Mormeal

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{EngvarB|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Mormeal | type = townland | native_name = | translit_lang1 = Irish | translit_lang1_type = Derivation: | translit_lang1_info = {{lang|ga|Mír Mhíchíl}} | translit_lang1_type1 = Meaning: | translit_lang1_info1 = "Michael's portion" | translit_lang2 = | translit_lang2_type = Derivation: | translit_lang2_info = | translit_lang2_type1 = Meaning: | translit_lang2_info1 = | image_skyline = | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_map = Mormeal.png | mapsize = | map_alt = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Northern Ireland#United Kingdom | pushpin_label_position =  | pushpin_label =  | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_map_caption = Mormeal shown within Northern Ireland | coordinates = {{coord|54.791|-6.744|region:GB_scale:20000|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coor_pinpoint =  | coordinates_footnotes =   | subdivision_type = Sovereign state | subdivision_name = United Kingdom | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = Northern Ireland | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name2 = County Londonderry | subdivision_type3 = Barony | subdivision_name3 = Loughinsholin | subdivision_type4 = Civil parish | subdivision_name4 = Kilcronaghan

| leader_title = Council | leader_name = Mid Ulster District | leader_title1 = Ward | leader_name1 = Tobermore

| population_footnotes =  | population_total = | population_as_of = | population_density_km2 =  | population_density_sq_mi= | population_note =  | blank_name_sec1 = Irish grid ref | blank_info_sec1 = [http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/frames.htm?mapAction=gaz&gazName=g&gazString=H8094 H8094]  | website =  | footnotes = }} '''Mormeal''' ({{IPA|en|ˌmɔrˈmeːl|label=locally|generic=yes}} and {{IPA|en|ˌmɔrˈmiːl||generic=yes}}, {{etymology|ga|Mír Mhíchíl|Michael's portion}}<ref name="IPA"/>) is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the west of the parish with the Altagoan river to its west forming the parish boundary with Ballynascreen. It is bounded by the townlands of: Brackaghlislea, Drumard, Duntibryan, Gortnaskey, Granny, Tamnyaskey. It wasn't apportioned to any of the London livery companies, being kept as church lands.<ref name="Munn"/>

The townland was part of Tobermore electoral ward of the former Magherafelt District Council, however in 1926 it was part of Tobermore district electoral division as part of the Maghera division of Magherafelt Rural District.<ref name="HistPop1926"/> It was also part of the historic barony of Loughinsholin.<ref name="Munn"/>

==Etymology== The actual Irish origin of Mormeal is unknown with several different variants provided, most notably by Alfred Munn Moore. The most recent translation as of 2002 states its origin as being; ''Mír Mhíchíl'', meaning Michael's portion.<ref name="PlaceNamesNI"/> Older origins include:

* ''Mor-meall'' meaning "great hillock".<ref name="Munn"/> ''Mór Mael(án)'' in modern Irish. * ''Baile mor miol'' meaning "town of the monsters".<ref name="Munn"/> * ''Magh-adhair m-bheal'' (pronounced "mawr-meal") meaning "plain of the fire, or adoration, of the god Belus (the sun)".<ref name="Munn"/>

==History== Along with the townlands of Granny, Tamnyaskey, and Tullyroan, Mormeal comprises the four townlands that make up the Bishop of Derrys lands in the parish. Prior to the Plantation of Ulster, these four townlands constituted the termon (or erenagh) land of the parish, and were known as "''Ballintrolla, Derreskerdan, Dirrygrinagh et Kellynahawla''". Despite these townlands being in the same location as the later townlands, it is now impossible to match their names accurately.<ref name="IPA2"/>

The ruins of the ancient parish church of Kilcronaghan lie within the townland of Mormeal. In the east of the townland on a hill (438 ft.) lies an ancient ráth, and one on another hill (450 ft.) to the south.

