Drumsamney

Drumsamney (locally [ˌdrӧmˈsamni], from Irish Droim Samhna 'ridge of Samhain'[2]) is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the south-east of the parish on the boundary of the civil parish of Desertmartin, and is bounded by the townlands of; Annagh & Moneysterlin, Ballinderry, Killynumber, Dromore, and Gortamney. In the Plantation of Ulster it was given as a glebe to the Drapers Company.[3]

Drumsamney
townland
Irish transcription(s)
• Derivation:	Droim Samhna
• Meaning:	"Ridge of Samhain"
Drumsamney Drumsamney shown within Northern Ireland Drumsamney Drumsamney (the United Kingdom)
Coordinates: 54°47′30″N 6°40′22″W
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	Northern Ireland
County	County Londonderry
Barony	Loughinsholin
Civil parish	Kilcronaghan
Plantation grant	To Drapers Company as glebe
First recorded	1609
Government
• Council	Mid Ulster District
• Ward	Tobermore
Area [1]
• Total	229.54 acres (92.89 ha)
Irish grid ref	H854946

The townland was part of Tobermore electoral ward of the former Magherafelt District Council, however in 1926 it was part of Tobermore district electoral division as part of the Maghera division of Magherafelt Rural District.[4] It was also part of the historic barony of Loughinsholin.[5]

Etymology

Drumsamney derives its name from the Irish Droim Samhna, meaning "ridge of Samhain". This ridge likely refers to Drumsamney Hill, with the second element of the name relating to the pagan festival of Samhain. The townlands of Drumsawna Beg and Drumsawna More in County Fermanagh also derive from the same origin as Drumsamney.[2]

History

Population Year Pop. 1841 138 [6] 1851 131 [6] 1861 100 [6] 1871 81 [6] 1881 88 [6] 1891 69 [7] 1901 28 ^[a][7] 1911 47 [4] 1926 39 [4] ^[a] - decrease is attributed to emigration and removals [7]

Size (acres, roods, poles) Year a, r, p 1851 233, 3, 4 [8] 1881 235, 1, 30 [6] 1901 235, 1, 30 [7] 1926 234, 2, 10 [4]

Earlier recorded forms[2] Year Form 1609 Dromsauna (E.C.) 1613 Dromsanua (Charter) 1622 Drumsawne 1654 Drumsany 1672c Dromsana 1813 Drumsamney (S.M.) (E.C.) - Escheated Counties Map 1609 (Charter) - Charter of Londonderry 1613 (S.M.) - Sampson's Map

See also

• Kilcronaghan
• List of townlands in Tobermore
• Tobermore

References

1. Northern Ireland Environment Agency. "NIEA Map Viewer". Archived from the original on 24 November 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
2. Toner, Gregory: Place-Names of Northern Ireland, page 122-123. Queen's University of Belfast, 1996, ISBN 0-85389-613-5
3. Toner, Gregory: Place-Names of Northern Ireland, page 112. Queen's University of Belfast, 1996, ISBN 0-85389-613-5
4. HistPop; County and County Borough of Londonderry, 1926, page 27
5. 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
6. HistPop; Area, population and number of houses, Vol. III, Ireland, 1881, page 698
7. HistPop; Area, houses, and population, Vol. III [Part 2], Ireland, 1901 Page 35
8. HistPop; County of Londonderry, 1851, page 241