The following Geographical from the Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, by Samuel Lewis, transcribed & compiled by Teena.
a district parish, in the barony of Dungannon, 3 miles (S. w. by S.) from Dungannon, on the road to Aughnacloy; containing 5282 inhabitants. This district was formed in 1819, by setting off 36 townlands of the parish of Clonfeacle, or rather from the ancient parish of Eglish, which was united to Clonfeacle in the 15th of Chas. II., and thence the whole was called Clonfeacle. The land is generally good and in an unimproved state of cultivation. There are rocks of excellent limestone, abundance of freestone and indications of coal but none of these have ever been worked. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Armagh and in the patronage of the Rector of Clonfeacle, to whom the entire tithes are paid and who allows the curate annually £93. 9. 3. The glebe-house was erected by aid of a gift of £450 and a loan of £50 in 1822, from the late Board of First Fruits; the glebe comprises 20 acres. The church is a small neat edifice, with a lofty square tower, erected in 1815, at a cost of £800 by the same Board; it is situated on an eminence, half a mile west from the ancient church of Eglish. Inthe R. C. divisions this district is called Eglish, at which place there is a chapel. The parochial school, near the church, was built in 1825 and is aided by an annual donation from Lord Ranfurly. A school at Gort is partly supported by Lord Caledon and there are others at Clogherney, Cormullam and Mullicar. About 40 boys and 20 girls are educated in a private school: there is also a Sunday school.
a parish partly in the barony of Loughinsholin, county of Londonderry but chiefly in that of Dungannon, county of Tyrone, on the road from Armagh to Coleraine and from Omagh to Belfast; containing, with the post-town of Cookstown, 8406 inhabitants. It comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 12,100¼ statute acres, of which 9656½ are in Tyrone, and 2443¾ in Londonderry.There are 400 acres of woodland and 100 of bog; the remainder is arable and pasture land; the Drapers Company of London are the chief proprietors. The soil is fertile and well cultivated and the bog is very valuable as fuel. The parish is well fenced and watered by the river Ballinderry and ornamented with the plantations of Killymoon and Loughry, which, with the other seats, are more particularly noticed in the article on Cookstown.
The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Armagh and in the patronage of the Lord-Primate, the tithes amount to £552. 8. The glebe-house was built in 1820, by aid of a gift of £100 and a loan of £1050 from the late Board of First Fruits. The glebe consists of 71 acres. The church situated in Cookstown, was built in 1822, by aid of a loan of £3000 from the same Board and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £283 for its repair. In the R. C. divisions the parish is united to that of Desertcreight and contains a chapel at Cookstown, where are also 4 dissenting meeting-houses. Besides the schools in Cookstown, there are schools for both sexes at Ballygroogan, Tubberlane, Killycurragh, and Derrycrummy, aided by annual donations from Lord Castle-Steuart; 2 at Cloghoge and one at Gortolery, aided by collections at the R. C. Chapel.
a parish, in the barony of Dungannon, 2¼ miles (S.) from Cookstown, on the road from Dungannon to Coleraine; containing 7516 inhabitants. This parish comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 14,399½ statute acres, chiefly rich arable and pasture land in a high state of cultivation; in the southern part of it are about 1000 acres of mountain and bog. Here are slate quarries, but they are not now worked and seams of coal may be distinguished in various parts, but no pits have ever been sunk, freestone and limestone are abundant. At Tullylaggan are two extensive bleach-greens and near Desertcreight is a smaller, which annually bleach and finish upwards of 30,000 pieces for the London market and a great quantity is woven by the country people in their own houses, the occupation of weaving being followed generally by the inhabitants, in addition to agricultural pursuits. In the upper part of the parish is the village of Rock, where fairs are held on the last Monday in every month, for cattle, sheep, pigs &c. and there are 4 during the year at Tullyhoge. The principal gentlemen’s seats are Loughry, the elegant residence of J. LINDESAY Esq.; Desertcreight House of J. GREER Esq.; Rockdale of J. LOWRY Esq.; New Hamburgh of T. GREER Esq.; Milton of W. GREER Esq.; Turniskea of the Misses BaAILIE; Pomeroy House of R. W. LOWRY Esq.; Elder Lodge of Dr. DICKSON; Rock Lodge of Captain DANIELL; Lime Park of the Hon. And. STEUART and the Glebe-house of the Rev. A. G. STEUART
