Freehold Registrations, 1831
The following is an extract from The Belfast Newsletter dated 30th September 1831 and is used with permission of The Belfast Newsletter.
The following names are taken from a list of persons applying to register their Freeholds at a General Quarter Sessions of the Peace to be held in Belfast on the 24th October, 1831.
No. 117
Name and Residence of Applicant: Thomas Peel, Templecormick
Description of Freehold, with the names of Barony and Townland in which situated: House and land, Upper Massereene, town land of Templecormick
Yearly Value to be registered: £10
"Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland"
The following extract is from "Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland – Parishes of County Antrim VII 1832 – 1838". Thanks to The Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen’s University of Belfast for permission to use this extract.
Old Church: Templecormac
Ruins of Templecormac old church and burial ground, situated about 1 mile east of Ballinderry new church, is tolerably large, enclosed by a quickset fence, partially sheltered by forest trees; and a small iron gate to the entrance. Nothing of this old church now remains but the foundation walls, which are at present grown over with earth and grass. It was situated nearly east and west and, as near as can be now judged, it stood 44 by 20 feet inside; walls of rough stones and grouted lime, similar to other ancient buildings, and 2 feet 10 inches in thickness.
The interior of the building is partly occupied by graves. The graveyard, too, is to a great extent occupied by burials, but very limited in headstones. Different religious denominations still continue to bury in it but Roman Catholics are the most numerous. The Irish cry accompanied funerals of the latter class of people coming to this graveyard up to about the year 1800.
The ground for interment was much larger formerly than at present. The following are amongst the names and surnames on the headstones in the yard: Archibald, Alexander, James. Thomas, Elizabeth, Grizel, Margaret, Jane. Surnames: Larmor, Maze, Srnyth, Scott. At the heads of graves are several rude stones without any inscription.
The church is said to have been demolished bv Oliver Cromwell. A large portion of the walls remained up to about 1790, as did also part of the clergy’s dwelling and office houses that stood contiguous to the church, on the site now occupied by Robert McAleavey’s dwelling.
Contiguous to the church also stood 2 ancient springs, one [of] which is at present closed up. These wells are said to have been formerly visited by people for the cure of disordered eyes.
Templecormac is said to have been an extensive seat of learning at a former period; that there was a temple for the education of students; and that the establishment was superintended by 3 friars, which was the number of clergy always resident there. One of the friars are said to have divine service at the ruins of the old church about 60 years back. There was a tract of ground attached to the temple for the use of the clergy and students. It was called the Church Fields, and is now occupied by Robert McAleavey and James Gibson, farmers.
Templecormac was formerly called Cormac’s Temple, and is said to have been founded by a Cormac Akilly, to whose name it was subsequently dedicated; and afterwards gave name to the townland in which it was situated, and is to the present day called Templecormac. Information obtained from James Dunnigan, William Brennagh, his wife, and others, 21 March 1838.
Diocese of Down & Connor Ancient and Modern
Extract from Diocese of Down & Connor Ancient and Modern Volume 2 by Rev. J. O’Laverty P.P.M.R.I.A. Published by M.H. Gill & Son, Dublin.
Parish of Glenavy
… The town land of Templecormack received its name from a church, a small part of the wall of which remains in the ancient graveyard. The Terrier enters "in Temple Tearmacan one towne, spiritualities and temporalities," which was then held by Sir Floulke Conway as tenant under the See. It is probable that it was dedicated to one of the saints named Colman[1]. Colmog or Mocolmog, the Irish form of Colman, assumes in the modern names of townlands the form of Cormac; thus Quarter-Cormac, in the parish of Down, is written in various inquisitions Carrow-Coolmuck – "Quarter-Coolmuck I.e. the Quarter-land of St. Colman."
[1] It may be, however, that Templecormack, which in 1622 was called Temple Tearmacan, derives its name from the family name of O’Cormacan, who are still numerous in the vicinity, and may have been the Erenachs, or hereditary custodians of the church. Many churches are named from their Erenaghs, thus Desertoghill – "O’Toghill’s Desert," Tamlaght Ocilla – "O’Crilly’s Burying-ground," Termon-Maguire – "the termon of McGurk," &c., &c.
As Britishmen – a poem
The Branagh family resided in this townland. It is believed that the author of this poem, James Branagh, was a school-master.
The following extract is from the Lisburn Herald dated 11th May 1912.
As Britishmen
(lines suggested by the Titanic Disaster April 1912)
Weep for the fallen brave, the British men and true,
Who found a watery grave, as true men should do;
Their lives they freely gave
Woman and child to save
Ah! who then feared his grave?
