This land survey is a record of all land owners who owned at least one acre at the time.[1] It was commissioned by the Lord Lieutenant in 1872.[2] The survey was conducted before the wholesale transfer of land to the majority Catholic renters which was brought on by Land League agitation and various Land Acts. Of every county in Ireland there are only two landowners listed with the Buggy name, both owning land in Kilkenny.
Eliza Buggy is listed as owning 826 acres, 2 roods and 5 perches. The total valuation of this land is 352 pounds and 10 shillings. Her address is listed as Cantwell’s Court, Kilkenny. This is in the townland of Sandford’s Court on the outskirts of Kilkenny City.
Patrick Buggy is listed as owning 64 acres, 0 acres and 10 perches. The valuation of this land is 22 pounds and 10 shillings. His address is listed as Bilboa, Coolcullen, Leighlinbridge, which is in county Carlow.
Extracts from the survey, page 35, are below
[1] Local Government Board. Return of Owners of Land of One Acre and Upwards, In the Several Counties, Counties of Cities and Counties of Towns in Ireland. 1876. Print.
[2] Ibid. p. iii
Buggy Name History 
This is all very interesting!
Amazing to have all the names of our particular branch of Buggys. “In 1846 60% of the population in Ireland lived in meagre huts of sod and turf ” and had to rent their land. They did not have ready access to education … Yet the Buggy were wealthy!… A mystery !
Regards Fiona Buggy
Granddaughter of Dr Louis Buggy
Was your Grandfather working at the District Asylum in Kilkenny in 1922
Yes indeed he was. Louis Buggy was our Grandfather. He died in the 1930s.
Thank you for your reply. I am a postal historian
and have found a old envelope addressed to
him.
Re Cantwellscourt v. Sandfordscourt
Cantwellscourt dates from1409 at least, Sandfordscourt from Cromwellian times if not later.
The townland is still called Cúirt an Chantualaigh in Irish.
Ref. Carrigan, History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory, vol.iii, pp 272-5, 280.
Placenames.ie or Logainm.ie and search for Sandforscourt or Cúirt an Chantualaigh
Éamonn Ó hÓgáin
Very interesting,Eamonn. When. Cantwells Court (1376 acres) was confiscated in 1653 and John Cantwell ,the then owner, was “transplanted with mother and dependents to Connaught”;
Lord Ranelagh was granted most of the Cantwells Court lands,and renamed the property “Sandfords Court”About 1840 the present day farm known as Cantwells Court came on the market and was bought by a Dublin lawyer John McNamara Cantwell.He thought he was also buying the original castle with his 270 acres,but the sale did not include the square Norman tower. On his death the farm passed to his daughter Harriet,but I do not know her married name.I would be interested in knowing the date when John and Eliza Buggy bought Cantwells Court and from whom they bought the farm.The farm was bought for my father in the late 30’s from Ken Buggy,and my brother Edwin lives there today.Over the years members of the Buggy and Cantwell families have visited.
My great-great-great(!) grandfather Richard Buggy of Gaulstown KK married Catherine Cullen in 1831 and had seven children (Michael 1832, John 1835, Mary 1837 (my GG grandmother, married Philip Banan, Rathmoyle, changed as time went on to Banim), James 1839, Catherine 1843, Margaret 1846, Richard 1848). Do you know of this family?
I realise that this is an old thread – hope it’s still active!
Thank you, very interesting site!
Natasha Mitchell
I don’t recognise it from my side of the family (johnswell, Freshford, sandfordscourt, kilkenny city etc) but others on this site may be able to help. If I get the chance I may look at bit closer at some stage.
My great-great-great(!) grandfather Richard Buggy of Gaulstown KK married Catherine Cullen in 1831 and had seven children (Michael 1832, John 1835, Mary 137 (my GG grandmother, married Philip Banan, Rathmoyle, changed as time went on to Banim), James 1839, Catherine 1843, Margaret 1846, Richard 1848). Do you know of this family?
I realise that this is an old thread – hope it’s still active!
Thank you, very interesting site!
Natasha Mitchell
A great-granduncle of mine, Matt Hogan (1817-1897), Gaulstown, Ballyfoyle, was married to Julia Buggy (1821-1861), a sister of John Buggy, Sandfordscourt. John Buggy and his wife Eliza Buggy (née O’Rourke) were very helpful to Matt at one point when he was in financial difficulties. At that period Canon Michael Birch was Parish Priest in. Muckalee (1840-1872). Our family has a vague memory that Canon Birch and the Buggys were related. I wonder is there any any evidence of that relationship?
