PARISH OF KILLEG NY, (Diocese of Ferns, and County of Wexford.) As a considerable difference of opinion has been expressed, relative to the account of this Parish, as published in the First Volume of the STATISTICAL SURVEY of Ireland; and as it has been stated to the Compiler, that some of the assertions therein contained are not founded in fact, he deems it necessary to mention, that a second account is preparing;" but not being in time for insertion in the present volume, it has been unavoidably postponed for the next; the materials of which are in readiness, and will be immediately put to press. STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF IRELAND, &c. No. Í. PARISH OF AGHALE E, (Diocese of Dromore and County of Antrim.) BY THE REV. P. M. FLETCHER, VICAR. 1. The Name of the Parish, Situation, Extent, &c. AGHALEE, or Aghanalee, is situate in the barony of Name. Upper Massareene, and county of Antrim, and is in the diocese of Dromore. It is united to the parishes of Union, Aghagallen and Magheramisk (or Magherameck,) both of which are in the diocese of Connor. They are all vicarages; the two latter join each other, and Aghalee, in which the church stands, forms the centre. The union of these three benefices is very ancient; no record of the time when it occurred exists in the registries of either diocese. They are bounded on the east by the Boundaries parishes of Magheragall and Lisburn, on the west by Lough Neagh, on the north by Ballinderry, and on the south by Moira and Shank-hill. The contents of the Contents. Soil. Bog. union are about 8500 English acres. Almost the entire of the land is arable, being put under tillage as suits the convenience of the farmer; none is wholly appropriated to pasture, and not a twentieth part to meadow. There are about 100 acres of bog in the parish of Aghagallen. No river runs through these parishes; nor are there any lakes, unless we except Lough Neagh, which, as Lagan Na- already said, bounds them on the west. The canal from vigation. Belfast to this lake, called the Lagan Navigation, passes through the entire union. There are no mountains or hills of any note in it. II. Mines, Minerals, &c. No mines have been discovered here. Some quarries Whin Stone of amorphous trap, or whin-stone, which is commonly applied to the purposes of building, have been found in Aghalee and Magheramisk. Roads. Villages. men's Seats. III. Modern Buildings, &c. The great road from Dublin to Antrim passes through Magheramisk; that from Lurgan to Antrim through Aghagallen and Aghalee. Another great road also leads from Aghalee towards Dublin, by the way of Moira. The village of Aghalee is the only one in the union. On the left hand side of the road leading from Moira to Aghalee, and immediately opposite the church, stands the house of Stafford Gorman, Esq.: it is about one mile from Moira. In Magheramisk, on the left hand side of the road from Lisburn to Moira, at the distance of five miles from the former of these towns, and one and a half from the latter, stands Trumry-house, the residence of Joshua Conran, Esq. IV. Ancient Buildings, &c. Churches. Two ruins of old churches are still in existence here; Ruined one in Aghalee, the other, usually called Trumry church, in Magheramisk. At the west end of the latter may be Round discerned the remains of a small round tower; Tower. and about 300 yards to the north of the old church, a large Danish Danish fort. The remains of several other forts of the same kind are to be traced throughout the union; but none of them are of so large dimensions as this one. V. Present & Former State of Population, Food, Fuel, &c. Forts. Presbyte ment. As to the number of inhabitants, it is supposed they Population may amount to 5000; about one half of this number ad- Protestant. here to the established church, and the remainder is equally divided between the roman catholic and presby- Catholic. terian congregations. They are mostly employed in rian. agriculture, and in the linen and cotton manufacture. EmployThe usual food of the lower classes is oatmeal and milk, Food. potatoes, and occasionally fish from Lough Neagh. Animal food has been at so high a price for several years that they seldom can obtain it. As to clothing, health, Dress. and general appearance, the situation of the inhabitants General apis as good, and perhaps better, than is usually to be met with. pearance. VI. The Genius & Disposition of the Poorer Classes, &c. Language. Tradition. Education. Schools. The only tradition worth noticing is one relating to the ancient church of Magheramisk, now in ruins. An old man from a neighbouring parish, whom I recently met with in the church-yard after attending a funeral, gave me the following account of the old parish church, which he had heard, when young, from his great grandfather, an old inhabitant of Magheramisk. He told me that this old man remembered Trumry Church standing, and divine service performing in it, and that it was destroyed in the civil wars during the protectorate in the following manner. A strong stone house, standing where Trumry-house is now built, about 400 yards from the church, was occupied by a small party of Cromwell's soldiers to overawe the neighbouring country. To counteract this plan, a detachment of the Irish army took post in the church by night, and were beginning to fortify themselves, when they were attacked and dislodged by Cromwell's soldiers, who set fire to the church for this purpose. VII. Education and Employment of Children, &c. The children are generally taught to read, and many of them learn writing and accounts. There are four schools at present in the parish of Aghalee, which are numerously attended during the summer months, but not so in the winter to average the number of pupils at thirty to each school will approximate pretty closely |