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From: <>
Subject: Fwd: Irish land divisions
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 15:58:07 -0400 (EDT)

I think this could be helpful for those who are working with Irish records,
and those who will.

Pat
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Forwarded message:
From: (Dan Wilson)
To: (Jack Sterling)
CC: (Scots-Irish)
Date: 97-09-19 15:33:52 EDT

On Thu, 18 Sep 1997, Jack Sterling wrote:

Jack,

I couldn't find my original posting, but here's a quick summary from
PARISH MAPS OF IRELAND by Brian Mitchell, Closson Press, Apollo, PA, 1988.

PROVINCE - the largest division in Ireland; there 4 of them: ULSTER,
MUNSTER; LEINSTER; CONNAUGHT. These reflect the ancient Irish
kingdoms.

BARONY - Now an obsolete division but in the 19th cent. was widely used.
There were 331 baronies and they tended to reflect holdings of
major Irish clans.

COUNTY - reflects the imposition of the English system of local gov't in
Ireland. Begun in 12th cent.; 32 counties total; completed in 1606
with the creation of Co. Wicklow.

POOR LAW UNION - established in 1838 under the Poor Relief Act; set up
districts within which the tax payers had to support the poor in
their districts. Boundaries ignore boundaries of counties and
other civil districts. There were by 1850, 163 Unions. The Local
Gov't Act of 1898 adopted these as the basic administrative
division in place of the civil parish and barony.

CIVIL PARISH - from the 17th cent. based on early monastic and church
settlements; by 1841 the population had risen to 8,175,124 and
there were changes in parish boundaries. This may be when FORMOYLE
was created. There were 2428 civil parishes in Ireland and these
frequently broke both barony and county boundaries. It was the
major administrative division until 1898.

DIOCESE - This is a church division, established in 1101-1152. There are 4
of them: Armagh, Dublin, Cashel and Tuam. Each is headed by an
archbishop to whom 22 bishops reported each incharge of a diocese.

PROBATE DISTRICT - est. in 1858; a principal registry and 11 district
registries were created for proving wills and granting
administrations. The boundaries were either baronies or counties.

TOWNLAND - the smallest and most ancient land division; usually named for
some prominent land feature. Co. Derry has 1247 townlands grouped
into 46 civil parishes.

Dan
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Daniel Wilson, Ph.D.
Arizona State Univ.

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