The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Armagh, and in the patronage of the Provost and Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin, the tithes amount to £507. 13. 10. and the glebe comprises 177 acres. The church is a very ancient edifice, for the repairs of which the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently made a grant of £205. 14. 7.; it is situated in a deep and romantic valley. In the R. C. divisions this parish forms part of the union or district of Derryloran; there is a chapel at Tully O’Donnell, also an altar where divine service is performed on alternate Sundays. At Sandholes is a Presbyterian meeting-house in connection with the Seceding Synod of the 1st class and there is one at Grange for the Covenanters. A commodious school at Tullyhoge was built and is supported by J. LINDESAY Esq., at Caddy is one built and supported by T. GREER Esq.; others at Shevy, Sandholes, Drumbellahue and Grange, are in connection with the Kildare place Society and there is one at the slate quarry, in connection with the National Board. There are also 3 private schools. At Donarisk stood the ancient priory of that name, founded by one of the O’HAGAN family in 1294, of which nothing exists but the cemetery ,remarkable as the burial-place of the sept of O’HAGAN, and more recently as that of the ancient family of LYNDSAY and CRAWFORD, of whom there are several tombs, but the most remarkable is that of Robert LYNDSAY, chief harbinger to King James: this Robert obtained the grant of Tullyhoge &c. from Jas. I., in 1604, where, and at Loughry, the family have ever since resided. Their house and documents were burnt during the civil war of 1641 and this tomb was also mutilated and covered over, in which condition it remained till 1819, when, in sinking a vault, it was discovered. Numerous ornaments of gold, silver and copper, with various military weapons, have been found here; the latter seem connected with the camp and fortress of Tullyhoge, the chief residence of the sept of O’HAIDHAGINE or O’HAGAN, where the kings of Ulster were inaugurated with the regal title and authority of the O’NIAL from the most remote period. Of this important fortress nothing remains but large masses of stone lying scattered around and the mound, surrounded by deep fosses and ramparts of earthwork.
DONAGHCAVEY or FINDONAGH
a parish partly in the barony of Omagh but chiefly in that of Clogher, containing, with the post-town of Fintona, 11,787 inhabitants. At the general plantation, this parish was known as the smaller portion of Fintona, and was granted by Jas. I., partly to Sir F. WILLOUGHBY and afterwards to John LEIGH Esq., under the name of Fentonagh and partly to Sir. W. COPE under the name of Derrybard: it is now called the manor of Castlemaine. It is situated on the road from Omagh to Enniskillen and contains, according to the Ordnance survey, 23,052¼ statute acres, of which 18,342¼ are in the barony of Clogher, and 4710¼ in that of Omagh; 9403 acres are applotted under the tithe act. Much of the mountainous land affords good pasturage for sheep and cattle and is reclaimable; the bogs afford fuel but they are fast being worked out. Great benefit has been derived from the improvements of the resident gentlemen in cultivation and planting and by new lines of road. The country around Fintona is fertile and well planted and the woods around Eccles are large and flourishing. Limestone is found within the parish, in which are some indications of coal and iron-ore. The inhabitants combine the weaving of linen cloth with their agricultural pursuits; there is a small forge, called a plating mill, for manufacturing spades, shovels &c. At Fintona a court is held monthly for the manor of Castlemaine. The gentlemen’s seats are, Ecclesville the residence of C. ECCLES Esq.; Derrabard House of S. VESEY Esq.; Cavan House of W. DICKSON Esq.; Cavan Lodge of C. LUCAS Esq. and the glebe-house of the Rev. J. M’CORMICK
The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Clogher and in the patronage of the Bishop; the rectory forms the corps of the prebend of Findonagh in the cathedral of Clogher. The tithes amount to £600; there is a glebe-house and 2 glebes comprising 400 acres. The gross annual value of the prebend is returned at £865. 17.8. The church adjoins the town of Fintona, and was built after the civil war of 1641, during which the old one was destroyed; it is a large and venerable edifice, with a modern square tower, which was erected and the church much improved by aid of a loan of £400, in 1818, from the late Board of First Fruits. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church; the chapel is near Fintona. There are 2 large meeting-houses for Presbyterians and one for Wesleyan Methodists. Here are 13 schools in which, about 580 boys and 300 girls are taught and about 400 boys and 200 girls are educated in 15 private schools, there are also 6 Sunday schools. On an eminence, in the midst of an extensive cemetery, the ruins of the old church form an interesting object; near the bridge are the remains of a very large cromlech. Nearly adjoining the glebe-house is a valuable sulphureous chalybeate spring.
a parish in the barony of Strabane on the road from Strabane to Cookstown; containing, with the post-town of Dunamanagh (Donemana), 10,480 inhabitants. The greater part of this parish was granted by Jas. I. to Sir John DRUMMOND who founded the town of Dunamamagh and built a bawn 109 feet square, no part of which remains, as the bawn was removed some years since and the modern building called the Castle was erected on its site. It comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 39,398½ statute acres, of which 28,728 are applotted under the tithe act and valued at £10,271 per annum. There are about 154 acres of water and 250 of bog; the remainder is arable and pasture land. There is abundance of excellent limestone, both for building and agricultural purposes, but the mountains are chiefly clay-slate. Many of the glens and banks of the rivers are covered with underwood, the remains of the extensive forests of Mounterlony. Formerly there were several bleach-greens in the parish and a paper mill near Dunamanagh, all of which are now unemployed but the inhabitants unite linen-weaving at home with agricultural pursuits.
