Blackwater - Wexford Guide and Directory, 1885
About “Wexford County Guide and Directory,” 1885
George Henry Bassett produced 7 Irish county directories in the 1880s: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wexford. Each provides useful history of the respective counties as well as lists of office holders, farmers, traders, and other residents of the individual cities, towns and villages.
The directories are naturally an invaluable resource for those tracing family history. However, there are a few points to bear in mind.
- This online version of Bassett’s Wexford County Guide and Directory is designed primarily as a genealogical research tool and therefore the numerous advertisements in the original book, many full page, and quite a few illustrated, have been excluded.
- The text has been proofed with due care, but with large bodies of text typographical errors are inevitably bound to occur.
- Be aware that there were often inconsistencies in spelling surnames in the 19th century and also that many forenames are abbreviated in Bassett’s directories.
With respect to the last point, surnames which today begin with the “Mc” prefix, for example, were often formerly spelt as “M‘,”. For a list of some of the more common forename abbreviations used in the directory, see Forename Abbreviations.
BLACKWATER had a population of 105 in 1881. It is in the Barony of Ballaghkeen, south-east of Enniscorthy, and north-east of Wexford, about equal distance from both, eleven miles. Ballyconnigar, a favorite sea-bathing place for Enniscorthians, is near it. Gorey is nineteen miles, English, from Blackwater. Fairly good pasture and tillage lands are comprised in the district. Trout-fishing is to be had in the vicinity. Wexford is the most convenient railway station. There is a fowl market every Tuesday, and four fairs during the year. The houses, both slated and thatched, are in good repair. The village is well sheltered, being in the midst of a hilly region. The finest residence in the neighbourhood is Castle Talbot, the seat of Mr. John H. Talbot.
Very Rev. Thos. Walsh, P.P.
Rev. John Lyng, C.C.
Rev. Thos. Lindsay, Rector (I.C.)
John Scallan, Postmaster
Patrick Magrane, Sergeant R.I.C.
John and Mary Byrne, Teachers National School
BUSINESS BRANCHES.
Bakers and Flour Dealers—M. Brien, C. Etchingham
Grocers, &c., who do not sell Spirits—M. Brien, J. Murphy
Grocers who sell Spirits—W. Carty, P. Connors, C. Etchingham, J. Scallan
Miller—C. Etchingham
Manure Agent—J. Scallan
FARMERS, LANDOWNERS, &c.
Atkins, John S., Garryniskbeg
Bates, Peter, Ballinamona
Bailey, William, Garrawn
Bolger, Thomas, Ballyvaldon
Brien, Andrew, Killeagh
Brien, James, Garryvadden
Brien, John, Ballyvaloo upper
Cullen, Francis, Monanarrig
Cullen, John, Ballynaglough
Cullen, Laurence, Ballyconigar
Cunningham, Philip, Inch
Dempsey, Henry, Crosshue
Dempsey, John, Ballynellard
Earl, George, Ballinacash
Fortune, John, Garryadden
Fortune, Thomas, Inch
Foster, Thomas, Crosshue
Furlong, Walter, Ballyroe (Nunn)
Devereux, Thomas, Ballina lower
Grannell, John, Ballina lower
Lacy, Joseph, Garryvadden
Lambert, Patrick, Ballyvoodrane
Leary, Felix, Monanarrig
Leary, George, Ballyvalloo upper
Leary Miles, Kilnew
Mangan, David, Ballyconigar up.
Morton, John M., Ballinaclash
Murphy, George, Ballyvaloo lower
Parker, James, Ballinadrisshogue
Parker, Moses, Ballinadrisshogue
Potts, Thomas, Garryvadden
Power, Wm., Ballyroe Annesley
Quinn, Martin, Ballynagore
Rath, Joseph, Ballincash
Redmond, Peter, Ballinogeelogue
Roche, James, Ballina upper
Scallan, William, Ballyvaloo
Sinnott, Edward, Garrawn
Somers, John, Coolroe
Stafford, James, Ballyvodick
Sutton, Simon, Garrynisk
Talbot, John H., Castletalbot
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