin Duv Magauran and a great number of his people; after which he returned home triumphantly.
In 1459, the village was burnt down by Thomas Oge Maguire, after seizing the area. The Annals of the Four Masters state- The spoils of Magh Slecht were seized on by Maguire (Thomas Oge); and Ballymagauran was burned by him on this occasion.
It was burnt again on Tuesday 27 September 1485 by Turlough O'Reilly, son of John. On the following day Magauran with his kinsmen, went in pursuit of the army, and deprived them of sixteen men, who were killed or taken prisoners, and two hundred horses.
On 28 September 1498, Ballymagauran was raided by the Maguire clan.
The Annals of Ulster for 1498 state-
Philip, son of Toirdelbach, son of Philip Mag Uidhir, went on an inroad into Tellach-Eathach (Tullyhaw) and the sons of Edmond Mag Uidhir and the sons of Gilla-Padraig Mag Uidhir went with him thither and the country was traversed by them to Snam-na-neach. And the town of Mag Samradhain (Ballymagauran) was burned by them and they turned back and came not on cattle-spoils or chattels. And the worthies of the country overtook them on that retreat with a very large pursuing party and those nobles turned on the pursuing party and defeated them spiritedly, successfully then and slew three and twenty of the pursuing party in that rout, two sons of Aedh, son of Eogan Mag Samradhain, namely, Tadhg and Maghnus (that is, the cleric). And the other portion of them slain were of the Clann-Imair and of the Clan of Mac-in-taisigh and of the muster of Tellach-Eathach also. And there was slain also by the Fir-Manach in the heat of that rout Flaithbertach, son of Donn, son of Edmond Mag Uidhir. And on the vigil of Michaelmas precisely those deeds were done.
In 1512, the Annals of the Four Masters state- Philip, the son of Turlough Maguire and Thomas, son of Manus Magauran went to Teallach Eachdhach and killed Turlough. They then proceeded to the Crannog of Magauran and took Magauran prisoner, only to set him free and leave him behind as he had become sick, making transport inconvenient. The son of O'Reilly, Edmond Roe then came up with these men of Fermanagh, and with the son recte grandsons of Manus, defeated them, and slew Donough, the son of Redmond, son of Philip Maguire; Philip, the son of Owen, son of Donnell Ballagh Maguire; Hugh, the son of Owen, son of Turlough Maguire; Murtough Roe, son of Murrough; and James, the son of Magrath Maguire, besides many others; and many horses were taken from them on that day.
On 19 January 1586, Queen Elizabeth I of England granted a pardon to Thomas oge m'Brien m'Thomas Magawran, of Magawranstowne, for fighting against the Queen's forces.
17th century
Ballymagauran, along with the rest of Tullyhaw, was transferred from County Leitrim in Connacht to County Cavan in Ulster in the early seventeenth century. At the start of the Plantation of Ulster in 1609, the lands of the McGoverns were confiscated, but some were later regranted to them. The Manor of Ballymagauran was regranted to the chief of the clan, Feidhlimidh Mág Samhradháin (anglicised as Phelim Magauran, Phelim McGovern or Phelim Magawrane), on 29 April 1611. It seems that it was Feidhlimidh who had Ballymagauran 'Castle' constructed at this time, probably at the start of the Plantation of Ulster. Templeport Development Association - History: Ballymagauran Castle. https://www.templeport.ie/pages/ballymagauran-castle2.html His 'castle' was in reality a modest, stone-built fortified house. The modern townland of Killyran formed part of Ballymagauran until the 18th century. The name of the townland in which Ballymagauran village was situated was called Drumcorke or Drumhirk at that time and was only renamed as Ballymagauran in the Ordnance Survey of 1836. The grant to Felim McGovern included Dromcorcke, 1 poll. In a visitation by Lord Carew in autumn 1611 he states that Magauran had his own land given him on this division.
By 1613, Magauran had progressed with building work. Sir Josias Bodley reported on 6 February 1613-Proportion No. 31: 1,000 acres. Magauran is strongly seated, and near to his Irish house by a lough's side hath begun an English building of lime and stone of 40 feet long and 20 broad, not yet raised above the first story, but with this season intendeth to set it forward: There is round about it a trench and dike of earth and sod, which with little labour may be made of good strength, and that, it seemeth, by his beginning, he hath a purpose to do.
