Newly digitised Census 1911 documents by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) provide an insight into the wealthiest and poorest counties at the time.
The wealthiest counties were in the east of the country, while poorer counties tended to be located on the western seaboard, the documents show.
Meath was the wealthiest county with a population of 65,091, a valuation of £553,823 and a valuation per person of £8.51.
It was followed by Westmeath with a population of 59,986, a valuation of £328,635 and a valuation per person of £5.48.
Tipperary was ranked 9th with a population of 152,433, a valuation of £689,495 and a valuation per person of £4.52.
Galway was 30th with a population of 182,224, a valuation of £483,466 and a valuation per person of £2.65.
Mayo was the poorest county, with a population of 192,177, a valuation of £323,093 and a valuation per person of £1.68.
Wealthiest DEDs
Out of the 20 wealthiest District Electoral Divisions (DEDs), 17 were in Leinster – with eight alone in Meath, the highest number for any county.
The remaining 12 DEDs in the top 20 were in Kildare (three), Queens County, now known as Laois, (two), Westmeath (two) and one each in Belfast city, Cork, Dublin city, Dublin county and Roscommon.
Culmullin DED, Dunshaughlin Rural District, Co. Meath, with a valuation per person of £20.97, was ranked one.
It was closely followed by rank two of Bodenstown DED, Naas No. 1 Rural District, Co. Kildare with a valuation per person of £19.88. Ranked 20 was Greenpark DED, Mullingar Rural District, Co. Westmeath with a valuation per person of £14.74.
Poorest DEDs
Out of the 20 poorest DEDs, 11 were in Connacht while there were none from Munster. Donegal had eight DEDs out of the 20 poorest DEDs, the highest amount for any county.
Ranked first in the poorest DEDs was Annagary DED, Glenties Rural District, Co. Donegal, with a valuation per person of £0.23 and ranked number 20 was Knocknalower DED, Belmullet Rural District, Co. Mayo, with a valuation per person of £0.48.
Comparison
Culmullin DED in Meath was identified as the wealthiest DED in 1911 with a valuation per person of £20.97. Culmullin had a land area of 9,036ac with 129 houses in 1911, of which 115 were inhabited.
The Gaisford household was recorded as living in Culmullin DED, Meath. The household consisted of five people: A married couple, Douglas and Elizabeth Gaisford, and three servants, Sarah Browne, Fanny Ashell and Emily McIlray. Their house had 21 rooms along with 13 outhouses and farmsteadings.
Douglas Gaisford is also listed as the landholder for three other houses on associated returns. The Census returns for the other three houses contain occupation descriptions such as gardener, coachman, or general labourer, presumed to be for persons employed by the Gaisford household.
Annagary DED in Donegal was identified as the poorest DED in 1911 with a valuation per person at £0.23. Annagary had a land area of 9,731ac with 694 houses, of which 639 were inhabited.
The Duffy household was recorded as living in Annagary DED, Donegal. The household consisted of 11 people with the head of family, Grace Duffy, listed as a farmer’s wife. There were nine children aged from 18 down to one year old and a grandmother aged 73.
Their house contained just two rooms along with one outhouse or farmsteading. This household Census return records the roof of this house as being of ‘thatch, wood or other perishable material’ while the walls were of ‘stone, brick or concrete’.
The statistics are accompanied by fascinating images from the time, provided by the National Library of Ireland, on the CSO website.