Transcribed by Teena from the 27 Jul. 1900 edition of the Tyrone Constitution.
The Hearth Tax (Money Rolls), was based on legislation of 1622 to raise money for the government; 2 shillings was levied on each hearth, or fireplace.
Omagh 1666-70
In the hearth-money roll of Drumragh parish (1666) which you inserted in the last issue of Constitution, there are one or two misprints of no great importance. GAWIN has been changed to GAIVAN, but the word is one that compositors set up correctly. GAWIN was formerly quite a common Christian name both in Scotland and Ulster; but it has dropped out of use of late. The last the Tyrone DUDGEONS who bore it died about 1800. I now forward for publication another list, evidently a few years later than the one you printed last week. It was probably issued in the early seventies of the same century. Some names that occur on the first list are wanting on the second, yet the families are still in the parish, .
Hearth Money Rolls Drumra Parish
(Undated but about 1670-1675)
Tatereagh
Donaghy M’ILMARTIN
Connor O’MARKEY
Neal O’DALLY
Edergoul
John HENDERSON
Crevangan
Owen O’GLACKEN
Crevanmore
George CROSLEY
George HALL
Aghalegge
John M’CLENAGHAN
Tarlum
Duncan M’ITURNOR
Ballygowans
Duncan M’ITURNOR
Tavnamatt
Thomas CRAWFORD
Strentonbagg
Thomas O’CLEARY
David LAMBERT
Mullaghmore
John CAMPBELL
Owen O’CALLAN
Patrick O’GLACKEN
Camy
John PIRRY
Loughmuck
Thomas GRIFFITH
Owen GRIFFITH
Corlea
Donald M’PEAKE
Donaghy M’PEAKE
Hugh M’QUORT
Owen M’PEAKE
Tavlaght
Arch. M’KEAGHY
Ballygoans
John YOUNG
Donell SCOTT
Lavey
John POINTS
Gilbert STEVENSON
Culnagard
John GLENDINNING
George THOMPSON
Drudgy
Robert CRAIG
Clanabogan
Owen O’NEILL
Shan O’MULLARE
Taterkill
Hugh M’ANKILLY
Connick M’COSKER
Owen O’HAGAN
Tattershallagh
Owen M’DONNELL
Neil O’DONALLY
Aghadulla
Patrick O’QUINE
Brian M’QUADE
Fereagh
Torlogh O’LEARY
Hugh O’MULLAN
Rakeragh
William MIMNAGH
Freaghmore
David MORGAN
Miles COILL
Laughlin GILL
Taterkill
Marcus M’Hugh
Cullaghy
Robert CRAWFORD
Alexander CRAWFORD
Humphrey DENNY
Cavanrea
Dermod KILMAY
Teague M’FADDEN
Aghameel
Niman DUNWIDDY
Robert STEVENSON
Killavlagh
Patrick M’CAWELL
John M’GILHONE
Drum
Robert GIVAN
Gortmok
Robert POINES
John DUNWIDDY
Hugh Roe OKEVIN
Cloghoge
Donald Oge M’LAUGLIN
Patk. CUNSHENAN
Derymoney
Thomas WILSON
Mullaghmeenagh
Andrew TODD
John MGREW
Omagh
William TRECY
John BRUSH
Francis POTTS
Robert JOBSON
Robert GRICKSON
Hugh MONTGOMERY
Robert EGLES
William BRADY
William HAMILTON
Peter WINN
Francis TRECY
John GIVAN
Robert DOUGLAS
Patrick ACHESON
Robert WINN
William REYNOLDS
Total 81 hearths. One in each house.
It is to be remarked that Omagh could now boast of 16 hearths, against 12 in the year 1666.
John BRUSH of the latter list is evidently John BRUSE of the first. There are several of the names given to townlands that are exceedingly puzzling, in fact there are some which I am not certain of being able to identify. The second list contains the names of more townlands than the first; but this may have arisen from districts, formerly waste, having been occupied in the meantime. Taking the two lists together we can make out a tolerably full catalogue of the names that prevailed in the parish 230 years ago.
Many of them are still common, but the people of KELLIE extraction have adopted an orthography more in conformity with the English language, a circumstance which I deeply regret. It is certainly very interesting to know that in, or about 1670, the town of Omagh had only 16 houses, which contained a hearth, and that none of them had more than one fire-place. At that time there does not seem to have been in the town of Omagh, nor in the whole parish of a single house, that had an apartment to serve the purpose of the modern parlour or drawing-room.