Smallcounty


Smallcounty or Small County is a historical barony in eastern County Limerick, Ireland. Settlements in the barony include Hospital, Herbertstown, Fedamore and Knockainy.

Location

Located in County Limerick, the barony of Smallcounty is bordered by six other baronies:
Baronies were created after the Norman invasion of Ireland as subdivisions of counties and were used for administration. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they have been administratively obsolete since 1898. However, they continue to be used in land registration and specification such as in planning permissions. In many cases, a barony corresponds to an earlier Gaelic túath which had submitted to the Crown.

History

‘’An Déis Bheag’’ was the name of a tribe from late Antiquity. The English form of the barony’s name may have been based on this name
This barony lay partly in the Poor law union of Kilmallock, and partly in that of Limerick. In 1846, the total number of tenements valued was 2942.
Rateable ValueNo. of Tenements
Under £51557
Under £10291
Under £10173
Under £20141
Under £25127
Under £3092
Under £40164
Under £50103
Above £50294

Some officers of the Regiment of the Lord President of Connaught, Sir Charles Coote, were rewarded for their services in the Cromwellian wars with land in the barony. They are listed as Col. Chidley Coote, Col. Richard Coote, Major Ormsby, Major King and Captain St. George. The land was rated at £800 per 1000 acres - the second highest in the county.
In 1831, the population was 22,674; in 1841 it was 21,527. The 1841 census shows how families in the barony were employed.
Chief employmentNo. of Families
on agriculture2,776
on manufactures and trade48
on other pursuits210
Families dependent chiefly on
property and professions		52
on the directing of labour1,114
on their own manual labour2,211
on means not specified94

Civil parishes

There are 18 civil parishes in the barony.
The following civil parishes are wholly contained within the barony:
The barony also contains parts of the following civil parishes:
  • Athneasy
  • Ballycahane
  • Fedamore
  • Kilbreedymajor
  • Kilpeacon
  • Kilteely
  • Monasternenagh
  • Tullabracky
  • Uregare.