Nineteenth Century, Kilcavan, Co. Wicklow        

By Joseph A. Kenny, (A Kilcavan Historian)

Omaha NE- Article Updated 2011

 Over the centuries, the land of Kilcavan attracted people from all around because of its rolling hills, fertile soil, and a slate quarry. The original origin of Kilcavan was first noted shortly after County Wicklow was established in1606.  In 1608, the first mention of Killkavane was made.  Other notes of this townland were referred in 1636 as Kilkevine, in 1655 as Bearnkilkeavan, 1660 as Killcavan, 1668 Kilcavin, in 1760 as Killkevin.        Bearnkilkeavan is a place now called Kilcavan Gap.[1]

 In the nineteenth century the area was in the control of Lord Fitzwilliam and was originally leased to only Protestants.  Immediately below, is the description that was given in 1728-33;

 1- Mr. WATERHOUSE HOLDINGS  447 acres

On this land is a large stoned walled slated house and out houses with orchard and garden and nursery of fine young ash not yet planted out & some enclosures & plantations in the hedges.  A slate quarry of use to the estate.  [2]

  2- Mr. WRIGHTS HOLDING 138 acres

On Wrights part, a clay & stone walled slated house, small orchard, some young trees in the garden not yet planted out & some few about the house.

On the old maps that were viewed dating back to 1728, this whole area that is mentioned above, is referred to as Kilcavan and on these holdings, before 1790, lived Nicholas Kempston and William Hume.  Before the 1778 Gardiner Act,[3] the Protestant landlords were given leases but the Catholics were still refused leases under the Penal Laws that lasted from WILLIAM of ORANGE.    So, when Kempston and Hume died prior to 1808, this was a good thing for the Catholics that were in this area because it gave them a chance to get a lease from the Fitzwilliam holdings in Kilcavan.

On the road between the town of Carnew and Kilcavan Gap, lies an old field with many granite stones. This land in Kilcavan Upper is privately owned today, but here, once was the site of the Ancient Kilcavan Church.  Very little is known of this church, but it is believed to be a circular shaped church (according to the 1838 Ordinance Survey map), and also was believed to be the local cemetery.  Present day, will show many granite stones scattered in the field, some very much resembling grave stones, other probably church building material.  In the hedge, (fence row) one can still find an old “hand hewed” cross made of stone, lost and hidden in ramble weeds. I was fortunate to be the one who re-found this lost cross in 2007.[4]  See more @ www.kennytree.com  (Family Churches)

 It is believed that the Ancient Kilcavan Church was named after the Saint Cill Chaoimhgin, who found the monastery of Airdne Coemain, now, Ardcavan, County Wexford, in 549-9 which presently has remains of eight different religious building, in Ardcavan.  Supposable, Cill Chaoimhgin is the same priest named Caeman of Dairinis which Saint Finnian of Clonard, visited before he went to Aghowle.  So the connection with Saint Finnian makes it probable that Cill Chaoimhgin is the correct form of this name, which translates in the Gaelic language to Kilcavan. [5]

Less than a kilometer away, the Slate Quarries of Kilcavan provided many labor jobs and was a work place for many of the inhabitants of this area. This slate was imported, also used locally and throughout Ireland.

The Kilcavan Slate quarry was in operation from around 1800 to 1941 when it officially closed, but according to other reports, the quarries we producing slate as far back as 1728.

Slate was used for many types of building materials and also produced a byproduct called "Inner Tight", which was a fine powder rock used as a base for battleship paint, which was shipped to England. [6] This quarry produced a black/dark grey slate.  In these days, builders were increasingly using slate for roofing material.

The quarry attracted many people to this part of County Wicklow and provided steady work during the times of famine.

The gentle rolling hills made Kilcavan perfect for agriculture, tilling, grazing and farming in the nineteenth century and even today, in the twenty first century.  The climate brings year round crops and today the dairy farms produce the highest quality products.  

In the Hearth Money Roll for County Wicklow dated 1669 [7] we can see many Irish families had residence in the surrounding area, possibly hundreds of years before they finally got their own leases, so prior to the Luke Gardiner’s Act, the Protestant Head Tenants in the Fitzwilliam Estate sub-divided their holdings into plots amongst thousands of Irish Catholics.  In other words, neither the Catholics nor Protestants owned the land but this was a way they were able to get around the Penal Laws.[8]  

One of the families already in this area before 1740 were the Kennys.   They were one of the fortunate Catholic families to get a lease in 1808 and lived in a section of Kilcavan that became known as Kennystown, which was immediately on the Wexford border.  The earliest reference to the name “Kennystown” was seen in 1808 and the earliest Kenny name recorded in manuscripts dated between 1733-48 was Mogue (Moses) Kenny with his family.  Then later in 1808, James Kenny with his family received an actual lease.  

 During the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century other Irish Catholics settled into this area;

 In 1827 it showed the following people on these plots in Kilcavan and Kennystown:

 PLOT ONE: [9]

BARTHOLOMEW KENNY aged 49 in 1827 with his wife Nancy Farrell  aged 42  with 3 sons and 4 daughters with them in 1827.  He was a farmer in 1827 on 19 acres 1 rod .  He was called a Quarryman in 1839.

