No. XX.

PARISH OF

KILMORE,

(Diocese of Elphin, and County of Roscommon.)

BY THE REV. WILLIAM THOMPSON, A. M. RECTOR
AND VICAR.

I. The Name of the Parish, Situation, Extent, &c.

KILMORE, signifying in the Irish language, Great Name. Church yard, is the name of the parish. It is in the Situation. barony of Balintober, county of Roscommon, and diocese of Elphin, and is not united to any other parish.

It is bounded on the north, west, and south by the river Boundaries Shannon; on the east by the parishes of Cloncraft and Aghrim. The townlands into which it is divided, are specified in the appendix. The parish extends about Extent. five miles in length, and as many in breadth; contain- Contents. ing about 3633 acres of arable land, and 678 of bog.

The river Shannon, as has been said, bounds three Lake. sides of the parish, and forms a large and beautiful lake, called Boffin; by which means many boats laden with different articles go from Drumsna to Dublin; and if

Hills.

Bog.

Wood.

there was a spirited proprietor in Drumsna, a very extensive trade might be carried on; the banks of the river affording an excellent situation for building a good quay for loading or unloading vessels; and the country producing great plenty of corn and potatoes.

There are no mountains, but many gentle hills fruitfully pasturable, without heath. Many good turf-bogs are dispersed through the parish; and an extensive wood is in Charlestown, the habitation of Colonel Gilbert King. The houses of the other resident gentlemen have many trees about them; and some new plantations will in a few years add much to the beauty of the landscape. There are three slated houses in the parish, and one covered with shingles; yet there are many very comfortable thatched cabins. The nearest sea-port whence English slates are imported, is the town of Sligo, about thirty miles distant.

II. Mines, Minerals, &c.

No remarkable mines or minerals are as yet discoverLimestone. ed. Limestone quarries are found in every townland in abundance. The soil being naturally fruitful, all the necessaries for supporting life are, with proper management, produced in the greatest abundance.

Villages.

III. Modern Buildings, &c.

There are four villages in this parish, namely, Cealare, Clogher, and two at Charleston, one east, and the other west, adjoining the Shannon. About twenty

hamlets are also dispersed through it; the greater number of which is situated west and north of the church.

A bridge of one arch is built over a small rivulet, lead- Bridges. ing to the church; and one handsomely built across the Shannon, half of it being in the parish of Kilmore, affords a most beautiful prospect of wood and water; this fine river, winding through trees as far as the eye can reach, forms a most charming scene, not to be exceeded by any thing that can amuse a traveller of taste

and reflection. The Earl of Roscommon resides at a Gentleplace called Ballycomen, a small seat, near the river men's Seats, Shannon. Colonel Gilbert King lives at a handsome place, called Charlestown, also on the Shannon; the house is very old, and presents a most venerable appear. ance, surrounded as it is by woods, with a commanding view of the bridge already mentioned; it was built by the first Protestant bishop that filled the see of Elphin, close by the banks of the river, on the north side of the road leading to Jamestown, in the county of Leitrim, from which it is distant about a quarter of a mile by the high road, and is the same distance from Drumsna. One Roads, high road leading from Longford to Drumsna, in the county of Leitrim, passes through the centre of the parish; and another leads from Elphin to Jamestown, ́nearly in the same direction. The roads in general are kept in good order, and are repaired with stone broken very small, which is the most durable method of making them.

IV. Ancient Buildings, &c.

The remains of the monastery or priory built in the year 1232, by Con. O'Flanegan, for Augustine Canons,

Ruins.

Population.

Mode of living.

and called the Priory of Saint Mary, according to Sir James Ware's annals, cannot now be traced. The ruins of an old building on the lands of Ballycomen, the residence of the Earl of Roscommon, is said to have been a church and burying place, but its existence in a complete form is out of the memory of any person living. The ruins of another old building on the townland of Kilbride, the estate of the Earl of Westmeath, is said to have been formerly a nunnery; this opinion rests only on tradition; which, though not always correct, has probably its foundation in truth; for Ireland having had the gospel preached very early in it, gave rise to many religious foundations, soon after Christianity had been spread abroad in the world.

V. Present & Former State of Population, Food, Fuel, &c.

The number of families of every description, both rich and poor, amounts to about 602; on an average, taking six to each family, the population may amount to 3612; of which number of families about 30 are Protestants. A second, and more accurate examination has ascertained the number of souls of every description and age, to amount to 3820, of which 1800 are males, and 2020 females.

The inhabitants in general keep cows, live tolerably well, and are healthy, many of them attaining the general age of man, and some exceeding that period. Yet the dwellings of the lower classes are kept in a very slovenly manner; they are dirty, and badly thatched; the greater part however are built of stone; few are to be seen formed with mud walls. The people of this