A-Z of Offaly in 1837
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King's County
Locations: C-D | E-K | L-N | P-W
A - B
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Aghancon
Ardnorcher
Ballinagar
Ballyburley
Ballyboy
Ballycommon
Ballycumber
Ballykeane
Ballymacwilliam
Ballynakill
Banagher
Barna
Brusna
AGHANCON, a parish, partly in the barony of CLONISK, but chiefly in that of BALLYBRITT, KING's county, and province of LEINSTER, 3½ miles (N.) from Roscrea, on the road from Parsonstown to Mountrath; containing 1378 inhabitants. It comprises 3000 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act: the land is mostly poor, and the state of agriculture is not much improved; there is some bog, and gritstone used for building is found. The principal seats are Leap Castle, the residence of H. Darby, Esq.; and Summer Hill, of F. Freeman, Esq. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Killaloe, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £150. The church is a neat edifice in good repair: it was built in 1786, at the joint expense of Dr. Pery, then bishop of Limerick, and Jonathan Darby, Esq., with the aid of a gift of £390 from the late Board of First Fruits. The glebe-house was built by the late incumbent; the glebe comprises 15 acres. The parochial school, in which 22 boys and 17 girls are at present taught, is supported by Mr. Darby; the school-house is a good slated building near the church. There are also two private pay schools, in which are about 50 boys and 30 girls. The ruins of Ballybrit castle yet exist; and on the townland of Garryhill is a mineral spring.
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ARDNORCHER, otherwise HORSELEAP, a parish, partly in the barony of Kilcoursey, King's county, but chiefly in that of Moycashel, county of WESTMEATH and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (W.N.W.) from Kilbeggan, on the river Brosna, and on the mail coach road from Dublin to Galway; containing 3701 inhabitants. It contains 10,826 statute acres, of which 10,673 are applotted under the tithe act; there is a considerable tract of bog, but no mountain or waste land. The principal proprietor is Lord Maryborough. Limestone abounds in the parish, but there are no quarries of note. The principal seats are Bracca Castle, the residence of S. Handy, Esq.; Gageborough, of J.C. Judge, Esq.; Ballard, of R. Bolger, Esq.; and Temple-Macateer, of M. Kelly, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Meath, with the vicarages of Kilcumreagh, Kilmanaghan, Kilbride-Langan, and Rahue, and in the patronage of the Crown; the rectory is impropriate in the Marquess of Downshire. The tithes amount to £327.13.9½., of which £189.4.7. is payable to the impropriator, and the remainder to the vicar; and the gross annual value of the five parishes which constitute the union of Ardnorcher, including tithe and glebe, is £827.0.9., out of which the vicar pays the perpetual curate of Kilmanaghan and Kilbride-Langan £60 per ann., to which is added £40 per ann. from the augmentation fund. The church, to which a spire was added in 1822, is an ancient building in good repair: it stands on an eminence above the village of Horseleap. The glebe house was built by aid of a gift of £100 and a loan of £1150, in 1815, from the late Board of First Fruits; the glebe comprises 45 plantation acres, valued at £94 per annum. In the R.C. divisions this parish is the head of a union or district called Clara, comprising the parishes of Ardnorcher and Kilbride-Langan, in both of which are chapels; that of Ardnorcher is a large building in the village of Horseleap, erected in 1809. Besides the parochial school, in which ten boys and fifteen girls are taught, there are seven private pay schools, in which are about 120 boys and 60 girls. The lands of Moycashel, which gave name to the barony, are situated in this parish. Anciently here were several castles, now mostly in ruins; that of Donour is still preserved in good repair by Sir Richard Nagle, Bart., and there is another at Bracca. The fort of Ardnorcher, or Ard-an-orchor, literally translated "the fort of slaughter," was one of the frontier forts of the English pale, and for some centuries past has been vulgarly called "Horseleap," on account of an extraordinary leap which is said to have been formerly made into it over the drawbridge by an English knight, in escaping from a close pursuit: this ancient doon or moat formed a strong link in the chain of forts and castles constructed along that part of the county of Meath which was within the English pale, to protect the new settlers and check the inroads of the Irish. At Temple-Maccateer are the remains of a monastery, said to have been founded in 440 by St. Kiaran; and at Gageborough was a nunnery, founded by Matilda de Lacey in the 13th century; many coins have been dug up at the former place. A holy well, dedicated to St. David, was formerly much resorted to on the patron day, the 27th of June, but the custom has nearly fallen in disuse.
