Borrisokane, Roscrea - Book of County Tipperary, 1889
About “The Book of County Tipperary,” 1889
George Henry Bassett produced 7 Irish county directories in the 1880s: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wexford. Each provides useful history of the respective counties as well as lists of office holders, farmers, traders, and other residents of the individual cities, towns and villages.
The directories are naturally an invaluable resource for those tracing family history. The Book of County Tipperary is the first of these to be made available on libraryireland.com, with its own search page. However, there are a few points to bear in mind.
- This online version is designed primarily as a genealogical research tool and therefore the numerous advertisements in the original book, many full page, and quite a few illustrated, have been excluded.
- The text has been proofed with due care, but with large bodies of text typographical errors are inevitably bound to occur.
- Be aware that there were often inconsistencies in spelling surnames in the 19th century and also that many forenames are abbreviated in Bassett’s directories.
With respect to the last point, surnames which today begin with the “Mc” prefix, for example, were often formerly spelt as “M‘,”. For a list of some of the more common forename abbreviations used in the directory, see Forename Abbreviations.
To enjoy the rich variety of advertisements, confirm accuracy of the entries, or have a printed record of a family member, obtain an original or facsimile copy of The Book of County Tipperary.
Population 693 in 1881.
Borrisokane, in the parish of same name, barony of Lower Ormond, is 12 miles, Irish, west by north, from Roscrea, 8 miles north by east from Nenagh, and 5 miles north-west of Cloughjordan, the nearest railway station. The town occupies a slightly elevated position, is well built, has one broad principal street, and several good-looking business houses. It is the head of a Poor Law Union and the centre of a district devoted largely to tillage. The land is light, but having a limestone basis, is good in moist weather. Barley, oats and potatoes are the chief crops. Nearly all the farmers devote special attention to the breeding and raising of sheep. A good market for fowl and eggs, toll-free, is held every Tuesday in the season.
Down to twenty-five years ago a first-rate corn market was held. It was particularly good for wheat, while the milling trade continued to prosper in Lower Ormond. A list of the fairs held here is given at the back of the book. With the exception of that held in February, all are good, and the new fairs are toll-free. Mr. David Clarke, landlord, owns the toll rights.
The town has suffered very much from a lack of railway communication. In 1884 an effort was made to procure a baronial guarantee for a line between Cloughjordan and Portumna, taking in Borrisokane. By a majority of one the Grand Jury decided against it. A movement was set on foot this year, 1889, to bring the matter again to the front.
The Protestant parish church is a plain edifice with high pinnacled tower. It was built in 1812 in the ancient church-yard of the parish, used for burials by all denominations. The tablets in the interior tell something of the family history of the Stoneys. “Thomas Stoney, born in Yorkshire, 1677, married Sarah Robinson of Knockshigowna. Died, 1726.” “Geo. Stoney, Craffort,born 1713, married Elisabeth Johnston of Emell Castle. Died 1787.” “Thomas Stoney, Arranhill, Deputy Governor of the County Tipperary, 2nd son of said George, born 1748, married Ruth Falkiner of Mt. Falcon. Died 1826.” “George Robert Stoney, 1808.”
The Catholic church is a spacious cruciform edifice of cut limestone, standing in handsomely enclosed grounds, a feature of which is a large stone cross, erected to impress the lesson of the Crucifixion. The high altar, of Caen stone, supported by marble pillars with a representation in relief of the Last Supper, commemorates the Rev. Peter Nolan, P.P., 1877. The church was built about fifty years ago.
The Methodist church faces the Main-street. It was built less than twenty years ago upon the site of a smaller structure of the same denomination. The chief feature in view is a cut limestone gable.