Dia leat,
Éamonn Ó hÓgáin
Very useful information, Eamonn, and I’ll get back to you on that. I’ve been ‘running’ specifically with Cantwell’s Court Buggy and Freshford Buggy family research for many years. (I started it many years earlier than, and as a totally separate exercise to, this very good wider Buggy blog site). This branch largely remained in Kilkenny and very few were involved in emigration to UK or USA, apart from my great uncle Kyran Thomas (aka Ken) in the 1920s and 30s
No luck so far on Julia. I’ve got all the marriage and birth records for each generation and the family bible for john buggy’s family, where Eliza kept a record of everyone. No mention of a Julia I’m afraid…..yet. John Buggy was born in 1804, 17 years before Julia’s date. John was the son of michael buggy and alice birch, so you are right about that connection. Alice was born about 1775, so would have been around 46 at the time if Julia’s birth. She did have other children in her early 40s so I suppose Julia would not have been impossible, but don’t know why she is not recorded in the family history. I’ll do some more research and get back in due course.
Éamonn Ó hÓgáin
Julia Hogan née Buggy (1822-1861)
Marriage. On 13 July 1845 Julia Buggy married Matthew Hogan (1817-1897), Gaulstown, Muckalee, Co. Kilkenny; witnesses his sister Mary Anne, Antony Goss, William Goss. Parish Register, Muckalee.
Death. ‘Requiescat in pace. After protracted illness, borne with Christian patience, Julia, wife of Matthew Hogan, Esq., Gaulstown (niece the Rev. M. Birch, P.P. Muckalee, and sister of the late gifted K. Buggy), in the thirty-ninth year of age, deeply and sincerely regretted.’ The Kilkenny Journal, and Leinster Commercial and Literary Advertiser, 9 January 1861.
John Buggy (c. 1804-1870)
Son of Michael Buggy (1769-1838) and Alice Buggy née Birch (1773-1847). Married Eliza Buggy (c.1830-1909) née O’Rourke.
Will. John Buggy of Sandfort – late of Cantwellscourt ‘I appoint my uncle the Rev. Michael Birch executor to this my last will and Testament dated Gaulstown August the 3rd 1856 John Buggy …. Signed in the presence … Mathew Hogan, Alice Lawrenson’.
Rev. Michael Birch, P. P. Muckalee (1787-1872 – from Killaree, Freshford, Co. Kilkenny
Will. ‘Michael Birch of Muckalee in the Diocese of Ossoryin the county of Kilkenny Parish Priest of Muckalee … I will and bequeath to my Grand niece Alice Hogan of Gaulstown County Kilkenny daughter to Mr Mathew Hogan of same place the sum of one hundred pounds. … Michael Birch of Muckalee in the Diocese of Ossoryin the county of Kilkenny Parish Priest of Muckalee ’ Date: 15.11.1872.
‘sister of the late gifted K. Buggy’
K. Buggy = Kyran Thomas Buggy (1817-1843), worked with Daniel O’Connell for the cause of Irish freedom and Catholic emancipation. Brother of John Buggy.
From this evidence Julia Hogan née Buggy was sister of John Buggy of Cantwellscourt. The question of her age and / or her mother’s age still remains a problem! Ages given are often unreliable, however.
Just seen your last posting. Yes some of that fits OK. I’ve had a family tree for many years which includes pretty much all of it (including the Gosses and Birches etc). I also got most of the certs and records many years ago (pre-modern digital records!). However Its possible one of the records was transcribed wrongly by the original paper record keepers. I have written records for a William Buggy born 1822 to my great great grandparents (ie a brother to my GGF John Buggy). However there are no further records of him. Is it possible this might have been Julia (someone assuming perhaps that Latin had been (mis)used for William and/or the writing was too poor to decipher it fully)?. There were no other births recorded for the parents as they were already quite old by then. If all this is true it solves a mystery because William appeared to have disappeared!
Dia leat, a Mike. Thanks for your reply. Bit by bit the castles are built / De réir a chéile a thógtar na caisleáin!
Éamonn
Maith a buachail agus go raibh maith agat! Ar maith leat, faigheann tu me ar ‘aghaidh-leabhar’ teachtaire !! (Gosport, Hampshire, U.K.)
Are any of the above Buggys descendents of Ken Buggy who emigrated to California. Ken was my grand uncle as my mother Moira was the only daughter of John W. Buggy and sister of Tim Buggy.
