[Sir] Charles Coote

Life
Bart. of Donnybrooke; author of Statistical Survey of the Queen" County (Dublin: Graisberry & Campbell 1801) and Statistical Survey of the County of Armagh ... drawn up in the years 1802 and 1803 for the ... Dublin Soc. (1804); Statistical Survey of the County of Monaghan: With Observations on the Means of Improvement, Drawn Up in the Year 1801, for the Consideration and Under the Direction of the Dublin Society (1801), 256pp. RR ODNB [No entry in DUB.]

Note: The author is not included in Dictionary of Irish Biography (RIA 2009) - but see other family members:
  • (d. 1709), 3rd earl of Mountrath and lord justice, was born c.1655, son of Charles Coote, 2nd earl of Mountrath, [online] (d. 1709), 3rd ... [online]
  • (1712/13–1796), clergyman and philanthropist, was third son among six sons and one daughter of the Rev. Chidley Coote, DD, of Ash Hill, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick, ... [online].
  • (1738–1800), earl of Bellomont and MP, was born 6 April 1738, the only son of Charles Coote (d. 1750) and Prudence Coote ( [online] (1738–1800), earl ... [online].
  • Coote, Sir Charles (c.1609–1661), 1st earl of Mountrath , lord president of Connacht, and military commander, was the eldest of [online] Coote, Sir Charles Coote, Sir Charles ... [online].
  • Coote, Sir Charles (1765–1857), baronet and author, was the illegitimate son of Charles Coote [online] Coote, (qv) (1738–1800), earl of Bellamont, and Rebecca Palmer ... [online].
  • Coote, Sir Charles (d. 1642), army officer, was the eldest son of Sir Nicholas Coote of Blownorton, Norfolk, and had two sisters and at [online] Coote, Sir Charles Coote, Sir Charles (d. 1642) ... [online].
Dictionary of Irish Biography (RIA 2004-09) - available online.

Works
Statistical Survey of County of Monaghan with Observations on the means of improvement drawn up in the year 1801 for consideration and under the direction of The Dublin Society by Sir Charles Coote, Bart. (Dublin: Graisberry & Campbell 1810), 256pp. Contains sketch [map], tables [potatoe prices] and lists [principal land holders]. Note that Coote is the author of several country contiguous surveys in the series.


References

Richard Ryan, Biographia Hibernica: Irish Worthies (1821), Vol. II, p.12ff. gives accounts of —

1] Thomas Coote (Justice of the Kings"s Bench, 1693 [see attached].
2] Sir Charles Coote, afterward Earl of Mountrath; son of Charles Coote (Bart. 1621); beseiged by Con O’Rourke and Irish rebels in 1641 and forced their withdrawal, going on to reduced the rebels in the region; defeated O’Rourke and captured him with his baggage; defeated Hugh O’Conor, son of titular Prince of Connaught; sided with Cromwell in Ireland but afterwards joined Charles II [see attached].
3] Sir Eyre Coote (b.1726-85) - with Clive in India; m. dg. of Charles Hutchinson but remained childless and left his estate (£200K) to his br. Dr. Charles Coote, Dean of Kilfenora. [see attached].
Ryan, Biographia Hibernica, Vols. I & II (1821) - via Index.

 

Morris Collection (Univ. of Ulster) holds Statistical Survey of the County of Armagh ... drawn up in the years 1802 and 1803 for the ... Dublin Soc. (1804).

Google Books shows front pages for Statistical Survey .. Co. Cavan (Dublin: Graisberry and Campbell No. 10 Back-Lane 1802) -. Others by Charles Coote listed here are Monaghan (1801), 330pp.; Queen"s County (1801), 310pp; King"s County (1801), 300pp., and Armagh (1804), 472pp. Also listed are further vols. in the Dublin Soc. series, viz., Meath, by Robert A. Thompson (1802), 550pp.; Tyrone, by John McEvoy ([of Rash] 1802), 340pp.; Down, by John Dubardieu (1802), 364pp.; Antrim, by Debardieu (1812), 264pp.; Dublin, by Joseph Archer (1801), 322pp. (Available online; accessed 02.12.2023.)

See the article on Coote’s Statistical Survey of Cavan (1801) at Ask Ireland - in which the historical context is ably described:

Historically the Cavan and Leitrim region was known as the Kingdom of Briefne meaning 'hilly'. It had been a troublesome and rebellious region of Ireland dominated by the rival O'Rourke and O'Reilly clans who cleverly used its hills, hundreds of lakes and wetlands to hinder English attempts to conquer their territory. The Gaelic clans nonetheless were influenced by the Normans who they imitated by building their own stone fortresses and strongholds.

However during the reign of the Tudors and Stuarts the native Gaelic Irish were finally defeated and in subsequent centuries the area was planted with English and Scottish Protestant settlers who established the towns of Bailieborough, Cootehill, Killeshandra and Virginia. Rebellion in 1641 by the Gaelic Irish led to defeat at the hands of Cromwell and further colonisation. Generally Gaelic Irish and Old English Catholic resistance was put to an end after the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

Coote’s survey investigated the agricultural development of the region which included pig, dairy and beef farming. He describes how much of the soil was poor - "gritty, and extremely rocky and boggy' with large areas of wetland and swamps. He believed however that much of it could be reclaimed and put to agricultural use.

The inhabitants lived in wretched poverty often sharing their hovels with their animals. Coote observed that they were highly religious, anxious to educate their offspring although they were  superstitious and ignorant. A typical family of an agricultural labourer depended on six to ten pence to feed their large broods of children and many were forced to beg and steal to survive. Coote noted that the peasants were generally either rebellious or sought to emigrate.

In his conclusions Coote laments this economic underdevelopment and exorts landlords to lead the way by introducing new industries. The soil of the county he believed could have benefited from proper drainage and manuring with lime, the dire roads needed improvement, while the flax industry was in a miserable state. The population was especially vulnerable due to their dependency on a basic diet of potatoes.

By the 1840s the situation in Cavan had worsened as the land could not support the exploding population which across the island had increased to approximately 8 million. The region suffered terribly in the Great Famine when blight caused the failure of the potato crop. Many of the victims died from starvation and outbreaks of cholera and typhus.
Ask About Ireland > Reding Room > Digital Collection > Coote: Statistical Survey ... Cavan - online; accessed 01.12.2023.

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