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BALLINAGAR, a village, in the parish and barony of GEASHILL, KING's county, and province of LEINSTER, 2½ miles (S.W.) from Philipstown, on the road from Edenderry to Tullamore; containing 32 houses and 153 inhabitants. A large and handsome R.C. chapel for the union or district of Ballykean is in course of erection, in the ancient English style of architecture.
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BALLYBURLEY, or PRIMULT, a parish, partly in the barony of LOWER PHILIPSTOWN, but chiefly in that of WARRENSTOWN, KING's county, and province of LEINSTER, 3¼ miles (W.S.W.) from Edenderry; containing, with the parish of Coolcor, 1672 inhabitants. This parish is situated near the road from Edenderry to Philipstown, and comprises 5291 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. The arable land is excellent, and in a very high state of cultivation: the Scottish system of agriculture, including a rotation of corn and green crops, with drill husbandry, was extensively and successfully introduced about twenty years since by G. and S. Rait, Esqrs. Limestone abounds, and is chiefly used for building and for making roads; a portion is burnt for lime. The parish is bounded on one side by the Yellow river, a stream deriving its name from the quantity of oxyde of iron with which the water is impregnated; on the north passes the Grand Canal, in its course to Tullamore. The principal seats are Ballyburley, that of J. Wakely, Esq., a fine old mansion in the Elizabethan style; Green Hill, of F. Longworth Dames, Esq.; Rathmoyle, of G. Rait, Esq.; Clonin, of S. Rait, Esq.; and Coolville, of T. Grattan, Esq. Petty sessions are held every alternate Wednesday at Fahy, near the village of Rhode. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Kildare, to which the rectory of Coolcor was united by act of council, forming by prescription one benefice in the patronage of J. Wakely, Esq.: the tithes amount to £285. The church is a small neat building, erected in 1686 by J. Wakely, as appears from a stone over the doorway, bearing a rude sculpture of the founder's arms and a Latin inscription; the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have lately granted £136 for its repair. Within is a curious ancient monument representing in rude relief the family arms and the effigy of a warrior dressed in the full military costume of the age, with an inscription underneath, purporting that it was erected by T. Wakely, Esq., of this place, in memory of his wife Maud, daughter of Alderman W. Handcock, of Dublin, who died May 3rd, 1617, and also to the memory of himself and Catherine Cusack, sister of Maud: it further states that Thomas was the son of John Wakely, Esq., captain of 100 horse and 100 foot in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, which he governed to the advancement of her highness' service. There is neither glebe nor glebe-house. In the R.C. divisions this parish forms part of the union or district of Castropetre, or Edenderry: the chapel, which is situated at Rhode, is a large and well-built edifice in the form of a T. There is a school in connection with the Established Church, supported by subscription, to which children of all denominations are admissible.
