473 
Think they should pay Shraughe and Marte* to H. M. as they did to 
Desmond. 
1589, Dec. 15.—Petition of Morish Shigane to the Lord Treasurer 
to take order for the relief of the Countess of Desmond, before Mr. Secre- 
tary Fenton departs. 
1589 (Cirerter) Cal. 195.—Names of the 8 persons excepted out of 
the Act of Attainder of the E. of Desmond. 
From Calendar Patent Roll, 1 James I., part 1, page 5. 
LVIII. 17.— King’s letter for grants of pensions of 50’ each to the 
Lady Jane Fitzgerald, and to Ellen, and Elizabeth, her sisters, all sis- 
ters of the late Earl of Desmond. 4 Sept. Ist. 
MONDAY, APRIL 22, 1861. 
Rey. Cuartes Graves, D. D., President, in the Chair. 
The Rey. Wm. Rerves, D. D., read a paper— 
ON THE TOWNLAND DISTRIBUTION OF IRELAND. 
Tue civil distribution of Ireland, in the descending scale, is into Pro- 
vinces, Counties, Baronies, Parishes, and Townlands; and under these 
successive grades of classification every acre of Ireland is accounted for 
in that noble compilation, the Census of 1851,—a work which, indepen- 
dently of its ostensible object, affords to the Irish topographer, next to 
the inestimable Ordnance Survey, the most valuable repertory of infor- 
mation in existence ;§ and which would probably enjoy a higher literary 
character, had it been issued in a cover of any other colour than blue. 
But this highly convenient distribution of the surface of Ireland is 
characterized neither by unity of design nor by chronological order in 
* Referring to the “‘ Topographer,” by J. G. Nichols, F. S. A., Part 14, p 123 :— 
“1587. Names of Rentes, in Money, Victuals, and customes, which were due to the Earl 
of Desmond :— 
Shraughe, A yearlie rent in sterling money 
Marte A yearlie rent of beef.” 
+ Morishe Sheghan (as he himself signs) was attorney for the Earl of Desmond in 
giving livery and seisin of the Earl’s estates, under the feofment of 1574; and on the 
Countess Kathrin surrendering her castle of Inchiquin, 1575, to the Earl, the latter feofft 
it to Morishe Shegan in trust. 
£ Daughters of the rebel, Gerott, 16th Earl. 
§ The census of 1841 descended no lower than the parochial division. There were, 
however, thirty-four fasciculi published in 1844, at one shilling each, in which the enu- 
meration returns of Houses and Persons were given under the head of the several town- 
lands. This was the first printed recital of all the townlands of Ireland. The census of 
1851 adopted the same minute classification, and further added the acreable contents of 
every townland. 
R. I. A. PROC.—VOL. VII. 3x 
