Tithe Applotment Books of Co Donegal
These Tithe Books were compiled by Lindel, and forms part of the Donegal Genealogy Resources website
You may link to this page but not copy it
This page has come about because I, and probably quite a few of you, can't get to State or National Libraries/Archives or LDS Family History Centre's without a lot of fuss - those of us with young children, or who have transport or mobility problems often have to rely on friends or strangers to help us out. The best option is to be able to access the information we need through the Internet, but there has not been much available - so I've started collecting Tithe Applotment Books and bit by bit, I'm adding them to this site. I've been using MS Excel, which allows me to enter the data in any order, then to sort by Surname, and finally, build a webpage with a table displaying all the information.
What the Tithe Applotment Books are
Tithes were an income tax on farming - usually about one tenth of the annual income. These were used for the upkeep of the Church of Ireland and were paid from the time of the Reformation. Before the Composition Act of 1823 it was possible to pay them in kind in stead of money. From the time of the Composition Act they were supposed to be paid in cash and Tithe surveys were carried out in each Parish to assess what the income for that parish would be. Two people were appointed by each parish to carry out this assessment.
Both Catholics and Protestants resented this tax - tax was not payable on all land, and there was even variation on the types of land from place to place. From 1736 grazing land had an exemption - this was usually land held by landlords. Certain crops were taxable, others weren't. Potatoes could be taxable in one parish and not in the one next door.
Tithe books are not comprehensive, people who did not hold land are not listed and some types of land were passed over absolutely. Towns and cities were usually not assessed.
They are arranged by Townland and usually give the acreage held by each farmer. However, note here that the measurement used was the plantation or Irish acre which differs in size from the imperial or English acre used in the Griffith's Valuation.
The information you get from the Tithe Books is simple, townland name; landholders name; area of land and tithes paid. Some will list the landlords name as well. The original tithe books for the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland are held in the National Archives in Dublin.
(the above text was provided by Jane O'Brien, with her permission)
Note:
The following are Donegal parishes which have no Tithe Applotment Books -
All Saints:
All Saints Church was built as a Chapel of Ease to Taughboyne parish where the tithe entries are to be found.
Convoy:
This parish was made a perpetual curacy out of Raphoe parish in the 1820s and was in the gift of the Dean of Raphoe, which may explain the absence of a tithe applotment book. It does not appear in the Raphoe tithe applotment book for which there is only an 1841 survey of Beltany.
Drumhome: [Drumholm]
The tithe survey only gives names of landlords.
Glencolumbkille:
Only the certificate giving the total value of the tithes due to the rector has survived. It was in the patronage of the Bishop of Raphoe which may explain the absence of a tithe applotment book.
Mintiaghs:
This parish was formerly part of the lands of the abbey of Derry and is described in Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary as extra-parochial.
News!
November 2012 - Tithe Applotment Books online at the NAI
Tithe Applotment Books
Parishes -
Parish of Aghanunshin, recorded 1834
Parish of All Saints, recorded in 1826
Parish of Aughnish, recorded in 1834
Parish of Burt, recorded in 1837
Parish of Conwal, recorded in 1834
Parish of Clonca, recorded in 1827
Parish of Clondahorky, recorded in 1833
Parish of Clonleigh, recorded in 1826
Parish of Clonmany, recorded in 1826
Parish of Convoy - no tithe book in existance
Parish of Culdaff, recorded in 1829
Parish of Desertegney, recorded in 1833
Parish of Donagh, recorded in 1828
Parish of Donaghmore, recorded in 1826
Parish of Fahan Lower, recorded in 1829
Parish of Fahan Upper, recorded in 1829
Parish of Gartan, recorded in 1833
Parish of Inch, recorded in 1837
Parish of Inishmacsaint, recorded in 1833
Parish of Inver, recorded in 1825
Parish of Kilbarron, recorded in 1833
Parish of Kilcar, recorded in 1834
Parish of Killea, recorded in 1830
Parish of Killybegs Lower, recorded in 1834
Parish of Killybegs Upper, recorded in 1834
Parish of Killymard, recorded in 1825
Parish of Leck, recorded in 1834
Parish of Lettermacaward, recorded in 1834
Parish of Mevagh, recorded in 1828
Parish of Moville Lower, recorded in 1825
Parish of Moville Upper, recorded in 1828
Parish of Muff, recorded in 1837
Parish of Raymoghy, recorded in 1833
Parish of Stranorlar, recorded in 1833
Parish of Taughboyne, recorded in 1826
Parish of Templecarn, recorded 1825
Parish of Templecrone, recorded in 1828
Parish of Tullaghobegly, recorded in 1830
Parish of Tullyfern, recorded in 1834
Parish of Urney, recorded in 1827
Townlands -
Araherinabin, Ballymichael & Ballyoor, Clondavaddog parish, recorded in 1834
Laconnell East, Laconnell West, & Meentashesk, Inishkeel parish, recorded in 1833
Tromaty, Muff parish, recorded in 1837
Tromaty, Moville Upper parish, recorded 1826
Towns
Letterkenny, Conwal parish, recorded in 1838
Ramelton, Aughnish parish, recorded in 1830
© Donegal Genealogy Resources