Remains of earthen fortifications, attributed to the Danes, are numerous throughout the district. The ruin of the ancient castle of Tombrickane is in the parish. A portion fell about fifteen years ago. Lord Ormonde owns the estate upon which it is situated, but the castle itself is said to have been built by the Kennedy family. In the adjoining parish of Finnoe, the square castle of Ballyfinboy, is in fair preservation. In the parish of Uskane, also in the neighborhood of Borrisokane, there are ruins of an ancient castle, occupied at one time by the Sadleir family.
Bank, Munster and Leinster, every Wednesday from Nenagh
Bakers: Miss K. Corbett, Ptk. Hoctor, Mrs. Mt. Moloney
Boots: Miss. M. A. McGoldrick
Catholic Ch.: Rev. Thomas Phelan, P.P.; Rev. Jno. Nolan, C.C.; Rev. Wm. Bourke, C.C.
Church of Id.: Rev. Sl. Hyde
Church, Methodist: Rev. W. F. Clayton
Clerk, Estate: Jno. Exshaw, agt
Dispensary: Dr. Jas. C. Daly
Drapers: Miss E. Acres, Mrs. S. Egan, Mrs. E. J. Gaynor, Meara & Co., Timothy Ryan, Mrs. T. Slattery, Jh. Slevin, Miss Honora M. Wall
Emigration Agents: Hh. Delaney, Jos. Slattery, P. Wall
Grocers, marked thus [*] sell spirits; thus [†] hardware; thus [‡] seeds; thus [‖] coal; thus [t] timber; thus [d] drugs: Mrs. K. Birmingham*, Dl. J. Cleary*, Jno. Cleary*, Ptk. Cleary*†, Mrs. My. A. Cramptond, Dl. D’Arcy*, Hugh Delaney†‡‖, Mrs. M. Dunne*, Mrs. S. Egan, Martin Foley*, Mrs. E. J. Gaynor†‡‖td, Ptk. Hackett*, James Hamilton†‡t, Timothy Heenan*‡, Dl. Hogan*, Dl. Hough*, Ml. Kelly*, Walter F. Kent†‡‖td, Mrs. Mt. Lambe*, Ml. McKenna*, Sl. Russell, Mrs. H. M. Stephens*, Miss Mary White†
Hotel: Mrs. Maria Dunne
Loan Fund: Jos. Slattery, M.C. Miller: Thos. Humphries
News Agents: Hugh Delaney, Mrs. E. J. Gaynor, Mrs. Mt. Moloney
Petty Sessions, fortnightly on Wednesday: Jos. Slattery, clerk
Post M.: Hugh Delaney
R.I.C.: Hugh Davis, D.I.; Jas. Sweeny, H.C.
Schools, Nl.: Jno. D. Conway, male; Convent of Mercy, female; mixed, Miss Lousia Oakley
Spirit retailers, see also Grocers: Thos. Hensey, Jno. Kelly
Union.
James A. Ralph, clerk; Edward Tierney, master; Miss Nora Moloney, matron; Hy. A. Sampson, med. officer; Rev. Thos. Phelan, P.P., Catholic chaplain; Rev. Sl. Hyde, C.I. do
Elected Guardians—D. Meara, Kilcommon, Borrisokane; Philip Kenna, Ballyluskey, do.; Markham Smith, Ballymona Cottage, Shinrone; Dl. Darcy, Borrisokane; Hugh Delaney, do.; Rd. Coughlan, Loughawn, Cloughjordan; Wm. Hodgins, do.; Sl. Cleburne, Springmount, Borrisokane; Jno. Brereton, Oldcourt, do.; Ml. Toohey, Annagh-Puckane, Nenagh; Geo. Brereton, Kilregane, Lorrha, Roscrea; Jno. Hobbs, Rathmore House, Borrisokane; Wm. J. Russell, Ballinderry park, do.; James Cahalan, Cloonmihy, do.; Darius Reddan, Drumminahane, do.; Patk. Cleary, Carrigagown, Coolbawn
Ex-Officio Guardians—For addresses not given here see Magistrates in County Directory—Major Wm. T. Bruce, Edm. Doolan, Jno. D. Dwyer, Jas. Esmonde, Rd. H. Falkiner, Jno. R. Headech, Lieut.-Col. Jas. F. Hickie, W. B. T. Holmes, Edw. Kennedy, Falkiner J. Minchin, Jno. O’Meara, Capt., E. H. Saunders, Captain Henry Sheppard, Thos. B. Stoney, Capt. the Hon. C. G. Trench, William Waller
Rd. Hy. Falkiner, Chairman; Edward Kennedy, V.C.; Philip Kenna, D.V.C.
