Journey through a Fermanagh Heritage My father immediately recognized the hand written place name as Eschacorran on the photocopy of an Ellis Island ship manifest for my grandfather Charles McGirr. My father told me how his dad had cycled his way around to the nearby areas Fivemiletown, Newtownbutler and Enniskillen Now with a placename I soon found myself in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland to do more research ..... Along Stranafely Road Along the main road in Lisnaskea is Don Corraghs Hotel and on the hilltop just beyond, is a cluster of buildings with historical significance: the Lisnaskea Workhouse, Church of Holy Trinity (C of I) and the Balfour castle built over the site of the original Senior MaQuire Castle*. Taking the road out of town we journey on toward Stranafely. Within a few minutes there is to the left side a small lake where the locals are known to fish for trout. The McGirr family lived in a homestead just off the Stranafely Rd. in the townland of Eschacorran. A townland, the smallest of land divisions, can best be described as a community or neighborhood which can vary greatly in size from a few acres to thousands of acres. Eschacorran covers a rural area of about 295 acres. Aghavea Civil Parish map - areas highlighted in yellow are the townlands where my ancestors (great uncles and so forth) were known to have lived. Eschacorran is in the Parlimentary Division of South Fermanagh, Poor Law Union of Lisnaskea, ( DED ) District Electoral Division of Deerpark, Barony of Magherastephana, and Parish of Agahvea. County Fermanagh Map : showing a few townlands and the surrounding counties. "Fir Manach" meaning the tribe of Manach. Humble Beginnings A short way from the homestead Noel MaQuire points out a few stones that have not been carried off marking the location of the second Senior MaQuire castle in Derryhilly* The forestry commission began planting in the area in the 1950s. Just off a path outlined by pine trees is Deer Park where the foundation and chimney of the McGirr homestead are nearly hidden by the tall grass and brush. A name still befitting to the area today, Eschacorran means "a memorial in stones". It is noted in the 1901 Census for Co. Fermanagh that my great grandfather James was a herdsman and his wife Elizabeth was a seamstress for Sarah Jordan of Tattinbar. James (40 yrs) and Elizabeth (39 yrs) with 7 children of their eleven children at the time, lived in a 1 roomed thatched house with no windows and no out buildings (James Byrans lm lessor ?Robert Jordan?). The children listed by first name and age were all in school (C of I). Note: Two herd houses were recorded for this vicinity both valued at 5 shillings which tells its own story as to the quality of the building.......... Note: A shilling is equal to approximately 17 cents! According to the 1911 Census "number of years married", James McGirr and Elizabeth Riely were married in about 1875. They were tenets of John Jordan * lm lessor Brooke and their dwelling is described as having 8 rooms (and 6 out offices) - occupied by one family: James the head of household, his wife, two of their children and one grandchild. From a photo of the homestead taken by my father in 1978 - the chimney and part of the wall were still standing. Perhaps the second herd house? as there is a window opening. Note: full entries from the 1911 Census are held at the National Archives in Dublin. At the bottom of a field on the other side of the road there is what was known as the local Holy Well reputedly having the cure for eye problems. Built in the shape of a coffin, it is no longer frequented by pilgrims but water piped from it is used to feed cattle in the adjoining farmyard so a lot of cows there with good eyesight :-) The Stranafely School is situated just along the roadside going uphill. Closed in 1960, the school today appears as rubble, the roof of local blue slate is caved in and most of the walls have crumbled. Covered by briar, there is a doorway to enter a room with wooden pegs on the wall where children would have hung their caps and coats. The chimney and hearth remain intact where coal was burned to warm the room in the winter months. The snow berry bushes that thrive on either side of the road would have afforded the students a snack on their walk to and from school. Famine Road The significance of the unfinished road may escape the modern traveler as it is only a subtle clue to the devastating affect the famine had on the area. Forking off the Stranafely Road, this old Famine Relief Road C. 1847 gave some employment to the locality. My grandfather would have walked past this road on the way back and forth from home to school. A Generation Passes Neighbors in life and death, my ancestors are buried in unmarked graves between the Jordan and Armstrong families, nearby the Rusk and others all in the Aghavea Cemetery just a few miles away from Eschacorran. Genevieve Price 05-11-2005 updated 08-09-2006
Famine Relief Road c. 1847
Rainbow over Stranafely Road
- WELCOME
- CELTIC
- TRAVEL
- GENEALOGY
- TYRONE
- FERMANAGH
  - STRANAFELY
    - HOMESTEAD
    - JORDAN
    - THE SCHOOL
  - AGHAVEA
  - AGHALURCHER
  - LISNASKEA
  - BROOKEBORO
  - ENNISKILLEN
  - FAMILY ALBUM
  - BILIOGRAPHY
  - GUESTBOOK 11