Caherlea, Lissarulla and Gortaleva townland minor placenames

The minor placenames of the townlands of Caherlea, Lissarulla and Gortaleva, Claregalway, Co. Galway

The townlands of Caherlea, Lissarulla and Gortatleva are located to the southeast of the parish of Claregalway and cover an area of approximately 336, 365 and 147 acres respectively. They are bounded to the south by Carnmore, to the west by Lydacan and to the north by the River Clare. To the east, Lisheenavalla and Islandmore/Grange are part of the parish of Lackagh.

The landscape in generally low-lying to the north, sloping downward to the River Clare. As with nearly every part of Claregalway, changes in elevation are modest. At the time of the Ordnance Survey in 1838, Gortatleva is recorded as Gort a t-sléibhe meaning ‘Field of the hill/mountain’. It is true, that when viewed from the north, the lands of Gortacleva rise noticeably from the River Clare, but the change in elevation over this 1km distance is a little under 10m, from the bank of the river to the highest point in the townland of Gortatleva.

Early maps show the influence of floodplains on settlement, that much of the lands to the north were liable to flooding, and that the fields were largely open with little subdivision. Only an unfenced trackway/bóithrín allowed access to the village of Caherlea which then comprised a collection of just 13 buildings at the edge of the winter flooding from the Clare River. The village of Gortatleva comprised approximately 32 buildings with small associated plots located outside and to the north of the Lydacan House Demesne which was in turn, located on the higher ground to the south.

At the time of the Ordnance Survey in the 1830s, Caherlea was recorded as Cathair Liath meaning ‘The Grey Fort’ and as being:

‘the property of Mr. Lynch, Galway. All under tillage. Its north and west sides are subject to Winter floods. It contains a village of houses in its centre. There was once a fort in it but no trace of it remains now.’ In the same source Gortatleva was recorded as ‘the property of Mr. Lynch, Galway, it is all under tillage. Part of its north and southeast sides are subject to Winter floods… …and it contains a large village of houses near its southwest angle’

The townland of Lissarulla contains two small villages with placenames in their own right: Ballinacregg and Ballymurphy. Both of these villages are marked on the First Edition Ordnance Survey sheet, along with the nearby castle. The Lios (ringfort) from which Lissarulla derives its name may well have been located in the adjacent townland of Lydacan, with the border between Lydacan and Lissarulla being possibly relatively modern and associated with the establishment of the Lydacan Estate. The Lios was photographed by The Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photography (CUCAP) on the 10th of July 1969, prior to land clearance in the area. The name Lissarulla (Lios Arúla) is one of the older placenames in the parish, with documented references dating from 1285 onwards. Lios is derived from fort and arúla is generally taken to meaning fertile, perhaps referring to the quality of the land in the area. Writing to John O’Donovan in the Ordnance Survey Letter of 1838, Thomas O’Connor had the following observation about the peculiar placename:

‘Lysserille is now called in Irish, Lios an Bhla, which should, according to the sound, be Anglicised Liss arivla, and which is written Liss-arule, Liss-arully, and Lissarulla, in the name book, taken from several (different) authorities. It is a townland in the parish of Clare-Galway, in which there is, it is said, a small fragment of a Castle still remaining.’

Lissarulla from the air – The Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photography (CUCAP)

Our work in the townlands during 2021 identified 29 minor placenames known within the locality. These are marked on the map below and included in tabulated format. These placenames were collected by Marie Dempsey from PJ Kerrigan and Tommy Walsh. The placenames collected refer to distinctive field types and crops, wells, villages, bótharíns and other elements of the vernacular landscape including our only recorded instance of a síbín in the parish – well in this survey at least!

Noteworthy too, is the identification of a possible Fulacht Fia which was recognised by PJ Kerrigan as a place in the bog where coals were often found (The Coals). Fulacht Fia is the name given to burnt mounds, typically dating from the Bronze Age. Most surviving examples consist of a low horseshoe-shaped mound of charcoal-enriched soil and heat-shattered stone, with a cooking pit located in a slight depression at its centre. They are usually found close to water sources, such as springs, rivers and streams or waterlogged ground like the lands around Caherlea.

There is also a reference to the location of a Púirín – a feature which is also known as a sheep-creep. A Púirín is a low opening in the wall at ground level with a lintel across the top. Because drystone walls must be pierced by openings to allow for movement of livestock, Púiríní were practical and common place. They allowed sheep and other smaller animals to move from field to field while keeping larger livestock such as cows and horses in a specific area. Depending on where you’re from, you may know this feature as a Púitín rather than a Púirín.

This work is on-going. If you know of any other minor placenames in the parish of Claregalway that may be of interest, and you would like to contribute to our survey, please do get in touch.