Tonyrevan

Geography

Tonyrevan is bounded on the west by Tonyhallagh and Killycluggin townlands, on the east by Crossmakelagher townland and on the south by Bellaheady townland in Kildallan parish. Tonyrevan's chief geographical features are a wood, a spring well, a dug well and a stone quarry.

Tonyrevan is traversed by the national secondary R205 road (Ireland), rural lanes and the disused Cavan and Leitrim Railway.

The townland covers 55 statute acres.

History

The 1609 Baronial Map depicts the townland as part of Killcloggin (now the modern townland of Killycluggin).

The 1665 Down Survey map depicts it as Tonyrevan.

Another name for the townland was Rostonibeg (from Irish: Ros Tonnaigh Beag, meaning 'The Wood of the Small Pasture')

In the Plantation of Ulster by grant dated 27 February 1610, along with other lands, King James VI and I granted one poll of Rolliagh containing 50 acres at an annual rent of £0-10s-8d to Cahill McBrien O'Reily, gentleman.

In the aftermath of the Irish Rebellion of 1641, Cathal O'Reilly's estate was confiscated in the Cromwellian Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652 and his lands in Tonyrevan were distributed as follows-

John Blachford obtained Tonyrevan after the Cromwellian settlement. He was born in 1598 in Ashmore, Dorset, England, the son of Richard and Frances Blachford. He became a merchant in Dorchester, Dorset but fled to France in 1633 when facing a warrant from the Exchequer for not paying customs. He married Mary Renald from Devon and died at Lissanover, County Cavan in 1661 and was buried at St. Orvins in Dublin despite wishing to be buried back in Dorchester. His will was published on 9 January 1665 leaving his son John Blachford as his sole heir. An Inquisition held in Cavan on 21 May 1667 found that his widow Mary Blachford and his heir John were seized of, inter alia, the land of Toneycrevagh alias Townegrevan alias Toneyrevan. He had sons John, Thomas, Ambrose and William (who became a Major) and daughters Mary and Frances. Major William Blachford was born in 1658 and died at Lissanover on 28 March 1727. The Blachford family gravestones in Templeport Church read as follows- This monument was erected by MAJOR WILLIAM / BLASHFORD of Lisnover in 1721 to the memory of / his father, JOHN BLASHFORD, late of the same Esqr. but / from Dorchester in Dorsetshire, the place of his / nativity, who in his lifetime chose this for a burying / place, for himself and family, but died in Dublin / was buried in St. Orvins Church but his wife, MARY / RENALD of a Devonsheire family is buried here / as also three sons and two daughters, viz JOHN / AMBROSE AND THOMAS; MARY AND FRANCES / Here likewise lies buried two wives of MAJOR WILLIAM BLASHFORD, son to the said JOHN BLASHFORD viz / MARY MAGHEE of an ancient Family in Lincolnsheire. CORNET CHIDLEY BLACHFORD, son to MAJOR WILLIAM BLACHFORD, leys buried here who dyed August ye 29th, 1722. This aboue MAJOR WILLIAM BLACHFORD. / That erected this monument, died the 28th of March 1727, aged 69 years.[5]

The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list eight tithepayers in the townland.

Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists four landholders in the townland.

In the 1901 census of Ireland, there are two families listed in the townland, and in the 1911 census of Ireland, there are two families listed in the townland.