The upper half of the parish, with the exception of the church lands, is in the manor of Eliston the court for which is held at Gortin and the lower half is in the manor of Donolonge (Donelong, Dunalong) which was granted by Jas. I. to the Earl of Abercorn. A court is held at Donolonge monthly, for the recovery of debts under 40s. There are several handsome houses, the principal of which are Earl’s Gift, the residence of the Rev. C. DOUGLAS; Loughash of Capt. KENNEDY; Tullarton House of R. BOND Esq.; Glenville of R. M’CREA Esq.; Silver Brook of J. CAREY Esq.; Black Park of R. OGILBYE Esq.; Thorn Hill of A. C. D. L. EDIE Esq. and the Grange of T. HUTTON Esq.
The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Derry and in the patronage of the Marquess of Abercorn; the tithes amount to £1350. The glebe-house was erected in 1792, by aid of a gift of £100 from the late Board of First Fruits. the glebe comprises 1192 acres. The church is a small neat edifice, ½ mile west from the ruins of the old church; it is in the Grecian style, with a small cupola and a bell at the western end and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £202 for its repair. In the R. C. divisions this parish is the head of a union or district, comprising Donagheady and Leckpatrick and containing 1 chapel in the former and 2 in the latter; it is in the benefice of the dean of Derry. There are 4 Presbyterian meeting-houses, 3 of which are in connection with the Synod of Ulster, two being of the 2nd class and one with the Seceding Synod, also of the 2nd class. The male and female parochial schools adjoin the church and are supported by the Marquess of Abercorn and the incumbent. At Loughash is a large and handsome school-house, erected at an expense of £200; the school is under the National Board, as is another at Lisnarrow. There are also schools at Killeany, Rusky, Tamnaghbrady (Tamnabready or Bready), Tyboe, Grange and Ballymeuse and an agricultural school at Loughash, supported by Capt. KENNEDY. At Mountcastle, which gives the title of baron in the Irish peerage to the Marquess of Abercorn, are some fragments of a castle, built in 1619, by Sir Claude HAMILTON, on an estate of 2000 acres, called Eden, which was granted to him by Jas. I.; it was the birth place of Sir George HAMILTON , who distinguished himself in the parliamentary war and of his son, Gen. HAMILTON, afterwards 6th Earl of Abercorn, who commanded the Protestant Irish army against Jas. II. at Londonderry and Enniskillen. Extensive ruins of the ancient church of Grange, which belonged to the abbey of Derry, exist on the banks of the Foyle. At Kildollagh are some large artificial caves, formed of loose stones, with flag-stones over them covered with earth; they are about ¼ mile long and contain several apartments; there is a less perfect one at Gortmaglen.
DONAGHMORE or DOONAMOR
a parish in the barony of Dungannon, 2 miles (N. N.W.) from Dungannon; containing 12,144 inhabitants. At this place, anciently called Domnach-mor, “the great fortress,” St. Patrick founded an abbey, where he placed St. Columb, which soon acquired extensive grants of land and other valuable possessions and continued to flourish till after the conquest of Ireland by Hen. II. In the taxation of Pope Nicholas, in 1291, it is described as having contained many costly shrines. It appears to have been possessed by the Colidei or Culdees, of Armagh, as by the inquisition of the 33rd of Hen. VIII. we find the Colidei had its rectory and tithes, which, with many townlands in the adjoining parishes, were granted to the Archbishop of Armagh after the Reformation. Though there are no vestiges, it is ascertained that it stood a little north-east of the present village; within its precincts was a large and elegant cross of freestone, on which were inscribed numerous hieroglyphics representing various passages in the Scriptures; having been thrown down and mutilated in the war of 1641, it remained in that condition till 1776, when Richard VINCENT Esq., caused it to be removed and placed where it now stands, at the head of the village; it consists of a plinth, a shaft, and a cross and is 16 feet in height. Donaghmore was also an important military station, frequent mention being made of it in the successive wars of Ireland, particularly during the rebellions of the O’NIALS and the O’DONNELS.
