Derrycassan

[1] In medieval times the McGovern barony of Tullyhaw was divided into economic taxation areas called ballibetoes, from the Irish Baile Biataigh (Anglicized as 'Ballybetagh'), meaning 'A Provisioner's Town or Settlement'.

The original purpose was to enable the farmer, who controlled the baile, to provide hospitality for those who needed it, such as poor people and travellers.

The historical spellings of the ballybetagh are Ballymackgawran & Ballimacgawran (Irish = Baile Mhic Shamhráin = McGovern's Town).

A Roman poem from 91 A.D., the Thebaid by Publius Papinius Statius was translated into Irish as Togail na Tebe.

a Doire Casain & a tigh mic Briain Tellaigh-Echach dos-cribad in cuid ele de .i.

Feilimid mac Tomais meic Fergail meic Tomais údh tigerna a Tellach Echach re linn in lebairsia do sgribad & ar iniss Eocinain docrichnuighedh e i nDardain re feil Catrina) And G is the Dominical Letter in that year and S the Golden Number.

This is confirmed in a visitation by George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes in autumn 1611 when he states that Magauran had his own land given him on this division.

[15] An Inquisition of King Charles I of England held in Cavan town on 4 October 1626 stated that the aforesaid Phelim Magawrane died on 20 January 1622 and his lands including two polls of Derricassan went to his son, the McGovern chief Brian Magauran who was aged 30 (born 1592) and married.

[16] The McGovern lands in Derrycassan were confiscated in the Cromwellian Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652 and were distributed as follows- The 1652 Commonwealth Survey lists the proprietor as John King & others.

A grant dated 1667 from King Charles II to James Thornton included 191 acres and two roods in Derrycassan.

[18] A grant dated 7 July 1669 from King Charles II to John, Lord Viscount Massareene included five acres in Derrychashen.

[3] Archived 15 November 2017 at the Wayback Machine The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list one hundred and forty five tithepayers in the townland.