What is "aghavrin"

Aghavrin is a townland within both the civil parish and catholic parish of Aghabullogue, County Cork, Ireland. It is 667.32 acres in size, situate south-west of Aghabullogue village, and north-west of Coachford village.

It is referred to as 'Aghrin' in the Down Survey Maps (1656-8), Aghawrinmore & Aghawrinbeg are listed as sub-denominations, and the terrier lists the proprietor as Lord Muskry (Muskerry). The Ordnance Survey name book (c. 1840) gives an alternate Irish name of Ath a buirinn to the townland, also lists Ahavrinbeg and Ahavrinmore as sub-denominations, and describes the townland as the property of John Bowin (Bowen), Esq. of Oak Grove, and John Bowin Gumbleton, Esq. Its condition was said to be of mixed quality, principally cultivated, but containing some boggy land, rocks and furze. The townland was said to have several waterfalls to the south-west, and places included Bowing's (Bowen's) Pond, Good's Pond, Poulahourane (Waterfall), Poulanassig (Waterfall), Ahavrinmore, Ahavrieg, Ahavringrove, Ahavrin Castle ( Crooke's Castle), Carrigacubbeen and Clashagorrave River. O'Donoghue (1986) holds Achadh Bhroin to mean Bron's field, and that Bron was father of Maolmuadh, king of Munster in 959, and grandfather of Cian. O'Murchú (1991) holds upon local authority that Achadh Bhroin may refer to Byrne's or Burns' field. The Placenames Database of Ireland gives an alternate Irish name of Achadh Bhrain to the townland.

Townlands vary greatly in size, being territorial divisions within parishes in Ireland. Extensively used for land surveys, censuses and polling systems since the seventeenth century, townlands have also been used as the basis for rural postal addresses. In County Cork, surveying and standardisation of townland names and boundaries by the Ordnance Survey during the mid-nineteenth century, resulted in some earlier townland names disappearing, due to amalgamation or division. The townlands resulting from such surveys were employed during the Primary Land Valuation ( Griffith's Valuation), subsequent censuses, and continue in use today.

Townland population

Year

Pop.

1841

346

1851

214

1861

165

1871

220

1881

174

1891

118

1901

92

1911

99

Earlier versions of townland name

Year

Form

1602-25

Aghowryn more & Aghowryeg (Inq. temp Jac I)

1656-8

Aghrin/Aghawrinmore & beg (Down Survey)

1784

Ahavrin

1811

Aghaburrin (Bath's Grand Jury map)

1814

Ahavrin (Crook's map)

1840

Ahavrin/Aghavrin