The outbreak of 1641 probably prevented any effectual steps for a plantation here. According to the Down Survey about forty-three Catholics had land in Byrnes' country in 1641. Summing up James' dealings with Irish land we find that in the six plantation counties of Ulster there had been an absolute confiscation, about one-seventh of the total area being restored to certain chief men of the Irish. In Leinster, the whole of Longford, the north-eastern portion of Wexford, the baronies of Brawny, Clonlonan and Moycashel in Westmeath, about two-thirds of King's County and one-third of Queen's County had been declared to be the property of the Crown. But here the rights of the inhabitants were to some extent recognized. In theory they were to retain three-quarters of their lands.[1] In reality, owing to sharp practices on the part of the officials, they did not retain anything like this amount, and furthermore all the smaller landowners were deliberately deprived of their property "as not good for themselves." Finally in Connaught County Leitrim had been treated in the same way as the Leinster counties.
In Ulster the plantation was accompanied by the wholesale eviction of the Irish from the greater part of the lands settled. They were only allowed to dwell in certain specified lands, viz., those granted to the Bishops, the servitors and the old Irish. In Leitrim and in Leinster there was no such removal of the old inhabitants.
- ↑ And in a few districts there was no actual plantation or confiscation, i.e., in Clancolman, Moycashel and Kilcoursey, the King's title being doubtful.