I’m sure Matt, you mean ancestors, and not descendents!!! ‘Ken’ Buggy was actually Kyran Norris Buggy and he was your grandfather John W Buggy’s step brother. He got the ‘Freedom of Kilkenny’ in the early 1970’s. He was the only member of his branch of the Buggy family to have gone to America. His grandaughters Maureen and Michelle are regular visitors to these shores (see earlier comments below by Michelle). John W was one of the 4 children by 2 marriages of Dr John Joseph Buggy, who died young.
Dr John Joseph himself was one of the 5 surviving children of ‘old John’ Buggy, who was Mayor of Kilkenny in the 1860’s. My grandfather Louis was also one of ‘old John’s’ sons, and hence a brother of your great grandfather Dr John J, and therefore is one of your great great Uncles!! .
Phew too many Johns in this branch of the Buggy family!!
ps It is said that although Kyran/Ken inherited the family farm and property in Kilkenny in the 1930’s (from his uncle Michael, another son of my great grandfather John and his wife Eliza, mentioned below), he had a bad time during WW1 (He was in a mounted regiment) and he did not want his young family to be too near another conflict when the sounds of war started again in the late 30’s, so he sold up to his neighbours, the Harpers (see their comments below) and went back to California, which he had already tried out as a young man.
MB
(‘amateur historian’ for the Cantwell’s Court Buggys!)
It would be most unusual to to research a Clancy name when researching a Buggy name particularly if there was no relationship! I too am a descendent of the same Buggy family and find it all most interesting.
Eliza (Rourke) Buggy was my great grandma (and Michelle, as she has already said above, is also part of our family). Eliza (related to the Rourke, Madden & Comerford families) stayed on at Cantwells Court long after my great grandfather (an alderman, farmer, and ex-mayor of the city) died. All of their offspring were well educated becoming doctors and lawyers (solicitors). For some strange reason, going back many generations, well before the famine years, this branch of the Buggy family became relatively successful and escaped poverty and the affects of the famine. They were NOT involved in any of the Georgian or Victorian emigration diasporas to Britain or USA and mostly remained in the Kilkenny area.
One of great gradfather John’s brothers, K T (Kyran Thomas, but sometimes missnamed Kevin T) worked with Daniel O’Connell for the cause of Irish freedom and catholic emancipation. He was training as a lawyer, but was also a journalist and rally/protest organiser. He also wrote poems and songs including ‘The Saxon Shilling’ which still can be heard. He died very young however, and there is a monument to him in the old graveyard in Belfast.
There is also a small monument to John Buggy in the graveyard at Johnswell, Co Kilkenny, whose little parish church he had provided the altar for.
Very interesting.My granfather Sam Harper bought Cantwell’s Court from Ken Buggy in the 1930s for my father Robert Harper.Eliza Buggy had left the farm of 265 acres to her son Michael Buggy a solicitor in Kilkenny,on her death.He lived in Kilkenny city and his farm stewart Pearse Grace and wife lived in Cantwells Court house.His nephew Ken Buggy inherited Cantwells Court and returned from America to live and farm at Cantwells Court.
I grew up in Cantwells Court and my brother Edwin farms there today.
Cantwells Court is not a townland and never was…….only the house is Cantwells Court.The farm is part of the townland of Sandsford Court.John Mc Namara Cantwell built Cantwells Court house around1860 and sold house and farm to John and Eliza Buggy.
Mr. Harper,
Thank you very much for you comments on the article. The error has been changed. Anymore info on the Buggy connection, house history or general history of the area is most welcome.
Regards,
Joe Buggy
Wow, cool to see I’m related to one of these entries! I didn’t know there were only 2 land-owning Buggys at that time. I’m from the Cantwell’s Court family. Eliza was my great, great grandmother! She would be the owner, since her husband, John (who was mayor of Kilkenny at some point), died in 1870. There’s stories of her feeding the hungry at Cantwell’s Court.
There’s some mystery as to how members our family were able to be doctors and lawyers, as I’ve heard that the native Irish weren’t to be educated. Is this true? John’s father, Michael (1769-1838) was a lawyer. Just one of the mysteries of the family!
Dear Sir,
it is with great interest and nostalgia that I read your semi regular musings on Irish families. However it is with a heavy heart and more than a tinge of sadness that I am forced to complain about the downright bias that you seem intent to showing one particular family name, namely “Buggy”.
I can’t help but feel your blog would be altogether a more inclusive affair if you were to consider mentioning other Irish names from time to time?
Might I be so bold as to suggest that Clancy would be a most worthy name for you to research?
Is Mise Le Meas,
Aodhain Mac Lancaidh