===Statistics=== {{col-begin|width=auto}} {{col-break}} {|class="wikitable" style="margin:0; border:1px solid darkgrey;" |+ Population |- ! style="width:75px;"|Year ! style="width:75px;"|Pop. |- ! 1841 | 330 <ref name="HistPop1881"/> |- ! 1851 | 254 <ref name="HistPop1881"/> |- ! 1861 | 244 <ref name="HistPop1881"/> |- ! 1871 | 220 <ref name="HistPop1881"/> |- ! 1881 | 209 <ref name="HistPop1881"/> |- ! 1891 | 162 <ref name="HistPop1901"/> |- ! 1901 | 142 <ref name="HistPop1901"/> |- ! 1911 | 150 <ref name="HistPop1926"/> |- ! 1926 | 127 <ref name="HistPop1926"/> |} {{col-break}} {|class="wikitable" style="margin:0 0 0 3em; border:1px solid darkgrey;" |+ Size (acres, roods, poles) |- ! style="width:75px;" | Year ! style="width:100px;" | a, r, p |- ! 1851 | 515, 1, 3 <ref name="HistPop1851"/> |- ! 1881 | 515, 1, 3 <ref name="HistPop1881"/> |- ! 1901 | 515, 1, 3 <ref name="HistPop1901"/> |- ! 1926 | 527, 1, 31 <ref name="HistPop1926"/> |} {{col-break}} {|class="wikitable" style="margin:0 0 0 3em; border:1px solid darkgrey;" |+ Earlier recorded forms<ref name="PlaceNamesNI"/> |- ! style="width:75px;" | Year ! style="width:200px;" | Form |- ! 1654 | Mirrimeith |- ! 1657c | Merinnch (D.S.) <ref name="Munn"/> |- ! 1659c | Mirmihellgrany<br/>(joined with Granny) |- ! 1661 | Merrinnieth |- ! 1661c | Mirmichell |- ! 1672c | Mermeth |- ! 1680 | Mermeale |- ! 1686 | Meremeala |- ! 1767 | Mermeal |- ! 1813 | Mormeal (S.M.) <ref name="Munn"/> |- | colspan="2" align="center" | <sub>(D.S.) - Down Survey Map<br/>(S.M.) - Sampson's Map</sub> |} {{col-end}}

==References== <references>

<ref name="HistPop1926">[http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/PageBrowser2?ResourceType=Census&ResourceType=TNA&SearchTerms=tobermore&simple=yes&path=Results&active=yes&titlepos=20&mno=239&pageseq=53 HistPop; County and County Borough of Londonderry, 1926, page 27]</ref> <ref name="HistPop1851">[http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/PageBrowser2?ResourceType=Census&ResourceType=TNA&SearchTerms=tobermore&simple=yes&path=Results&active=yes&titlepos=1&mno=396&pageseq=15 HistPop; County of Londonderry, 1851, page 241]</ref> <ref name="HistPop1881">[http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/PageBrowser2?ResourceType=Census&ResourceType=Legislation&ResourceType=Essays&ResourceType=Registrar%20General&ResourceType=TNA&SearchTerms=brackaghlislea&simple=yes&path=Results&active=yes&titlepos=1&mno=434&pageseq=696 HistPop; Area, population and number of houses, Vol. III, Ireland, 1881, page 698]</ref> <ref name="Munn">''Notes on the Place Names of the Parishes and Townlands of the County of Londonderry'', 1925, Alfred Moore Munn, Clerk of the Crown and Peace of the City and County of Londonderry</ref> <ref name="PlaceNamesNI">[http://www.placenamesni.org/resultdetails.php?entry=3858 Place Names NI - Mormeal]</ref> <ref name="OSNI">{{Cite web |url=http://maps.ehsni.gov.uk/SixInchSeries/Default.aspx |accessdate=27 January 2012 |author=Northern Ireland Environment Agency |title=NIEA Map Viewer |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124125249/http://maps.ehsni.gov.uk/SixInchSeries/Default.aspx |archivedate=24 November 2011 }}</ref> <ref name="IPA">Toner, Gregory: ''Place-Names of Northern Ireland'', page 130-1. Queen's University of Belfast, 1996, {{ISBN|0-85389-613-5}}</ref> <ref name="IPA2">Toner, Gregory: ''Place-Names of Northern Ireland'', page 112. Queen's University of Belfast, 1996, {{ISBN|0-85389-613-5}}</ref> <ref name="HistPop1901">[http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/PageBrowser2?ResourceType=Census&ResourceType=Legislation&ResourceType=Essays&ResourceType=Registrar%20General&ResourceType=TNA&SearchTerms=ballymacilcurr&simple=yes&path=Results&active=yes&treestate=expandnew&titlepos=0&mno=450&tocstate=expandnew&display=sections&display=tables&display=pagetitles&pageseq=367 HistPop; Area, houses, and population, Vol. III [Part 2], Ireland, 1901 Page 35]</ref>

</references>

Category:Townlands of County Londonderry Category:Civil parish of Kilcronaghan