The 1800s saw the country becoming better organised and more vocal in the pursuit of constitutional, economic and ecclesiastical reforms for the Irish people. The status quo, which consisted of a clash of cultures, political doctrines and religious allegiances, was under serious challenge. The most powerful and influential groups throughout the century had been the landlords and the Catholic clergy. The Act of Union of 1801, transferred the government established in Dublin over to London. In those days Cavan’s two representatives were usually taken from either the Maxwell (Farnham) family, the Saunderson (Leggykelly) family or the Clements (Rathkenny) family. A short time later Lord Farnham made great efforts locally to convert Catholics to Protestantism. This Proselytising, as this campaign was called, met with mixed success. Later, in 1829, George IV gave his assent to the Roman Catholic Relief Act, 1829, i.e. Catholic Emancipation which gave freedom, heretofore not enjoyed, to the Catholic Church in the legal, political and social areas.
The following account from the 1802 statistical survey of County Cavan by Sir Charles Coote Bart gives us an intriguing glimpse of our village at the time.
“The village of Butlersbridge is also in this Barony, where there is an oatmeal mill and a good osiery, but no nursery; it has not one slated house. The situation of the village is picturesque and engaging, on a pleasant stream, but the cabins give it but a mean appearance”.
The Castletara Census of 1821 gives us an insight into the means of livelihood of people in our area.
In Derrygarra, John Reilly, 39, was a farmer / hatter; Terence Reilly, 34, journeyman; Mic.l Galooly, 50, shoemaker; Bridget McDonald, 40, innkeeper; William Cleg, 30, hatter.
In Kilnaglare, John Carrol, 44, was a potter; Patrick LaIhey was 46 and a shoemaker (his wife Catherine was 22); Joseph Parker, 25, was a cooper; there were many labourers and servants.
Butlersbridge had a tailor, John Nulty, 64; William Wallace, 60, was a farmer / innkeeper; the blacksmiths were Patrick Brady, 63, and his son Michael, 24. Bernard Glancy, 57, was a cooper and Hugh Brady, 24, an innkeeper.
In 1837 Lewis’s Topographical mentioned:
“Butlersbridge, a village in the parish of Castletara, Barony of Upper Loughtee, County of Cavan and province of Ulster, three miles (North North West) from Cavan, containing 40 houses and 211 inhabitants. It is pleasantly situated on the River Ballyhaise, and on the road from Cavan to Enniskillen and has a fair on the second Monday of every month throughout the year. There is a R. C. Chapel of ease to those of Castletara and Ballyhaise and a daily penny post to Cavan and Belturbet has been established”.
Elsewhere Lewis reported that in nearby Ballyhaise that “the market is on a Saturday and fairs are held chiefly for horses, cattle and pigs.” In Belturbet he reported that there was “a market on a Thursday and is principally for butter, oatmeal, potatoes and yarn.” Of the county in general he remarked that “the breed of cattle varies in almost every barony: that best adapted to the soil is a cross between the Durham and the Kerry, but the long-horned attains the greatest size. In the mountain districts the Kerry cow is the favourite; and in the lower or central parts, around Cavan, are some very fine Durham cattle and good crosses with the Dutch. The sheep are mostly a cross between the New Leicester and the old sheep of the country; the fleece, though mostly light, is good, and the mutton of excellent flavour. The horses are a light, hardy, active breed, well adapted to the country. The breed of pigs has been much improved, and although they do not attain a large size, they are profitable and readily fatten.” Elsewhere Lewis remarked “The English language is generally spoken, except in the mountain districts towards the North and West, and even there it is spoken by the younger part of the population, but the aged people all speak Irish, particularly in the district of Glan.”