Board meets every Monday
Victuallers: Geo. Chadwick, Nl. Chadwick, Ptk. Nolan
FARMERS AND RESIDENTS.
Armitage, John, Riverview
Biddulph, Rev. Wm., Congor Ho
Brennan, James, Ballyrourke
Brennan, Patrick, Clarkhill
Brereton, John, Oldcourt
Burgess, Geo., Finnoe Ho
Cahalan, James, Clooninihy
Cahalan, Michael, Rodeen
Carroll, Wm, Cappansmear
Cashen, James, Ballycormack
Clarke, Dd. (J.P.), Bushy Park
Cleary, Jos., Kildarby
Cleary, Ml., Greenlane
Cleary, Patrick, Kildarby
Cleary, Thomas, Ballyrourke
Colnan, Thomas, Gortnahulla
Costelloe, Michael, Kyle
Costelloe, Thos., Clooninihy
Costelloe, Wm., Ormond Cottage
Dagg, James, Cappanasmear
Donahue, Ml., Coorevan House
Donohoe, John, Cloneska
Doolan, James, Garrybaun
Dooly, Nicholas, Eglish
Doorly, Denis, Uskane
Dwan, Henry, Driminure
Esmonde, James (J.P.), Drominagh
Exshaw, John, Ballyhaden
Falkiner, R.H. (J.P.), Mountfalcon
Falkiner, Miss, The Terrace
Fitzpatrick, Ml., Cloughleigh
Flannery, Dl., Crossanagh
Fortune, David, Kyle
Gaily, Andrew, Bellpark
Galbrith, James, Ballylina
Gaynor, Patrick, Ballyluskey
Grey, Thos. R., Greyfort House
Guest, John, Springpark
Hackett, James, Clarkhill
Heenan, Anthony, B’kane
Heenan, Martin, Lismacrory
Heenan, Michael, Munlusk
Heenan, Patrick, Firpark
Hoctor, Thomas, Drum
Hogan, Edward, Munlusk
Hogan, Michael, Prospect W
Ireland, De C. P., Merton Hall
Keevy, John, Bellgrove
Kennedy, Denis, Lisduff
Kennedy, James. Coorevan
Kennedy, Matthew, Lisduff
Kennedy, William, Crotta
Leenane, William, Newlawn
Martin, Rev. Jas., Finnoe Glebe
Meara, Denis, Kilcommon
Meara, Hugh, Cappanasmear
Meara, James, Ballycormack
Meara, John, Coorevan
Meara, Pat., Greyfort
Meara, Thomas, Munlusk
Minchin, Falkner, J. (J.P.), K’biller
Moran, John, Courthill
Nolan, Patrick, Tombrickane
Quinlan, Daniel, Feigh
Raymond, Mrs. M., B’kane
Reddan, Darius, Crotta
Reddan, D., Drumnamahane
Reddan, Patrick, Lisheen
Reeves, R. E. (J.P.), Kilgarvan
Robinson, Hy., Cloughkeating
Russell, W. J., Ballinderry Park
Ryan, Daniel, Borrisokane
Sadlier, Miss, The Terrace
Saunders, Edward H., Killavalla
Shea, George, Finnoe
Stoney, the Misses, B’kane
Stoney, Mrs. E., B’kane
White, Edward, Ballylough
Woods, William, Killeen