BALLYBOY, a parish, in the barony of BALLYBOY, KING's county, and province of LEINSTER, comprising the market and post-town of Frankford, and containing 4182 inhabitants. This parish is situated on the road from Tullamore to Parsonstown, adjacent to the Silver river, and comprises 8861 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. It gives name to the barony, and had formerly a castle of some note, which, in 1690, being garrisoned by six companies of Lord Drogheda's regiment of foot, was attacked by a detachment of Gen. Sarsfield's army encamped between Limerick and Athlone; but after a sharp conflict, in which the garrison sustained great loss, the assailants were at length compelled to retreat. ON the north and south are very extensive bogs, of which 3000 acres are within the parish: with the exception of a small portion of pasture and meadow, the remainder of the land is arable, and though of inferior quality, is under an improved system of cultivation; the only woodland in Ballinacrig, containing 13.75 acres. There are a distillery and brewery, and a flour-mill; and in addition to the market and fairs at Frankford, fairs are held at the village of Ballyboy on May 4th and Dec. 6th. Petty sessions are held every alternate Saturday. The gentlemen's seats are Castlewood, that of N. Fitzsimon, Esq.; Greenhills, of T. Hobbs, Esq.; Ridgemount, of R.J. Drought, Esq.; Temora, of T. L'Estrange, Esq.; Barnaboy, of R. Chadwick, Esq.; Derrinboy, of A. Gamble, Esq.; and Williamfort, of W. Whitfield, Esq. It is a vicarage, in the diocese of Meath, and forms part of the union of Fircall; the rectory is impropriate in the Marquess of Downshire: the tithes amount to £227.8.10¾., of which £146.4.3½. is payable to the impropriator, and the remainder to the vicar. The church, situated in the centre of the parish, was built by a loan of £900 from the late Board of First Fruits, in 1815, and has been lately repaired by a grant of £279 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners: it is served by a stipendiary curate. There is no glebe-house; but there is a glebe comprising 367 acres of profitable land, valued at £321.1.7 per annum. In the R.C. divisions the parish is the head of a union or district, called Frankford, comprising the parishes of Ballyboy and Killaughy, each containing a chapel; that of Ballyboy is situated in the town of Frankford. The parochial school is aided by an annual donation of £10 from the vicar: there is a national school, aided by a donation of £6 per annum from the Marquess of Lansdowne; and a school at Castlewood is supported for the benefit of his own tenants by Mr. Fitzsimon, who allows the master £25 per annum. About 170 children are taught in these schools; and there are also six private pay schools, in which are about 150 children. An almshouse for five widows was founded by Mrs. Stoney; and there is a dispensary. On the lands of Barnaboy is a mineral spa.
BALLYCOMMON, a parish, in the barony of LOWER PHILIPSTOWN, KING's county, and province of LEINSTER, 3½ miles (W.) from Philipstown, on the road from Dublin to Tullamore, containing 1226 inhabitants. It comprises of about 6730 statute acres, of which 4244 are applotted under the tithe act: about 2503 acres are pasture, and 1743 arable land; and there are 2430 acres of bog, 50 of waste, and 5 or 6 of woodland. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Kildare, and in the patronage of the Crown; the tithes amount to £138.9.2 ¾. The church has been lately repaired by a grant of £335 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The glebe-house was built by aid of a gift of £450 and a loan of £160, in 1817, from the late Board of First Fruits; the glebe comprises 3a.1r.15p. In the R.C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Philipstown. There is a school aided by private subscriptions, also a hedge school, in each of which are about 40 children.
BALLYCUMBER, a hamlet, in the parish of Lemanaghan, barony of GARRYCASTLE, KING's county and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (W.S.W.) from Clara: the population is returned with the parish. This is a neat village, comprising 13 houses, pleasantly situated on the river Brosna, over which there is a good stone bridge, and on the road from Clara to Ferbane: it has a penny post from Clara. Ballycumber House is the handsome residence of J. Warnford Armstrong, Esq.; and about two miles distant is Castle Armstrong. Fairs for black cattle, sheep, and pigs are held on May 2nd and Dec 1st.
BALLYKEANE, or KILLEIGHY, a parish, partly in the barony of GEASHILL, but chiefly in that of UPPER PHILIPSTOWN, KING's county, and province of LEINSTER, 3½ miles (N.N.W.) from Portarlington; containing 2415 inhabitants. It is situated on the road from Portarlington to Tullamore, and comprises 8069 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Kildare; the former is united to that of Killaderry, and the latter is a distinct benefice, in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £304.12.¾., of which £203.1.6½. is payable to the rector, and the remainder to the vicar. The church is a handsome building, erected in 1827, by aid of a grant £900 from the late Board of First Fruits. The glebe-house was built by aid of a gift of £450 and a loan of £120 from the same Board: the glebe comprises 7½ acres. In the R.C. divisions the parish is united with part of that of Geashill, in which union are three chapels, one at Ballykeane, and the others at Killeigh and Ballynegar in Geashill. A school, in which 17 boys and 16 girls are taught, is aided by subscriptions; and there are three private schools, in which are 90 boys and 55 girls, and four Sunday schools.