The parish is situated on the road from Dungannon to Omagh and comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 18,410½ statute acres, of which, 146 are water, and there are about 3000 acres of bog and mountain but the greater part of the remainder is arable land. The present village has been built since the year 1796, under the direction and by the spirited exertions, of A. MACKENZIE Esq. and is in a very flourishing state, comprising 88 well built and slated houses, mostly in one street. There is an extensive brewery of the celebrated Donaghmore ale, where upwards of 10,500 barrels of ale and beer are annually brewed; also soap and candle manufactories; much business is transacted in the spirit trade and there are large brick-works adjoining the village. Near Castle-Caulfield is a small green for bleaching linen cloth, much of which is woven by the farmers and cottiers throughout the parish. A fair is held on the 1st Tuesday in every month, for cattle, sheep, pigs &c. and a manor court on the 1st Monday in every month in the Primate’s manor of Donaghmore, for the recovery of debts under £5. There are some small lakes in the parish; in almost all of them are artificial islands, on which were castles and where ancient implements of warfare have been found. Among the principal seats are Fort Edward that of Capt. LINDSAY; Annaquinea of J. YOUNG Esq.; Springfield of R. FORSTER Esq.; Beech Valley of J. WILCOX Esq.; Donaghmore Cottage of J. KING Esq.; Parkanour of J. Ynyr BURGES Esq.; Mullaghmore of the Rev. T. CARPENDALE; Castle Caulfield, of H. KING Esq.; Tullynure Lodge of the Rev. R. FRASER and Mullagruen, of A. MACKENZIE Esq., which was built in 1683 by the celebrated Rev. G. WALKER, defender of Londonderry, while he was rector of this parish, as appears by a shield bearing his arms and initials.
The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Armagh and in the patronage of the Lord Primate, the tithes amount to £830. 15.4½ . There is a glebe-house with a glebe, comprising 459 acres of excellent arable land; and in this parish are also the glebes of Drumglass and Ardtrea. The church is a large plain edifice, situated at Castle-Caulfield; it is in contemplation to erect another church in the village of Donaghmore. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms the head of 2 unions or districts, being partly united with Pomeroy and partly with that of Killeshill; there are chapels at Tullyallen and in the village of Donaghmore. There are 3 meeting-houses for Presbyterians, one in connection with the Synod of Ulster and a school house is used as a place of worship by the Independents. The parish school is at Castle Caulfield there are 7 other schools, in which about 870 children are taught and Mr. MACKENZIE has lately built on his demesne, at the corner of the old churchyard, an infants school, which is attended daily by more than 70 children and which he entirely supports intending to endow it at his death. About 50 boys and girls are educated in 2 private schools. In 1807, the Rev. George EVANS bequeathed £200, two-thirds of the interest to be appropriated to support Sunday schools, of which there are 6 here, and ⅓ to the poor of the parish. Thomas WERNER Esq. made a similar bequest for the maintenance of these schools and there is one supported by the Presbyterian minister. In the burial-ground are an ancient stone font and the plinth of a cross; the ruins of Castle-Caulfield form a beautifully picturesque object. There are several ancient forts in various parts of the parish.
DONOGHENRY or DONAGHENDRY
a parish in the barony of Dungannon, on the mail coach road from Dublin to Coleraine; containing, with the post-town of Stewartstown, 5364 inhabitants. It comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 7154¾ statute acres, including 50¾ in Lough Roughan; 6889 acres are applotted under the tithe act and valued at £5261 per annum, of which 426 are bog and 6463 arable. The land is rich and well cultivated and there are extensive quarries of limestone, freestone and basalt. Near the glebe-house is an extensive deposit of new red sandstone and in Annahone are valuable mines of coal, which, though discontinued in 1825, were formerly worked with great advantage; they are now leased by the owner to a spirited individual, who has recommenced them, with success, upon an extensive scale. Coal, clay and other valuable deposits exist near Coal Island (see the article on that place). The manufacture of linen and union cloth is carried on to a considerable extent. Mullantean is the handsome residence of Miss HALL; Barnhill, of W. HOLMES Esq.; Donaghendry, of the Rev. F. L. GORE; Anketell Lodge of Roger C. ANKETELL Esq. and Ardpatrick, of the Rev. W. J. KNOX, near which are the remains of a Danish fort.
The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Armagh and in the alternate patronage of Sir Thomas STAPLES Bart. and E. H. CAULFIELD Esq.; the tithes amount to £3.15. The glebe-house is a large and handsome edifice, built (by aid of a gift of £100 and a loan of £825, in 1811, from the late Board of First Fruits) on a glebe comprising 30 acres of excellent land within the parish; the remainder of the glebe, 210 acres, being in the townland of Tamnavally, in the parish of Arboe. The church is situated in Stewartstown; it was built in 1694 out of the forfeited impropriations by order of Wm. III., the old building at Donoghenry having been destroyed in the war of 1641 and a lofty square tower and side aisles have been recently added. There is a chapel of ease at Coal island, lately erected by subscription. In the R. C. divisions the parish is united to that of Ballyclog and part of Clonoe, forming the union of Stewartstown, in which are 2 chapels, one at Stewartstown and one at Coal Island. Here are 2 Presbyterian meeting-houses, one in connection with the Synod of Ulster and the other with the Seceding Synod, both of the 2nd class. There are 9 schools in the parish, including an infants school lately established, all aided by subscription and a school for girls supported by Mrs. GORE, about 550 children are taught.