By 1619, Pynnar's Survey of Land Holders found that Magauran had built a castle on his holdings. A survey taken in August 1622 stated that- . An Inquisition ordered by King Charles I of England, held in Cavan Town on 4 October 1626, stated that the aforesaid Feidhlimidh Mág Samhradháin (Phelim Magawrane or Phelim Magauran) died on 20 January 1622 and his lands, including two polls of Dromcorck, went to his son, the McGovern chief Brian Magauran, who was aged 30 (born 1592) and married. Brian was married to Mary O'Brien and he died in 1631 leaving the estate to his son and heir Edward Magauran, who was born in 1616.
The 'castle' that Feidhlimidh Mág Samhradháin erected after 1611 was supposedly besieged and destroyed by Oliver Cromwell's army in 1649. After the Irish Rebellion, Ballymagauran was confiscated from the Magaurans and was distributed to the English settlers as follows.-
The 1652 Commonwealth Survey lists the townland as Dromcorchae and the proprietor as Ensigne Walter Reece. Sir William Petty's Down Survey map of 1659 shows the castle in the townland of Dromkirke with inscription "Stone house in repair".Trinity College Dublin: The Down Survey of Ireland. In the Hearth Money Rolls of 1663 there were only three houses in Templeport with two hearths, at- Lissanover, Munlough and Sruagh, indicating that the castle had been abandoned by that time.
In the Hearth Money Rolls compiled on 29 September 1663,The Hearth Money Rolls for the Baronies of Tullyhunco and Tullyhaw, County Cavan, edited by Rev. Francis J. McKiernan, in Breifne Journal. Vol. I, No. 3 (1960), pp. 247–263 there was one Hearth Tax payer in Ballimagowran – John Forman.
A grant dated 3 November 1666 was made by King Charles II of England to Sir Tristram Beresford, 1st Baronet, which included, inter alia, the lands of Ballymagowran alias Drumherk comprising 121 acres. On 11 September 1670, King Charles II created the 'Manor of Beresford' out of lands in Tullyhaw which Beresford acquired, including Ballymagowran alias Drumherke, at a rent of £0-6s–8d per annum for each fair & market held there. Beresford died on 15 January 1673 and was succeeded by his son, Sir Randal Beresford.
After 1700
Major Edward Magauran was born in Ballymagauran on 16 April 1746, the grandson of Colonel Bryan Magauran, the Chief of the Clan McGovern who fought at the Battle of the Boyne for King James II against King William III ('William of Orange'). In his autobiography he states: I was born in 1746 at the residence of the M'Gauran family, called from them Balli M’Gauran. It is a market town of some note, wherein four considerable fairs are annually held. During their prosperous days, a stately castle reared its head, adjoining to the town, and was the abode of the Barons, but it was dismantled by order of Oliver Cromwell, and now lies in ruins.
The ruined castle is described and pictured as 'Site No.1846, Tower House, Ballymagauran townland' in the Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan, where it is described as- Remains of rectangular building (int. dims. 9.5m E-W; 5.9m N-S) of rough, uncoursed limestone masonry. Plain splayed window in W end of S wall. Fireplace and chimney in E end of S wall. The structure was apparently two stories in height. Lying on the ground is half of the doorway arch. Dressed stone indicates a late 16th or early 17th-century date. Remains of a largely destroyed stone head at NW angle. Davies (1947a, 94-5) recorded that this 'although barbarously mutilated in recent years, looks from the grooves under the chin to have been a grotesque of a type not likely to have been made after 1600'. (Wilsdon 2010, 184–6)" and in "The Castles of County Cavan", page 94. An earthen ringfort in the townland may have been the previous residence before the castle was built (Site No. 243 in aforesaid Inventory book, where it is described as- Raised circular area (int. diam. 18.2m) enclosed by a very low earthen bank and vague traces of a fosse identifiable only from SW-W-N. An earlier report (OPW 1969) suggested that the original entrance may have been at SSE).