View source for Altbrean

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{{Use Hiberno-English|date=March 2023}}
'''Altbrean''' (Irish derived place name ''Alt Bréan'', meaning the 'Smelly Gorge’, so-called because of the decayed vegetation in the swamp at the bottom of the slope) is a [[townland]] in the [[civil parishes in Ireland|civil parish]] of [[Kinawley]], barony of [[Tullyhaw]], [[County Cavan]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]].<ref name="Logainm"/>
==Geography==
Altbrean is bounded on the north by [[Tullydermot]] townland, on the south by [[Altachullion Lower]] townland, on the west by [[Aghnacollia]] and [[Commas (Kinawley)]] townlands and on the east by [[Altinure]], [[Gubrawully]] and [[Sralahan (Kinawley)]] townlands. Its chief geographical features are hills which rise to 752 feet above sea level, the [[River Cladagh (Swanlinbar)]], waterfalls, river swallowholes, a gravel pit, a spring well and dug wells. Altbrean is traversed by the local L1019 road, minor public roads and rural lanes. The townland covers 329 statute acres.<ref name="IreAtlas"/>
==History==
In earlier times the townland was probably uninhabited as it consists mainly of bog and poor clay soils. It was not seized by the English during the Plantation of Ulster in 1610 or in the Cromwellian Settlement of the 1660s so some dispossessed Irish families moved there and began to clear and farm the land.
The 1825 Tithe Applotment Books spell the name as ''Altbrean''.<ref>{{cite web|website=nationalarchives.ie|title=Archive document
|url=http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/reels/tab//004625688/004625688_00049.pdf|access-date=19 April 2023}}</ref>
The 1836 Ordnance Survey Namebooks state- ''As it is merely a track of mountain, it is free from county cess and tithe''.
[[Griffith's Valuation]] lists nine landholders in the townland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=doNameSearch&PlaceID=189114&county=Cavan&barony=Tullyhaw&parish=Kinawley&townland=%3Cb%3EAltbrean%3C/b%3E|title=Griffith's Valuation|website=www.askaboutireland.ie|accessdate=19 April 2023}}</ref>
The landlord of the townland in the 19th century was the Hassard estate.
==Census==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Population
! Males
! Females
! Total Houses
! Uninhabited
|-
| 1841 || 29 || 11 || 18 || 5 || 0
|-
| 1851 || 58 || 23 || 25 || 8 || 0
|-
| 1861 || 46 || 21 || 25 || 9 || 2
|-
| 1871 || 14 || 7 || 7 || 4 || 0
|-
| 1881 || 32 || 17 || 15 || 5 || 0
|-
| 1891 || 40 || 22 || 14 || 5 || 0
|}
In the [[Census of Ireland, 1901|1901 census of Ireland]], there are six families listed in the townland.<ref>http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Cavan/Kinawley/Altbrean/ ''Census of Ireland 1901''</ref>
In the [[Census of Ireland, 1911|1911 census of Ireland]], there are seven families listed in the townland.<ref>http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Cavan/Kinawley/Altbrean/ ''Census of Ireland 1911''</ref>
==Antiquities==
#Stone bridges over the river, including Commas Bridge, a single-arch sandstone bridge, built c.1860 over the Claddagh River.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/40400701/commas-bridge-altbrean-cavan|title=Commas Bridge, ALTBREAN, CAVAN|website=Buildings of Ireland|accessdate=19 April 2023}}</ref>
# Stepping-stones over the river
==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="Logainm">{{Cite web |url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/4018?s=altbrean|title=Placenames Database of Ireland |accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref>
<ref name="IreAtlas">{{Cite web |url=http://www.thecore.com/seanruad/ |title=IreAtlas |accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref>
}}
==External links==
*[http://www.thecore.com/seanruad/ The IreAtlas Townland Data Base]
{{County Cavan}}
[[Category:Townlands of County Cavan]]