Clifton, County Cavan
Clifton is a townland in the Parish of Tomregan, Barony of Loughtee Lower, County Cavan, Ireland.
Etymology
The townland name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic placename “Clochán” which means ‘A small beehive-shaped stone house”.
Geography
It is bounded on the north & east by Aghavoher townland, on the south by Breandrum & Berrymount townlands and on the west by Mullynagolman townland. Its chief geographical features are some small drumlin hills reaching to 300 feet above sea-level.
Clifton is traversed by Ardlougher lane.
The townland covers 82 statute acres.
History
It formed part of the termon lands belonging to Tomregan Roman Catholic Church which were granted to the Protestant Bishop of Kilmore in 1610 as part of the Plantation of Ulster. By a lease dated 6 April 1612 the said bishop granted the lands to Sir Oliver Lambart of Kilbeggan, County Westmeath and Sir Garret Moore, 1st Viscount Moore of Mellifont, County Louth. On 17 July 1639 the bishop re-granted the lands to Charles Lambart, 1st Earl of Cavan.
The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list the following tithepayers in the townland- Berry, Faris, Pringle.[1]
The Ordnance Survey Name Books for 1836 give the following description of the townland- "Lies in the South of the parish, 3 miles from Ballyconnell. Bishop's land. Held on lease by Jones. Lease rent 5 shillings & 6d per arable acre. The houses are built of mud. The soil produces oats and potatoes."
Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists the landlord of the townland as Jones & the tenants as Faris, Pringle and Griffith.[2]
In the 1901 census of Ireland, there are four families listed in the townland.[3]
In the 1911 census of Ireland, there are three families listed in the townland.[4]
Antiquities
The only site of historical interest in the townland is a Bronze-Age ring-barrow on the border with Aghavoher (Site number 94, page 20, Aghavoher townland, in “Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan”, Patrick O’Donovan, 1995)