Owengallees
Owengallees (from Irish Abhainn gallaois, meaning 'Rocky River') is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland.
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.
Owengallees was located in the ballybetagh of Bally Gortnekargie (Irish "Gort na Carraige", meaning 'The Field of the Rock').
[15] A synod of the Roman Catholic Provincial Council of Armagh was held in Owengallees on 25 May 1669 where the Bishop of Kilmore, Eugene Sweeney tried to depose Thomas Fitzsimons, the vicar general of the diocese.
[16] Fitzsimons wrote- I was excommunicated once by virtue of a censure unjustly opposed by the late bishop of Kilmore in that farce of a council in Owengalles.
[19] In a marriage settlement made 18 Oct 1718 with his wife Katherine (née Lowther), the said James Kirkwood settled the lands, including Owen Gally, on his children.
In the Templeport Poll Book of 1761 there was only one resident of Owengallees registered to vote in the 1761 Irish general election[20] - Louther Kirkwood, who lived in the townland and owned a freehold there.
To his grandnephew Lowther Brien, city of Dublin, attorney, and his heirs his lands of Awengallis, Ballylenan, Ballymagirill, Stranadarragh, Carnagimlie, Cullagh, Drumleden, Leitry [Leitra], Corlagh, Lananleragh [Lannanerriagh], Gowlanlea and Drumlogher, Co. Cavan, held under lease from the Beresford family.
Memorial witnessed by: said Andrew Rutledge, and John Balfour, city of Dublin, attorney.The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list thirty three tithepayers in the townland.
The commissioners having ordered a Sale of the Lands of Shanadaragh and Curnagunlogh, Cullegh, Drumlohgher, Drumledin, Sananaragh, and Drumledin, and Corlough, situate in the Barony of Tullyhaw, and County of Cavan, held under lease dated the 10th April, 1718, from the Bishop Raphoe, for lives renewable for ever, and which Lands are included in the denominations of Ballymagord, Owngally, Gortneglough, Drumedin or Ballylennin, in said lease mentioned: A deed dated 10 June 1875 now in the Cavan Archives Service (ref P017/0096) is described as- Notice issued by the Landed Estates Court, Ireland, to tenants and adjoining owners and occupiers, informing them of the sale of part of the lands of Owengallees (Owen Gallows otherwise Owen Galles otherwise Owen Gallils), barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, containing 397 acres, 2 roods and 16 perches, the property of Henry George l'Estrange.
In April 1859 a Report was prepared for Archbishop Beresford- "relative to a piece of land called Doonbeg in the Parish of Templeport, Barony of Tullyhaw and County of Cavan claimed by Mr L'Estrange as part of Owengallis".
