How should Pollans, Donegal be categorized?

Question

I am not accustomed to the vames/naming conventions of political subdivisions in Ireland.

I wanted to add a category for Pollans, a townland in County Donegal Ireland.

I thought I might be able to fashion it like another townland in County Dongeal, Pettigo, Donegal.  But all the categories within with category have me wondering what the appropriate categories would be for Pollans.  These are the categories listed on the Category page for Pettigo:

[[Category:  Towns in Donegal]]
[[Category:  Tirhugh, Donegal]]
[[Category:  Townlands in Donegal]]
[[Category:  Templecarn, Donegal]]
[[Category:  Donegal, Donegal]]

Here is the information on Pollans on the 1901 census record...
County: Donegal
Parliamentary division: West Donegal
Poor Law Union: Letterkenny
District Electoral Division: Templedouglas
Townland: Pollans
Barony: Kilmacrenan
Parish: Conwal

What Categories would be listed inside the Pollans,Donegal Category?

Thanks,  Mags

 

Answer 1

I usually use the irish place names site to check on the naming conventions for irish places.http://www.irish-place-names.com/ I think I created the Pettigo one.

There are many places that are both towns, townlands and parishes so I try and link them all together as often you might only have one name but by investigating the others that are connected you might find more family. This is particularly relevant for townlands which can be a very small geographic area.

For Pollans the Irish place name site lists, it as a townland, in the barony of Kilmacrenan, parish of Conwel, poor law union of Letterkenny as indicated already. So I would create the category for Pollans as follows:

[[Category: Townlands in Donegal]]

[[Category: Kilmacrenan, Donegal]]

[[Category: Conwel, Donegal]]

[[Category: Letterkenny, Donegal]]

You would then need to link them to the appropriate level above if they dont exist already. Ie Letterkenny to Poor Law Unions in Donegal etc.

Comments

Just for info, the reason i use irish place names as my reference point is that the spelling of place names on this site are directly aligned with the 'ask about ireland' site where you can interrogate the Griffiths valuation.  You wont be able to find the info if you dont get the townland spelling right.

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Great!  Thanks Veronica!  Mags

Answer 2

I'm new at this, but here are some thoughts:

1. It seems fine to just leave it in [[Category:  Townlands in Donegal]].
2. I would take Pettigo out of [[Category:  Donegal, Donegal]] as it is 27 km from Donegal Town. Maybe rename that category to Donegal Town, Donegal.
3. Pettigo is in Templecarn Parish - perhaps that category could be renamed to Templecarn Parish, Donegal? Pollans is in Conwal Parish.
4. Pettigo was in the barony of Tirhugh. Pollans was in the barony of Kilmacrennan. Shouldn't these categories say "Barony of Whatever?" Because there's also a village of Kilmacrennan.

Comments

Thanks Karen,

Under the Categories for Pettigo (listed just for an example) I have the information for Pollans.  It's because all of the other that was listed for Pettigo that I asked about what categories I should use for Pollans.

I agree, why not list it as the Barony, the Parish and so on...

Thanks for answering, you have definately bolstered my thinking!

Mags

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Donegal was included as it is the Poor Law Union for Pettigo.  You will find Templecarn will be linked to Parishes in Donegal.  By linking to just Kilmacrennan, Donegal, Kilmacrennan can link up to both Baronies in Donegal as well as Towns in Donegal.