At Roughan are the ruins of an extensive castle, built by the Lord-Deputy SIDNEY in the reign of Queen Elizabeth and afterwards held by the Earl of Tyrone during his rebellion and in the war of 1641 by Sir Phelim O’NIAL, who placed a powerful garrison in it; it was afterwards dismantled, by order of parliament and is now a picturesque ruin. At Donoghenry is the site of the old church and cemetery, which was the burial-place of the ancient family of BAILIE, whose mansion-house adjoining is now in ruins. In a field contiguous is an upright stone, one of the supporters of a cromlech, and near it is another lying on the ground, in the upper side of which is a circular cavity, or artificial basin; about ¼ mile westward is a large and perfect cromlech, with a table stone, weighing more than 20 tons, placed within a circle of smaller stones. Near Stewartstown are the remains of a castle built by Sir Andrew STEWART, in the reign of Jas. I., to whom the monarch had granted extensive possessions in this neighbourhood. In 1823, a small cup, or chalice, was discovered in a bog at Dunaghy, full of silver coins of the Danish princes, many of which are preserved in the collection of R. C. ANKETELL Esq. In the small lake of Ardpatrick is a floating island and around its shores human bones, camp-poles, &c. have been discovered, in this lake many persons were drowned in the civil war of 1641 and around its shores the army of Jas. II. encamped on their march to Derry in 1689.
a parish in the barony of Omagh, 8 miles (S. W.) from Omagh, on the road from that place to Enniskillen; containing 10,422 inhabitants. In the war of 1641 the insurgents were defeated in some skirmishes near this place, but revenged themselves by burning the church and killing many of the inhabitants, when the English were obliged to retire. According to the Ordnance survey, it contains 25,492½ statute acres, the greater part of which is productive, but there are more than 4000 acres of bog and mountain land. The canal, by which it is intended to connect Loughs Foyle and Erne, will pass through this parish. The village, which comprises about 100 thatched houses, is a constabulary police station and has a penny post to Omagh and a dispensary. Fairs are held for farming stock on Feb. 1st, March 17th, Easter-Monday, Whit-Monday, May 1st, June 24th, Aug. 1st, Sept. 29th, Nov. 1st and 26th and Dec. 26th. The principal seats are Lakemount, the residence of J. HAMILTON Esq.; Fairy Hill of A. SPROULE Esq. and the Glebe-house, of the Rev. H. Lucas St. GEORGE. The living is a rectory and vicarage in the diocese of Clogher, and in the patronage of the Bishop; the tithes amount to £694. 1. 4.
The glebe-house has been lately erected and the glebe comprises 589 acres. The church is a small plain building, erected in 1694. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church and has a chapel in the village. At Gardrum is a Presbyterian meeting-house in connection with the Synod of Ulster, of the 1st class and at Toghardoo is a place of worship for Methodists. There are 4 public schools, in which about 450 children are educated and 16 private schools, in which are about 850 children; also a Sunday school. Here are some large and perfect forts and it is stated that St. Patrick founded a nunnery here for St. Certumbria, the first Irish female who received the veil from his hands. At Kildrum was a religious house or church, which is supposed to have been the parochial church but no vestige of the building can be traced and the burial-ground is partially cultivated. The townlands of Shamragh and Agherdurlagh are called abbey lands and are tithe-free.
a parish in the barony of Dungannon, on the road from Armagh to Coleraine; containing, with the market and post-town of Dungannon (described under its own head), 5926 inhabitants. According to the Ordnance survey it comprises 3503¾ statute acres, of which 30 are waste land and the remainder arable and pasture, the greater part of which is fertile and well cultivated, particularly near the town. The surrounding country is ornamented with several gentlemen’s seats, the principal of which are Northland Lodge, the residence of the Earl of Ranfurly, proprietor of the town and manor; Dungannon House of E. EVANS Esq.; Millton, of J. FALLS Esq.; the Castle, of T. K. HANNINGTON, Esq.; Killymeel, of J. SHIEL Esq. And the seat of J. W. S. MURRAY Esq. Here are extensive collieries worked by the Hibernian Mining Company under lease from the Lord-Primate. The upper and best seam is about a foot thick; under it is a thin stratum of iron-stone and then a seam of coal 2 feet thick. About 180 persons are employed, who raise 500 tons weekly. A drift is being made from these works to coal beds
on the Earl of Ranfurly’s estate, about a mile distant; and a line of railway has been marked out from the collieries to the Tyrone canal at Coal Island.