PATRICK MULLERY  age 29 with wife aged 27, 3 daughters , Labourer

ELIZABETH KENNY  (Widow) age 59 years, on 2 rods.

JOHN KENNY  age 46 Years, Labourer .

JAMES CARNEY, age 26 with wife age 40, 1 son, 3 daughters, Labourer.

PLOT TWO : [10]

JAMES KENNY age, bef.1745- and died bef.1827

BARTHOLOMEW KENNY aged 60 and his wife Anne Breen, aged 57,  on 34 acres, 10 Perch with 3 sons and 3 daughters.  He was called a Mason.

RICHARD KENNY aged 32 with his wife Mary Cahill, aged 20. On 11 acres.  A labourer and farmer.

THOMAS KENNY aged 58 and his wife aged 60, on 11 acres. They had 2 daughters with them in 1827. He was a farmer.

PHILIP KENNY aged 24 and his wife Ellen aged 22. They had 4 acres and 2 daughters lived with them in 1839. He was a LABOURER.

In 1839 PHILIP KENNY aged 34 and his wife Ellen aged 32 lived here on 5 acres 3 rod with THOMAS BALF aged 36 and his wife Sarah Kenny aged 28 on 11 acres 2 rod living beside him. They had 3 daughters with them in 1839 and he was called a LABOURER.

JAMES DOYLE age 36 with wife age 40, Labourer on 3 Acres 1 Rod

PLOT THREE [11]

EDWARD KAVANGH AND JAMES MURPHY 26 acres 1 Rod , 22 Perch

EDWARD KAVANAGH age 50 with wife age 40, 4 sons, 3 daughters, on 12 acres 3 rods 10 perch.

MARGARET KAVANAGH AGED 80

BARTHOLOMEW KENNY ON 13 acres 12 perch, Farmer  "DOES NOT RESIDE IN THIS, ADJOINS"

PLOT  FOUR : [12]

PHILIP KENNY,  son of Philip Sr.   (Lease taken over before 1827 by Edw .Balfe) 50 Acres

WIDOW KENNY aged 57 on 1 acre, with one daughter with her in 1827

EDWARD BALF age 54 with wife age 52, on 37 acres, 2 sons, Farmer.

MICHAEL HANDRICK age 36 with wife Margo Balfe age 30,  on 12 acres, 3 daughters, Brogue maker (boot maker)

MARY BALF WIDOW, 50 years, 3 sons, 3 daughters.

JAMES SUMMERS, age 35 with wife age 27, labourer.

.

PLOT FIVE  [13]

PATRICK KENNY but taken over before 1827 by WILKINS?  13 Acres 1 rod  39 perch.

Also in Kennystown on other plots were:

JOHN LEE,- WIDOW BYRNE,- MAURICE DALTON,- HUGH BYRNE,-

GARRETT BYRNE,- WIDOW BOLGER,- DENIS KAVANGH, - MATHEW HUNT,

all with families. [14]

When the Leases were granted in 1808 to those in Kilcavan, the lease was always constructed as follows:  ( I filled in the spaces in lower case)

[15]  INDENTURE BETWEEN THE RIGHT HONORABLE WILLIAM WENTWORTH EARL OF FITZWILLIAM AND RIGHT HONORABLE CHARLES WILLIAM WENTWORTH FITZWILLIAM COMMONLY CALLED VISCOUNT MILTON THE SON AND HEIR OF THE SAID EARL OF THE FIRST PART AND ....i.e...Land Owner............WHEREBY THE SAID EARL AND VISCOUNT MILTON APPOINTS DEMISES AND GRANTS UNTO SAID...i.e....... ALL THAT DWELLING HOUSE TENEMENTS AND ALSO ALL THOSE SEVERAL CLOSES ENCLOSURES OR PARCELS OF ENCLOSED LAND ARABLE MEADOW AND PASTURE GROUND THERETO BELONGING PART OF THE LANDS OF ...i.e...Part of Kilcavan................... CONTAINING WITH THE SOIL UNDERNEATH THE BUILDINGS ACCORDING TO A SURVEYED AD MEASUREMENT THEREOF LATELY MADE BY MR. CALEB BROOKSB AND... ... i.e...Bartholomew Kenny...........( BE THE SAME MORE OR LESS) WHICH SAID PREMISES WERE ( AMONGST OTHER TENEMENTS) LATE IN LEASE TO.. Nicholas Kimpson and William Hume, both deceased............... AND SINCE TO ....Bartholomew Kenny............ AND ARE NOW IN THE POSSESSION TENURE HOLDING OR OCCUPATION OF SAID ...i.e  34 acres 1 Rod and 10 Perches................ TOGETHER ETC . TO HOLD FROM ....i.e March 3, 1827............... FOR AND DURING THE NATURAL LIFE OF ......usually the youngest child. (Thomas Kenny).............. FOR 21 YEARS TO RUN THEREWITH AT AND UNDER THE NON-RESIDENCE RENT OR SUM OF  …..…i.e . £1.05.... and #.....i.e. 10 ....TO PLANT ..i.e 100...... FOREST AND ......i.e 20......... APPLE TREES. LIBERTY TO COPICE .....i.e 3 acres.........[16]

 Here is a list of married couples that had children in Kennystown and Kilcavan between the years 1832 and 1855. [17]

 Date of Baptism - Surname - Father - Maiden  - Mother - Place