What man his life to save
The women did forget?Titanic’s days are past, that hadiwork is gone
Brave Andrews! to the last his thoughts for others shone
He in his room was found,
With books and charts around,
Planning with skill profound,
While others stalked around,
Or pleasure idly met.The ship his skill displayed, our boast and pride was she,
But now, with hearts dismayed, how grieved and sad are we!
Life’s fitful fever’s o’er
To sixteen hundred more;
Nobly their part most bore,
like Britishmen of yore
they death with glory get.Ah! April nineteen- twelve, remembered thou shall be
When in the past men delve its glorious deeds to see,
The captain’s noble cry,
Like Britishmen do die
Shall mere our hearts to try
And follow without sigh
The pattern that was set.Brave Captain Smith is dead, his duty rightly done,
Those words so bravely said, our sympathy have won;
His was no craven heart –
he nobly, without start
In saving that third part
Displayed much manly art –
Be honoured his name let.When to that dreadful hourour mind we pensive turn,
We thank the God of power, while hearts within us burn,
That Time’s slow womb should bring
That wonder – wireless thing –
Whose messages did ring,
And succour to those bring
Who sat so cold and wet.That brave orchestra band, with mental eye we see,
And on the deck they stand, brave as the dauntless three
that o’er the cruel sea
"Nearer my God to Thee"
The strains should carried be,
While from the ship those flee
Who can – alive as yet.What contrasts we can see, as in our mind we blend
The "goodbyes" at the quay, the death groans at the end:
What hopes! What dreads! what sighs!
What partings, longings, cries!
Oh! what a dread surprise,
Men caught as in a net.Amongst the men on board were foreigners, so mean
In whom, a reckless hoarde, much cowardice was seen;
While lifeboats lowered slip,
Madly, with trembling lip,
Attempting them to grip,
In vain! above the ship
Old England’s flag is set.Brave officers and men, with captain as true as steel,
use loaded weapons then, and quickly made them reel;
Soon on the deck they lie,
No more to make a try,
And though doubtless we sigh
For them, no need to cry,
Or those who them abet.‘Twas fitting irishmen, amongst the crew should be,
Our Irish boast was then tracking the glassy sea;
Were they at that time seen
Their country to demean?
No! rather more, I wean,
their danger then did o’en
Courage in them beget.From millionaire on board, to peasant’s son, I trow
The rivalry was keen – nobility to show –
Midst those whose brave deeds came,
Unsullied roll of fame
Inscribe each British name,
Let courage just the same
Be ours as an asset.Oh! icy, heartless waves, no mercy hast thou showed,
Sending to sudden graves, hearts that with pleasure glowed;
The orphans cry we hear,
See widows scalding tear
For loved ones ‘reft of bier
You did, with terror drear,
Designs of man beset.What nobler end could be, to earth career so brief,
Than give our lives as He Who died for our relief;
Loyally live may we,
Royally give to Thee
Ourselves an offering free,
Lord, that at death there be
For life no cause to fret.Jas. Branagh
Upper Ballinderry
Deceased Estate — William Henry Branagh
The following extract is from The Lisburn Herald dated Saturday March 16th 1929.
Notice to Creditors
In the Goods of WILLIAM HENRY
BRANAGH. Late of Templecormick, Upper
Ballinderry, Lisburn, in the County of Antrim.
Pensioner deceased.Notice is hereby given that all
persons having any Claims or Demands
against the Estate of the above Deceased, who
died on the 25th day of February, 1929, are
hereby required on or before the 22nd day of
March, 1929, to furnish particulars thereof (in
Writing) to the undersigned Solicitor for the
Executors of the Deceased’s Will.
Dated this 13th day of March, 1929.John T McConnell, Solicitor,
Lisburn.
Death Notice – Mary Oakman
The following extract is from The Belfast Telegraph dated Friday, 5th July, 1935. It is reproduced with permission of the Belfast Telegraph.
Oakman – July 4th 1935 at her residence, Ashvale, Upper Ballinderry, Mary Oakman. Funeral at 2pm on to-morrow (Saturday) for interment in the family burying ground Templecormac. Friends will please accept this intimation. Deeply regretted by her sorrowing relatives.
PRONI Will Calendars
The following information is taken from the will calendars in the PRONI and are reproduced with kind permission of Deputy Keeper of the Records, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
Susan Patterson
Date of Death 10 02 1891
Date of Grant 13 04 1891
Effects £89 10s
Registry: BelfastFull Abstract:
The Will of Susan Patterson late of Kilcreeney County Antrim Widow who died 10 February 1891 at same place was proved at Belfast by James Thompson of Templecormick and John Gaddis of Ballymacward both in said County Farmers the Executors.