Tarsaghaun, Ballycroy in Co. Mayo

Tarsaghaun is in the Northern end of the parish on the threshold of the mountains as its name implies.

It is comprised of two parts, North and South - the areas respectively being 948 and 822 acres. In the former lived peter Cormack, who had house, office and land, while in latter lived James McHugh, who was also possessed same.

The landlords were William Wilks and representatives of Alisk Richey. There was a school there until the early 1940s when it was removed to Sheeane owing to falling numbers. The teacher there, Mr. O'Dowd, moved to Drumslide then.

Other places mentioned in Griffiths Valuation, but having little or no householders, are as follows Glass (green) Island, Illan Rory (Rory's Island), Srahederaowen (Shraigh between two rivers), Illanna Mona (turf island) Illan Rue (red island). Annagh (swamp or marsh- having workman's houses), Greenawn (sunny side of hill, which was shared between the Cafferkeys, Corrigans and McManamon families.

During Knight's observation in 1831 the population of Ballycroy stood at 1,925 - or over five hundred families employed mostly in agriculture, fishing and weaving.

With the hard ship caused by the Famine, emigration commenced and was continued to the present time. There is scarcely a country in the world which had not descendants of this parish.

In 1891 the number living here had dropped to 2,036 in 1941 it was 1,648 and at the present day it has scarcely more than a thousand people.

written by Martin Costello, NT

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