Moycullen (barony)

Moycullen Maigh Cuilinn (Irish)
Barony
Harbour at Muckanaghederdauhaulia
Barony map of County Galway, 1900; Moycullen is in the west, coloured yellow.
Moycullen
Coordinates: 53°20′N9°34′W / 53.33°N 9.57°W / 53.33; -9.57
Sovereign state	Ireland
Province	Connacht
County	Galway
Area
• Total	819.0 km2 (316.2 sq mi)

Moycullen (Irish : Maigh Cuilinn) is a historical barony in west County Galway, Ireland. ^[1]

Baronies were mainly cadastral rather than administrative units. They acquired modest local taxation and spending functions in the 19th century before being superseded by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. ^[2]

History

The name is from the village of Moycullen, which name means "plain of holly" or "plain of (Saint) Uillinn." ^[3] This was the site of the chief castle of the O'Flaherty, now in ruins. ^[4]

In the Gaelic Irish era, the territory of Delbhna Tír Dhá Locha roughly corresponds to the barony of Moycullen; it was ruled by the Mac Con Raoi (MacConroys). In the 11th century the Ó Flaithbheartaigh (O'Flaherty) were pushed westward and took over the area, becoming lords of Moycullen and Iar Connacht. ^{[5] [6]}

Moycullen barony was created before 1574. ^[7]

Geography

Moycullen is in the west of the county, on the north coast of Galway Bay, and to the west of Lough Corrib and Galway City. It is a large barony, incorporating part of the Connemara region. ^[8] It is chiefly composed of pasture and bog, with several forests in the centre and many lakes dotted around the barony. ^[9]

List of settlements

Settlements within the historical barony of Moycullen include: ^[10]

• Baile na hAbhann
• Camus
• Carraroe
• Casla
• Furbo
• Gorumna
• Inverin
• Lettermullen
• Lettermore
• Maam Cross
• Moycullen
• Oughterard
• Rosmuc
• Rossaveal
• Spiddal

References

1. "Moycullen Barony | Landed Estates | University of Galway". landedestates.ie.
2. General Register Office of Ireland (1904). "Alphabetical index to the baronies of Ireland". Census of Ireland 1901: General topographical index. Command papers. Vol. Cd. 2071. HMSO. pp. 966–978.
3. "Maigh Cuilinn/Moycullen". logainm.ie.
4. "Moycullen Castle". 14 September 2024.
5. "The Baronies of Ireland - History". 17 July 2019. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019.
6. O'Laughlin, M. C. (2002:186). The Book of Irish Families, Great & Small. United States: Irish Genealogical Foundation.
7. "Genuki: MOYCULLEN, Galway". www.genuki.org.uk.
8. "Moycullen". www.townlands.ie.
9. Lundholm, Anders & Black, Kevin & Corrigan, Edwin & Nieuwenhuis, Maarten. (2020). Evaluating the Impact of Future Global Climate Change and Bioeconomy Scenarios on Ecosystem Services Using a Strategic Forest Management Decision Support System. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 8. 200. 10.3389/fevo.2020.00200.
10. "Maigh Cuilinn/Moycullen". logainm.ie.