My ancestors - Hourigan - Contents

The "Orchards" house The "Boreen" house

Annagh, Abington parish, Co.Limerick

Hourigan houses in Annagh townland, Abington par, NE Co.Limerick.
NW of Murroe. Near border with Co.Tipperary.

Annagh was held by Sir Thomas Hackett from 1672.
Hourigan apparently acquired tenancy of their property in Annagh townland from Sir Thomas Hackett around the late 17th century.
Sir Thomas Hackett died 1706.
[Tierney, 1966, Ch.4] shows the owners of his estate after him, leading later to Barrington.

Annagh was home of Jack Hourigan (born probably before 1765, alive in 1826).
Jack is living at Annagh in 1805.

There emerged (apparently by 1826) two Hourigan properties at Annagh:

1. The "Orchards" house at Annagh.
   This property included the orchard, and the buildings across the road.
   There was an old house, and a new house built in 1932.

2. The "Boreen" house at Annagh.
   This house is down the lane (the "boreen") to the SE of the orchard.
   This house was actually bigger than the old house at the orchard.

There are two entries for "John Hourigan" at Annagh in [Tithe Survey, 1826]. This must be the two properties already separate. The entries must be for Jack and his son Jack. The properties are 40 acres (probably the Orchards) and 27 acres (probably the Boreen).

Annagh was inherited by the son, Jack Hourigan (married before 1816, alive in 1851).
James Hourigan says Jack planted the orchard across the road when he was age 70.
The orchard appears on the 1829 to 1842 map.
In [Griffiths Valuation, 1851] there are two properties, 69 acres for the aged Jack Hourigan (with a large house) and 48 acres for his son "John Hourigan junior" (with another large house, in fact valued higher than the house of the father).
It is likely that the smaller acres but slightly better house in [Griffiths Valuation, 1851] is the "Boreen" house.
[Griffiths Valuation, 1851] shows that the landlord was Barrington.
After the father died, the property splits to his sons. See below.

Location of Annagh, Co.Limerick, on Co.Tipperary border, NW of Moroe, SW of Newport.
From here.

Jack Hourigan at Annagh in 1805.
From Finns Leinster Journal, December 28, 1805.

Two entries for John Hourigan at Annagh in [Tithe Survey, 1826].
From here.

Part of the townland of Annagh on 1829 to 1842 map.
In the centre here is the orchard. Across the road is the "Orchards" Hourigan house.
To the SE of the orchard is the "Boreen" house.

Jack Hourigan and his son John Hourigan junior listed at Annagh in Abington par, p.3, in [Griffiths Valuation, 1851].
John Hourigan (the father) holds 69 acres (largest plot in the townland) and a large house, and leases out some small plots.
John Hourigan junior holds 48 acres (2nd largest plot in the townland) and a large house, and leases out some small plots.

The area around the Hourigan house on the [Griffiths Valuation] map at askaboutireland.ie.
Unfortunately the plot numbers do not match the numbers in the text.
Plot 19A here is the "Orchards" plot, which must be plot 28 in the text.
Plot 20 here is the "Boreen" plot, which must be plot 40 in the text.

The Hourigan property in Annagh.
From 1887 to 1913 map.
The "Orchards" house to the W of the orchard.
The "Boreen" house to the SE.

The two Hourigan houses at Annagh in the 1901 census.
From here.

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The "Orchards" house

The "Orchards" house at Annagh:
This property went to John Hourigan (bapt 1819, died 1883).
His widow Catherine Ryan living there in 1901 census. House no.16.
In the 1901 census, this is the smaller house at Annagh. This has 5 rooms. 4 windows in front of house. 7 outbuildings.
Catherine Ryan died 1904.
Home of John and Catherine's son Thomas Hourigan (born 1864, died 1928).
Home of his nephew James Hourigan (born 1893, died 1973).
James built a new house at Annagh in 1932. "The Orchards" on the gate. The old house was demolished.
Hourigan still there today.
See "The Orchards" in NIAH.

"The Orchards", Annagh, today.
Farmyard (some old buildings, some newer buildings) closer to the road.
The new house (built 1932) to the SW, back from the road.
From satellite view.

The OS map shows the old house was on the W side of the farm.

The farmyard at "The Orchards", Annagh. View looking S.
The old house was where this red flagstone is.
The old house was demolished when the new house was built to the SW in 1932.
Photo 2026. See larger and full size.
See wider shot.

The farmyard at "The Orchards", Annagh. View looking N.
The old house was in this section.
Photo 2026. See larger and full size.
See wider shot.

"The Orchards", Annagh. The new house built in 1932.
See larger and full size.

"The Orchards", Annagh.
From NIAH.

The date "1932" at the side of the house.
Photo 2026. See larger and full size.

Sign at "The Orchards".
Photo 2026. See larger and full size.
See other photo. From NIAH.

Street view at "The Orchards", Annagh, today.
From street view. Click to rotate.
This gate is the old entrance to the house.
Right foreground is farm buildings.
Left background is the new house.
Rotate to see the orchard.
In the orchard are the remains of a small herdsman's house.

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The "Boreen" house

The "Boreen" house at Annagh:
This was home of Patrick Hourigan (bapt 1816) and his family, before they emigrated to America in 1853.
It was then home of his brother James Hourigan (bapt 1823, died 1908).
James is living there in 1901 census. House no.17.
In the 1901 census, this is the bigger house at Annagh. This has 6 rooms. 8 windows in front of house. 6 outbuildings.
Home of James' son Patrick Hourigan (bapt 1863, died 1922).
Home of his son James Hourigan (born 1905, died 1986).
Hourigan gone from there now.
Hourigan sold it to Burke.
19th century house. Still exists.

The "Boreen" house at Annagh.
See larger and full size.
See other copy.

The "Boreen" house at Annagh.
See larger and full size.

The "Boreen" house at Annagh today.
From satellite view.

The "Boreen".
See larger and full size.
See street view of entrance.

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• The Hourigans were friendly with their landlords the Barringtons. There is a story that the Barringtons had a disabled child and it was minded by Hourigan at Annagh. There was no rent to pay while they minded the child.
• (todo) Try death of Mary Barrington, 1865, age 22, [GROI], Limerick, 1st qr, vol 5 p 346.