BALLYMACWILLIAM, a parish, in the barony of WARRENSTOWN, KING's county, and province of LEINSTER, 2½ miles (N.N.W.) from Edenderry, on the road to Mullingar; containing 1156 inhabitants. It comprises 4192 statute acres, about two-thirds of which are pasture, and one-third under tillage. The land is of very superior quality, and the state of agriculture is excellent: there are considerable tracts of bog, much of which has been exhausted and brought under cultivation. The gentlemen's seats are Jonestown, that of J. Houghton, Esq.; Mount Wilson, of R. Newsome, Esq.; and Ballybritton, of J. Hynes, Esq. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Kildare, and in the patronage of the Crown: the tithes amount to £232.16.8. The church is in ruins, and there is neither glebe nor glebe-house; the Protestant inhabitants attend divine service at the churches of Ballyburley and Monasteroris. In the R.C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Castropetre. There is a school in which about 80 boys and 30 girls are taught; the school-house was built by Lord Trimlestown, who also endowed it with an acre of land. Some ruins exist of the ancient castles of Ballybritton and Ballyhassil.
BALLYNAKILL, a parish, in the barony of COOLESTOWN, KING's county, and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (S. by W.) from Edenderry, on the road to Tullamore; containing 947 inhabitants. It comprises 3668 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act: about one-fourth part of the profitable land is arable, and the remainder is partly meadow and partly pasture; there are large tracts of bog, besides a considerable quantity that is exhausted; the state of agriculture is good. The Grand Canal passes through the parish, and there are limestone quarries within its limits. The gentlemen's seats are Ballymorin, that of D. Odlim, Esq.; and Ballylekin, of F. Lee, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Kildare, united to the rectory of Clonsast; the rectory is impropriate in Richard Garden, Esq., of Bath. The tithes amount of £157.16.11., of which £92.6.1¾. is payable to the impropriator, and the remainder to the vicar. In the R.C. divisions the parish is partly in the union or district of Edenderry, and partly in that of Clonsast or Clonbollogue. There is a private pay school, in which about 25 boys and 20 girls are taught. Here are the ruins of the ancient castle of Purefory, one of the numerous small square buildings erected in this part of the country to protect the English pale.
BANAGHER, a market and post town (formerly a parliamentary borough), in the parish of RYNAGH barony of GARRYCASTLE, KING's county, and province of LEINSTER, 6 miles (N. W. by N.) from Parsonstown, and 64 miles (W.S.W.) from Dublin; containing 2636 inhabitants. This town is situated on the side of a hill, on the south bank of the Shannon, just above the influx of the little Brosna river, and at the junction of the roads from Parsonstown to Cloghan and Eyrecourt. The bridge, connecting it with the Galway shore, is one of the oldest across the Shannon: it consists of several small arches with projecting piers, and is very narrow and inconvenient, but of great strength and solidity. Latterly, however, this bridge, which is supposed to have stood between 400 and 500 years, has shown numerous symptoms of decay: it completely obstructs the navigation of the river, to remedy which a canal with a swing-bridge over it has been formed on the Galway side. Its military defences are very strong: on the King's county or Banagher side is a tete-du-pont mounting three pieces of heavy ordnance, and about a ¼ of a mile lower down the river is a circular field work with six pieces of ordnance; on the Galway side to the right is a Martello tower, and on the left a small battery. The town comprises about 500 houses, mostly well-built; the streets are Macadamised. It has a reading-room; and close to the bridge are infantry barracks for 3 officers and 63 men. There are a distillery, brewery, malt-house, and tanyards; and the town has a good general trade with the rural population of the surrounding district. It is well situated for trade, having the advantages of steam navigation to Limerick and the sea, and of water communication with Athlone, Ballinasloe, and Dublin: the introduction of steam navigation on the Shannon, has greatly benefited the general trade of this place, and in the autumn of 1836 extensive surveys were made by order of Government, with a view to improve the navigation of this noble river. The market, originally granted in 1612 to Sir John McCoghlan, Knt., to be held on Thursday - and to the corporation in 1628 on Monday, - is now held on Friday, and is a considerable corn market. Fairs are held on May 1st, Sept. 15th and three following days, Oct. 28th, and Nov. 8th; that held in September is a large fair for livestock, inferior only to that of Ballinasloe. Here is a station of the constabulary police.
