Tithe Applotments

No Ruddens are listed on the Tithe Applotment for Ballyconnell.

Griffith’s Valuation

No Ruddens were found on the Griffith’s Valuation records found for Ballyconnell, Cavan

1901 Census

Residents of house 18 in Ballyconnell (Ballyconnell, Cavan)

Surname	Forename	Age	Sex	Relation to head	Religion
Brady	Nicholas	71	Male	Head of Family	Roman Chatolic
Ruden	Rose Ann	33	Female	Niece	Roman Cahelic
Rudden	Nicholas	29	Male	Nephew	Roman Cathelic
Donohue	Bridget	50	Female	Servant	Roman Cathelic

1911 Census

Residents of house 46 in Ballyconnell Town (Ballyconnell, Cavan)

Surname	Forename	Age	Sex	Relation to head	Religion
Toomey	James	60	Male	Head of Family	Roman C
Toomey	Eliza	50	Female	Sister	Roman C
Rudden	Bernard	28	Male	Assistant	Roman C
Gearty	Katie	24	Female	Assistant	Roman C
Gearty	Maggie	16	Female	Assistant	Roman C
Reilly	Phill	18	Male	Assistant	Roman C
Donahoe	William	18	Male	Assistant	Roman C
McKiernan	Joe	29	Male	Servant	Roman C
McKenna	Bessie	18	Female	Servant	Roman C
Drummond	Michael	–	Male	Boarder	Roman C
Drummond	Michael	64	Male	Boarder	Roman Catholic
Drummond	Nora Mary	53	Female	Boarder	Roman Catholic

Notes: The Schools Collection

The following excerpt has been taken from the Schools Collection which is essentially a gathering of local folklore that Irish school children were asked to compile during the 1930’s. The following describes the legend of how Ballyconnell got its name.

Transcribed from the above story.

Conall Cearnach was one of the Red Branch Knights who lived in Ulster. He was a cousin of Cuculain, Cuculain also was one of the Red Branch Knights. Ulster at that time at war with Connacht. There was great enmity between the two provinces. In Conall’s older age he visited Connacht by the invitation of Queen Meadb. Queen Meadb was the Queen of Connacht. By the treachery of Queen Meadb she got her husband Ailill killed. When the deed was done she left it on Conall. Conall fled for his life out of the place. He was going towards Ulster. He was as a far as Ballyconnell when three villians overtook him called the Ruadhcoins. They killed Conall at Ballyconnell. He was buried at Ballyheady.

That is how Ballyconnell got it’s name. A few years ago a skeleton was found at Ballyheady the people said that it was the bones of Conall Cernach. Ballyconnell was at first called Ath na Mianna. Conalls son was called Miamn. He engineered the building of thr Black Pig Dyke was made to help the Connacht men from coming into Ulster. At that time Connacht was the strongest of the four provinces.

Written by Peter McGovern, Ballyconnell.

Source: Munlough · The Schools’ Collection | dúchas.ie (duchas.ie)