The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Armagh and in the patronage of the Lord-Primate; the tithes amount to £200 and there is a glebe-house with a glebe of 59 acres near it and one of 347 acres in the parish of Donaghmore. The church, which is in Dungannon, is a large and handsome edifice, for the repair of which the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £307. In the R. C. divisions it is the head of a union or district, called Dungannon, comprising the parishes of Drumglass, Tullaniskin and Killyman and containing 4 chapels, one of which is at Dungannon. There are meeting-houses for Presbyterians, connected with the Synod of Ulster and the Seceding Synod, both of the 2nd class and one for Wesleyan Methodists. A royal free school was founded by Charles I. at Dungannon, at which place is the parochial school, endowed with £10 per ann. by the rector and an infants school was established in 1833. In these and 2 other public schools about 400 children are educated, besides about 280 in 11 private schools.
a market-town, in the parish of East Longfield, barony of Omagh, 7 miles (W. N.W.) from Omagh, on the river Roe and on the nearest road from Londonderry to Enniskillen; containing 406 inhabitants. It consists of one street and some detached houses, which, with the exception of a few of recent erection, are indifferently built and thatched and was founded by Sir John DAVIS about 1617, on a tract of 2000 acres of land granted to him by Jas. I. in 1611, under the name of Clonaghmore, on which he located 16 British families. He also built castles at Kerlis and at Gavelagh, on the Derg, at which latter place he had another grant of 2000 acres and between the 2 castles constructed an excellent road, seven miles in a straight line over mountains and bogs, which in several places still remains perfect.
There is a daily penny post to Omagh. The market, on Thursday, is well supplied with provisions and yarn and fairs are held on Jan. 17th, March 21st, May 2nd, June 9th, Aug. 15th, Sept. 17th, Nov. 9Th and Dec. 12th, for general farming stock; those held in March and June are large and well attended. Here are a meeting-house for Presbyterians, in connection with the Synod of Ulster, a large male and female school and a dispensary.
a parish in the barony of Omagh, on the mail coach road from Dublin to Londonderry; containing, with the post-town of Omagh, 11,289 inhabitants. It comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 20,164 statute acres, of which 161¾ are under water and 15,630 are applotted under the tithe act. About ⅞ of the land are arable and pasture and ⅛ waste and bog; the land in the middle portion of the parish is very good and under a tolerable system of cultivation but the higher grounds, approaching the mountains, are wet and cold, though capable of great improvement by draining. The inhabitants unite the spinning of linen yarn and the weaving of cloth with their agricultural pursuits. There are several large and handsome houses in and around Omagh; the principal in the rural portion of the parish are New Grove, the residence of Sam. GALBRAITH Esq. and Riverland, of the Rev. Robert BURROWES D.D. A court baron is held at Ballynahatty, every 3rd Wednesday for the manor of Touchet (anciently called Fintonagh), for the recovery of debts under 40s.
The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Derry and in the patronage of the Provost and Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin. The tithes amount to £600. The glebe-house is situated 5 miles from the church, upon a glebe comprising 550 acres. The church, situated in Omagh, a large handsome edifice, with a tower and spire, which were added at the expense of Dr. KNOX Bishop of Derry, was erected in 1777 by the MERVYN family and was greatly enlarged in 1820. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church; there is a chapel at Omagh and another at Drumragh. There are places of worship for Presbyterians, in connection with the Synod of Ulster, of the 1st and 3rd classes and of the 2nd class, in connection with the Seceding Synod; also for Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists. About 400 children are taught in the 7 public schools of the parish, of which one is endowed with a house and 2 acres of land and one for girls is supported by Mrs. SPILLER; there are also 11 private schools, in which are about 450 children and 8 Sunday schools. The old parish church is now a fine ruin, having the side walls and gables entire.
a village and post-town in the parish of Donagheady, barony of Strabane, on the road from Strabane to Cookstown, 6 miles (N. E. by E.) from Strabane and 113 (N. N.W.) from Dublin; the population is returned with the parish. This village, which situated in a deed and retired glen amidst the Mounterloney mountains, was founded by Sir John DRUMMOND in 1619. It has a station of the constabulary police, and a sub-post-office to Strabane. Fairs areheld on Jan. 13th, Feb. 28th, April 14th, May 27th, July 14th, Aug. 27th, Oct. 13th, and Nov. 28th. In and around the village are extensive deposits of limestone. Here is a meeting-house for Presbyterians, in connection with the synod of Ulster, a large and handsome building; that which formerly belonged to the covenanters is in ruins. At a short distance from the village are the parochial church and male and female schools. On the site of the bawn built by Sir John DRUMMOND is a building which, from that circumstance, is called the Castle.
