Mormeal

Mormeal (from Irish: Mír Mhíchíl meaning "Michael's portion") is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the west of the parish with the Altagoan river to its west forming the parish boundary with Ballynascreen. It is bounded by the townlands of: Brackaghlislea, Drumard, Duntibryan, Gortnaskey, Granny, Tamnyaskey. It wasn't apportioned to any of the London livery companies, being kept as church lands.^[1]

The townland is currently part of Tobermore electoral ward of Magherafelt District Council, however in 1926 it was part of Tobermore district electoral division as part of the Maghera division of Magherafelt Rural District.^[2] It was also part of the former barony of Loughinsholin.^[1]

Etymology

The actual Irish origin of Mormeal is unknown with several different variants provided, most notably by Alfred Munn Moore. The most recent translation as of 2002 states its origin as being; Mír Mhíchíl, meaning Michael's portion.^[3] Older origins include:

• Mor-meall meaning "great hillock".^[1] Mór Mael(án) in modern Irish.
• Baile mor miol meaning "town of the monsters". ^[1]
• Magh-adhair m-bheal (pronounced "mawr-meal") meaning "plain of the fire, or adoration, of the god Belus (the sun)". ^[1]

History

The ruins of the ancient parish church of Kilcronaghan lie within the townland of Mormeal. In the east of the townland on a hill (438 ft.) lies an ancient ráth, and one on another hill (450 ft.) to the south.

Population Year Pop. 1841 330 [4] 1851 254 [4] 1861 244 [4] 1871 220 [4] 1881 209 [4] 1911 150 [2] 1926 127 [2]

Size (acres, roods, poles) Year a, r, p 1851 515, 1, 3 [5] 1881 515, 1, 3 [4] 1926 527, 1, 31 [2]

Earlier recorded forms[3] Year Form 1654 Mirrimeith 1657c Merinnch (D.S.) [1] 1659c Mirmihellgrany (joined with Granny) 1661 Merrinnieth 1661c Mirmichell 1672c Mermeth 1680 Mermeale 1686 Meremeala 1767 Mermeal 1813 Mormeal (S.M.) [1] (D.S.) - Down Survey Map (S.M.) - Sampson's Map

See Also

• Kilcronaghan
• List of townlands in Tobermore
• Tobermore

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Notes on the Place Names of the Parishes and Townlands of the County of Londonderry, 1925, Alfred Moore Munn, Clerk of the Crown and Peace of the City and County of Londonderry
2. ^ ^{a b c d} HistPop; County and County Borough of Londonderry, 1926, page 27
3. ^ ^{a b} Place Names NI - Mormeal
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f} HistPop; Area, population and number of houses, Vol. III, Ireland, 1881, page 698
5. ^ HistPop; County of Londonderry, 1851, page 241