In medieval times, the Mac Shamhráin (anglicised as McGovern or Magauran)[4] 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[3]).
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.
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).
A medieval Duanaire or Poembook belonging to them is the oldest such surviving book in Ireland and describes various incidents at Ballymagauran.
[7] 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.
[8] 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.
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.
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.
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.
[15][16] A survey taken in August 1622 stated that- Brian Magauran hath 1,000 acres in which is a bawn of sodds and within it a stone howse thatched, with chymneys and a part of it lofted.
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.
[17] 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.
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".
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.
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'.
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).
By deed dated 19 October 1749, Frederick Lawder of Ballymagauran sold his leasehold estate of six poles of the lands of Ballymagauran and a half pole in Derryragh (which he held on lease from the 1st Earl of Tyrone (by the third creation)) to Randal Slack, of Dublin and Lakefield, County Leitrim, gentleman, for the sum of £504-3s–3d.
A deed dated 27 October 1750, now in the Cavan Archives Service (ref P017/0014), is described as- Document which relates to the division of the lands of Ballymagauran between Randal Slack and Arthur Ellis.
The four election candidates were: Charles Coote (who later succeeded, in 1766, as the 5th Baron Coote and who was later created, in 1767, the 1st Earl of Bellomont (by the third creation)) and Lord Newtown-Butler (who later succeeded as the 2nd Earl of Lanesborough), both of whom were then elected to the Irish Parliament as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Cavan County.
[30] In the book Alwyn: or the gentleman comedian written in 1780 by Thomas Holcroft, a character therein states- You know I had £500 left me by my old aunt Phabe Tullaghan of Ballimagowran in the county of Cavan, and the province of Ulster, about two years before her death.
[31] In the Fermanagh Poll of Electors 1788, there was one Ballymagauran resident, Edward Ellis, who was entitled to vote as he owned land in Drumreask townland in Inishmacsaint parish.
[35] The Newry Magazine for 1816 reported that- Some time ago, a young man, we lament to state, was killed, leaving the town of Ballymagaurin, in the county of Cavan.
During the day some persons had manifested a disposition to violence and riot, and a desperate quarrel ensued, in which, however, the unfortunate victim, we learn, took no part or concern.
Brooke's freehold was in Killyran and his landlord was Lord John Beresford, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh.
[37] The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list the following tithepayers in the townland- Alexton, Stocks, Brookes, Dermott, Donachy, Hunnan, McGauran, Reynolds, Whelan, Collins, Roycroft, Costello.
[41] The Ordnance Survey Namebooks for 1836 state- The small village of Ballymaguaran is situated near the centre of the townland...also the ruins of an old building said to have been a distillery.
[42][43][44][45] In 1840, Samuel Lewis described it as Ballymagauran, a village, in the parish of TEMPLEPORT, barony of TALLAGHAGH, county of CAVAN, and province of ULSTER, 4 miles (N. E.) from Ballinamore, on the road to Killesandra; containing 20 houses and 89 inhabitants.
[57] The Second Report from the Commissioners of Irish Education Inquiry dated 1826 stated that James Lynch, a Catholic, was the headmaster of the pay school, charging a fee of £5 per annum.