a parish in the barony of Clogher, on the river Blackwater and on the road from Aughnacloy to Omagh; containing, with the greater part of the district parish and post-town of Ballygawley 9782 inhabitants. This parish, which is also called Errigal-Kieran, from the supposed dedication of its ancient church to St. Kieran, comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 21,139¾ statute acres, including 18 townlands, which now form part of the district parish of Ballygawley. The greater portion is rich arable, meadow and pasture land, with a large extent of profitable mountain and a considerable tract of waste. The hills towards the south are low and fertile but towards the north they rise into mountains, the flat summits of which are bog and heath; the mountain of Shantavny rises, according to the Ordnance survey, 1035 feet above the level of the sea. The valleys are watered by streams which, in their descent from the mountains, form numerous picturesque cascades and in one of them are found fossils and shells, washed down from the beds of limestone. There are extensive quarries of limestone and freestone, from the latter of which was taken the stone for building several of the churches and gentlemen’s seats in the neighbourhood and thin veins of coal have been found near Lismore, but though lying very near the surface, they have not been worked. The scenery is strikingly diversified; the glen called “Todd’s Leap” abounds with romantic features and at the southern extremity of the parish is a very handsome bridge of 1 arch over the Blackwater, which river is also crossed by 2 other bridges. The principal gentlemen’s seats are Ballygawley House, the residence of Sir H. STEWART Bart., situated on a rising ground, sheltered in the rear by the conspicuous precipice called the “Craigs”; Cleanally, of G. SPIER Esq.; Bloom Hill, of T. SIMPSON Esq. and Ballygawley Castle, of R. ARMSTRONG Esq. There are several large corn-mills and a tuck-mill for finishing the woollen cloths made in the various farm-houses. The manors of Donoughmore, Favour Royal, Cecil and Ballygawley, are in this parish; in the first a court is held monthly, in which debts to any amount may be recovered and in the 3 others are held similar courts every 3 weeks, with jurisdiction limited to £2.
The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Armagh and in the patronage of J. C. MOUTRAY Esq.; the tithes amount to £380. The glebe-house is at Richmount, near Ballygawley, on a glebe of 266 acres and there is another glebe of 297 acres, constituting the townland of Gort. The church, a handsome edifice in the later English style, with an embattled tower, was erected in 1831, near the site of the ancient structure at Ballinasaggard, at an expense of £1300, of which £1100 was a loan from the late Board of First Fruits. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church; the chapel is a small plain edifice and there are two stations or altars, where service is occasionally performed. There are places of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster of the 3rd class, Independents and 2 for Wesleyan Methodists. About 700 children are taught in the public schools, of which the parochial school is chiefly supported by the incumbent, one by Miss MONTGOMERY and another by Mr. LESLIE and there are 3 private schools, in which are about 180 children. There are some remains of the old church, in which are several of the carved stones of an ancient friary, founded by Con O’NIAL; in the churchyard is a large stone cross and near it a holy-well. The friary was of the 3rd order of Franciscans, and near it was an ancient round tower. There are many conical raths in the parish, of which the most remarkable is that on the steep height called the Craigs; it is supposed that the native chiefs of Eirgal, or Uriel, had their seat in this parish, near which a monastery was founded by St. Macartin. In the townland of Sess Kilgreen is a carved stone, part of a kistvaen and in that of Lismore are the ruins of a square bawn, with round towers at the angles.
a parish partly in the barony of Clogher, county of Tyrone, but chiefly in that of Trough, county of Monaghan, 3 miles (S.S.W.) from Aughnacloy, on the road to Emyvale and on the river Blackwater; containing 9321 inhabitants. It comprises 24,792¼ statute acres, according to the Ordnance survey, of which 21,174¼ are in Monaghan and 1024 are under water; 21,834 acres are applotted under the tithe act. About ⅘ of the land are arable and pasture and there is a great deal of mountain land used for grazing and some bog on the western boundary, agriculture is improving. There is abundance of limestone and sandstone and coal is supposed to exist in the Sleabea mountains, though it has not been worked. On the north-western confines of the parish is Lough More. A small factory for weaving linen has been recently erected here. The gentlemen’s seats are Fort Singleton, that of T. SINGLETON Esq.situated in a well wooded demesne of 200 acres; Favour Royal, the handsome residence of J. Corry MOUTRAY Esq., erected near the site of the ancient house, which was destroyed by fire in 1823 and surrounded by a richly wooded demesne of 740 acres; and Laurel Hill, of W. H. MAYNE Esq. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Clogher and in the patronage of the Bishop; the rectory is appropriate to the see of Clogher; the tithes amount to £400, of which £215. 7. 8¼. is payable to the bishop and the remainder to the incumbent. The glebe-house stands on a glebe of 40 acres. The church is a very neat modern structure. A handsome cruciform church, in the later English style, with a square tower at the north-east angle, was erected in the demesne of Favour Royal in 1835, at an expense of £1000, by J. C. MOUTRAY Esq., who has endowed it with £50 per annum, augmented with £30 per annum by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners; it is open to the public, there being no other church within 3 miles of Favour Royal and is called St. Mary’s, Portclare; the living is a donative, in the patronage of the founder. There is also a chapel in the eastern part of the parish.
