In medieval times the McGovern tuath of Tullyhaw was divided into economic taxation areas called ballibetoes, from the Irish
Baile Biataigh (Anglicized as 'Ballybetagh'), meaning 'A Provisioner's Town or Settlement'. The original purpose was to enable the farmer, who controlled the baile, to provide hospitality for those who needed it, such as poor people and travellers. The ballybetagh was further divided into townlands farmed by individual families who paid a tribute or tax to the head of the ballybetagh, who in turn paid a similar tribute to the clan chief. The steward of the ballybetagh would have been the secular equivalent of the
erenagh in charge of church lands. There were seven ballibetoes in the parish of Templeport. Corran was located in the ballybetagh of
Bally Cooleigie (alias 'Bally Cowleg'). In Irish this was
Baile Cúl Ó nGuaire meaning "The Town of Guaire's Corner", or possibly
Baile Cúl Ó Gabhair, meaning "The Town of the Goats' Corner". The 1609 Ulster Plantation Baronial Map depicts the townland as
Corran. In the 1652 Commonwealth Survey, the area's name was spelled as
Corrane, but by the time of the 1665 Down Survey map, it was once again depicted as
Corran. The earliest surviving mention of the town's name is in the Book of Magauran, which was written in or around 1344. Poem 31, stanza 6 refers to the death of Tomás Mág Samhradháin, Chief of the McGovern clan from 1303-1343. From medieval times until 1606, Corran formed part of the lands owned by the
McGovern (name) clan.
Richard Tyrrell of
Tyrrellspass,
County Westmeath, purchased the townland c.1606 from Cormack McGovern, who was probably the son of
Tomas Óg mac Brian Mág Samhradháin, who reigned as chief of the McGovern clan from 1584. A schedule, dated 31 July 1610, of the lands Tyrrell owned in Tullyhaw prior to the Ulster Plantation included:
The two cartrons of Kearwnn, called Knockecheren and Achancassy in the ballebety of Kwlieg (a cartron was about 30 acres of arable land. The larger ballybethagh was called 'Bally Coologe'. Knockecheren is probably the Irish 'Cnoc Eichthighearn', meaning "The Hill of Eachern". Achancassy is probably the Irish "Achadh Cathasaigh", meaning 'Casey's Field'). In the
Plantation of Ulster, Tyrrell swapped his lands in Corran for additional land in the barony of
Tullygarvey where he lived at the time. On 27 February 1610, King
James VI and I then granted one poll of "Curran to William O'Shereden, gentleman, Cheefe of his Name" in the English grant to begin
settlement of the Ulster province. William Sheridan was the chief of the Sheridan Clan in County Cavan. He was the son of the previous chief, Hugh Duff O'Sheridan of Togher town, Kilmore parish, and County Cavan. Hugh Duff O'Sheridan had been attainted on 12 January 1604, at a point in his life when he simultaneously held the lands of Togher, Derrevoyny, and Inche. William was the ancestor of the famous Sheridan theatrical family. William died sometime before 1638, leaving two sons, Owen (of
Mullaghmore, Tullyhunco) and Patrick (of
Raleagh townland, Kildallan parish). Owen Sheridan succeeded to his father's lands, confirmed by a grant of
Curran, given to him by
Charles I of England and dated 6 March 1637. Owen's son Denis was born in 1612 and became a Catholic priest in charge of Kildrumferton parish, County Cavan. He later converted to Protestantism, and on 10 June 1634,
William Bedell, the Protestant Bishop of Kilmore, ordained him as a Minister of the Church of Ireland. Two days later, Denis was collated to the Vicarage of Killasser in the Diocese of Kilmore. Denis had several children, including
William Sheridan (Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh from 1682-1691) (his son Donald kept up the Templeport connection by marrying Mrs Enery of Bawnboy),
Patrick Sheridan (Protestant
Bishop of Cloyne from 1679-1682), and Sir
Thomas Sheridan (Chief Secretary of State for Ireland from 1687-1688). The Sheridan lands in Corran were confiscated in the Cromwellian
Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652 and were distributed as follows: The 1652 Commonwealth Survey lists the proprietor as
Walter Jooneen. By the time of the Hearth Money Rolls compiled on 29 September 1663, there were two Hearth Tax payers in
Curran: Thomas Reade and Brian Magragh. When King
Charles II of England wrote a grant to James Thornton dated 30 January 1668, he described 98 acres, 3 roods, and 24 perches in
Corren. Lastly, a deed dated 8 June 1730 by
John Johnston of Currin refers to lands in
Currin. In the Templeport Poll Book of 1761, there were only three people registered to vote in
Corron in the
1761 Irish general election: Michael Banagher, Robert Johnston, and Thomas Jones. Only Banagher lived in Corran, also owning a freehold in
Ballymagauran, whereas the other two lived in
Ballymagirril and
Killywillin but owned freeholds in Corran. They were entitled to two votes each. Banagher voted for
Barry Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham, who lost the election, and for Lord Newtownbutler (later
Brinsley Butler, 2nd Earl of Lanesborough), who was elected as a
Member of Parliament for
Cavan County. Johnston and Jones voted for
Charles Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont and for Lord Newtownbutler (later
Brinsley Butler, 2nd Earl of Lanesborough), both of whom were elected to be
Members of Parliament for
Cavan County. While the poll book may have been sparse because many residents did not vote, the more likely explanation is that all other inhabitants of Corran were likely not freeholders entitled to vote. A deed by Arthur Ellis dated 19 Mar 1768 includes the lands of
Corrann. A deed by Gore Ellis dated 24 Feb 1776 includes the lands of
Corran. The 1790 Cavan Carvaghs list spells the name as
Corran. In less than seventy years, the Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 listed twenty four tithepayers in the townland, a notable increase from the previously recognized three people of Corran. By 1841, the population of the townland was 106: 51 males and 55 females. There were nineteen houses in the townland, two of which were uninhabited. In 1851, the population of the townland was reduced to 90, made up of 54 males and 36 females. This and future the subsequent population decline were likely byproducts of the
Great Famine (Ireland). At this time, there were fourteen houses in the townland, of which only one was uninhabited. By 1861, the population of the townland had once again fallen, this time to 86, 48 males and 38 females. There were seventeen houses in the townland, of which two were uninhabited. In the
1901 census of Ireland, there were ten families listed in the townland, and in the
1911 census of Ireland, there were only seven families listed in the townland, continuing the pattern of a declining population. ==Currin School==