Kilcullen Science and Engineering: Thomas McGarry of McGarry's Lane

McGarry's Lane. © Eugene Brennan

I think I may have found the person who lent his name to the lane.

The Primary Valuation, also known as Griffith's Valuation was a mid-19th property valuation in Ireland. Published between 1847 and 1864, it was the first full-scale survey of its kind, and collected information about the occupiers of land and buildings, their landlords and the amount and value of property held. Griffith's Valuation is searchable here on the Ask About Ireland Website.

In the valuation, a Thomas McGarry appears, with an address in Nicholastown. The Nicholastown townland extends out as far as Yellowbogcommon townland to the south and New Abbey townland to the east. I was aware of the presence of a building, visible on the first edition, c. 1837 6" Ordnance Survey map. This was located across the road from the cottage in McGarry's Lane. By the time the c. 1900 last-edition 25" OSI map was drafted, this building had disappeared. It appears from the map and record below that Thomas McGarry was listed as an occupier of the land on which the building stood, with Robert Brereton as lessor (The owner of New Abbey House).

Records in a 19th-century property valuation

Valuation book showing the entry for Thomas McGarry. Image courtesy Ask About Ireland.

19th century map with highlighted markings around parcels of land

Map showing corresponding parcel of land leased by Thomas McGarry (16). Map attribution: Ask About Ireland.

The Tithe Applotment Books, however, show no record of a Thomas McGarry. These books were records of tithes, a form of religious tax paid to the established church in Ireland—the Anglican Church of Ireland. Tithes were extremely unpopular, as the Roman Catholic majority also had to pay them, leading to the Tithe War of the 1830s and eventual repeal of the tax by The Irish Church Act 1869, which disestablished the Church of Ireland. In the records, there are three entries for a John McGarry, and he's recorded as having paid 3/3½ (three shillings, three and a half pence) in one of these records. No information is available on whether John was a brother or father of Thomas. I found a death record for Thomas McGarry on the Irish Genealogy website. He died on 14th March, 1889, with the location indicated as "New Abbey".
It's possible he's buried in New Abbey Cemetery.