The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church and contains 3 chapels, one at Knockconnan built in 1820, at an expense of £700, another on the townland of Drimbriston built in 1823, at an expense of £500; the 3rd built in 1787, is in the townland of Mullyoden; the 2 first were erected, and the last repaired, through the exertions of the Rev. C. M’DERMOT, the parish priest. There is a national school at Moy and there are 3 other public schools, of which, one at Fort Singleton is supported by T. SINGLETON Esq., who built the school-house, in which the curate of the parish performs divine service twice every Sunday. There are also 4 hedge, 3 Scriptural and 4 Sunday schools. In that portion of the parish which is in the county of Tyrone is a remarkable place called Altadawin, where it is said that St. Patrick assembled the first of his followers: it is a valley, 150 feet deep, through the centre of which a tongue of land of considerable altitude extends and on the summit stands a large rock in the form of an altar, adjoining which is another rock, in the form of a chair. The valley is covered with trees, and a beautiful stream runs nearly through its centre. A royal residence of an independent prince of the O’NIAL family is reported to have stood here formerly.
a post-town in the parish of Donaghcavey, barony of Clogher, 7 miles (S.) from Omagh and 973 (N. by W.) from Dublin, on the road from Omagh to Enniskillen; containing 1714 inhabitants. At the plantation of Ulster by Jas. I., this district was placed in the lesser proportion of Fentonagh and was granted, in 1611 to Sir Francis Willoughby, who neglecting to comply with the terms of the grant, the lands reverted to the Crown. In 1614, 2000 acres were granted to John LEIGH Esq., who, prior to 1619, had built a bawn and house, in which he resided and then commenced building the town. It now consists of one main and several smaller streets, very irregularly formed, comprising 354 houses, some of which are well built and is situated in a fertile vale, on both sides of the Fintona water, occupying an advantageous position for trade, in a fine and improving country. The only manufactures are the weaving of linen and the making of spades.
The market is on Friday and is well supplied with all kinds of provisions and large quantities of brown linens are sold every alternate Friday to the bleachers, who attend from a great distance. A fair is held on the 22nd of every month, which is large and well attended. Petty sessions are held on the 2nd Tuesday in each month and a court leet and baron for the manor of Castlemaine once a month, for the recovery of debts under 40s., by a seneschal appointed by C. ECCLES Esq., the lord of the manor. Here is a constabulary police station, for which most convenient barracks have been recently built and another at Barr. The gentlemen’s seats in the neighbourhood are Ecclesville, that of C. ECCLES Esq.; Derrabard House of S. VESEY Esq.; Cavan House of w. DICKSON Esq.; Cavan Lodge of C. R. LUCAS Esq. and Dundiven glebe-house of the Rev. Jos. McCORMICK. The parochial church and a Presbyterian and a Wesleyan Methodist meeting-house are in the town, within a short distance of which is the R. C. Chapel.
a village in the parish of Lower Badony (Badoney) barony of Strabane 5 miles (E.) from Newtown-Stewart on the road to Cookstown; containing 441 inhabitants. This place is situated in a deep valley watered by the river Nagle and in the district of the Mounterloney mountains, of which it may be considered the chief town. It consists of one irregular street, containing 82 houses indifferently built; the surrounding scenery, though boldly picturesque is destitute of embellishment from the want of wood, which is found only in the demesne of Beltrim, the handsome residence of A. W. C. HAMILTON Esq., which is surrounded by young and thriving plantations. There is a small distillery in the village and fairs are held on the 1st Wednesday in every month, for cattle, sheep, and pigs and a pleasure fair on Easter Monday. It has a penny post to Omagh and is a constabulary police station; a court baron for the manor of Eliston, in which debts to the amount of 40s. are recoverable, is held here on the 1st Tuesday in every month and petty sessions every 2nd Friday. The parish church, a neat small edifice, is situated here, also the parochial school and a dispensary.
a village in the parish of Desertcreight, barony of Dungannon 2½ miles (E) from Cookstown, on the road from Stewartstown to Moneymore, containing 147 inhabitants. It comprises 32 houses, generally well built and has a fair on Nov. 12th. Here is a meeting-house for Covenanters of the 3rd class and a school, and near the village is Killymoon, the elegant residence of Col. STEWART.