The inhabitants were incorporated in 1628 by charter of Chas. I., by which it was ordained that certain lands, altogether comprising 200 acres of arable and pasture land, and 70 acres of wood and moor, should be a free borough; 1-13th of these lands was granted to Sir Arthur Blundell and his heirs, and 1-13th to each of the burgesses named in the charter, to be held in the free burgage at a rent of 3s. 1d. respectively. It further granted to the corporation 222 acres of arable and pasture land, and 7 acres of wood and moor, for the support of a resident preaching minister, whom they were to appoint; and 200 acres of arable and pasture, and 85 acres of wood and moor, for the maintenance of a schoolmaster in the town, to be appointed by the viceroy, or, in default, by a majority of the burgesses. It also contained a grant of a court with jurisdiction to the amount of £20; and constituted the sovereign, or his deputy, a justice of the peace within the borough, and coroner and clerk of the market, and empowered the corporation at large to send two members to the Irish parliament. The corporation was styled "The Sovereign, Burgesses, and Free Commons of the Borough and Town of Bannacher alias Bannagher;" and consisted of a sovereign and twelve burgesses, with power to admit freemen and appoint a recorder and other officers; but the corporate offices have not yet been filled up since the year 1800, when the borough was deprived of its right of parliamentary representation, and the £15,000 awarded as a compensation was awarded as compensation was paid to the Rt. Hon. Wm. Brabazon Ponsonby. The sovereign formerly held, under the charter, a court for the recovery of debts to the amount of £20 late currency, which was discontinued about forty years since: the only court now held is a court of petty sessions every alternate Monday. The lands granted by the charter for a preaching minister are said to have been formerly held by a clergyman appointed to the corporation, who officiated in a church now fallen into decay in the town; but they have for many years become united to the rectory, and are now held by the incumbent of the parish. At the entrance to the town is the parish church, a handsome edifice in the ancient English style of architecture, with a tower and spire, built in 1829 at an expense of £2030 was granted on loan by the late Board of Fish Fruits. There is also a R.C. chapel, a large plain building in good repair. A school was established by the corporation pursuant to the charter granting lands for its endowment: by an act of the 53rd of Geo. III., cap. 107, these lands, which according to a survey made in 1817 comprised about 370 acres, of which about 233 acres are arable and pasture, were vested in the Commissioners of Education, and the schools placed under their control. The lands were formerly let at a rent of £300, but are now held by the master at a rent of £148.17. 10. per annum, and the Board has recently proposed to allow him a salary of £200 on the condition of his surrendering all interest in them, with a view to their being placed under the superintendence of a local qualified agent. The school is held very near the town, and was suspended from 1798 to 1807: there are no free scholars on the establishment, which in no respect differs from an ordinary classical school, except that it is under the control of the Board. The parochial school in the town is aided by an annual donation by the incumbent; and there is a national school for boys and girls, aided by voluntary contributions, also a dispensary. In the vicinity is Cloghan Castle, the seat of Garrett O'Moore, Esq., and one of the oldest inhabited castles in Ireland; and a short distance to the south of the town, near the banks of the Little Brosna river, are the ruins of the Garry castle, which gave name to the barony. - See RYNAGH.
BARNA, a hamlet in the parish of DUNKERRIN, barony of CLONISK, KING's county, and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (N.E.) from Moneygall; containing 81 inhabitants. BELLAIR, a hamlet, in the parish of LEMANAGHAN, barony of GARRYCASTLE, KING's county, and province of LEINSTER, 6 miles from Clara; containing 81 inhabitants. The village, which is of modern origin, is situated on the road from Clara to Moat, and was founded by the family of Mullock: it has a neat and orderly appearance; the houses are built of stone and slated. Contiguous to it is the residence of Thos. H. Mullock, Esq., sheltered by plantations raised with great care. Mount Mullock, in the vicinity, is another seat of this family. Petty sessions are held here and at Donne every alternate Friday. - See LEMANAGHAN.
BRUSNA, a village, in the parish of KILMURRY- ELY, barony of CLONLISK, KING's county, and province of LEINSTER, 1 ¾ mile (E.) from Shinrone; containing 134 inhabitants. It is situated on the river of the same name, and is a station of the constabulary police. Here is a R.C. chapel. - See Killmurry-Ely.
King's County
Locations: C-D | E-K | L-N | P-W
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