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PHI
lin, on the road to Navan, and near the Royal canal;
the population is returned with the city of Dublin. Here
is a neat R. C. chapel belonging to the district of St.
Paul, with a residence for the chaplain annexed; also
a lending library, and a male and female national school,
in which about 200 children are educated.
PHILIPSTOWN, a market and post-town (former-
ly the assize town of the county and a parliamentary
borough), in the parish of KILLADERRY, barony of
LOWER PHILIPSTOWN, KING’S county, and province of
LEINSTER, 7 miles (S. E.) from Tullamore, and 47 (S.
W.) from Dublin; containing 1454 inhabitants. This
place, the ancient name of which was Dingan and Killa-
derry, was the chief seat of the O’Conors, chieftains of
the surrounding district, then called Offaly, of which
they retained possession until the year 1546, when Brian
O’Conor having united his forces with Patrick O’More,
chieftain of the neighbouring territory of Leix, made an
incursion into the county of Kildare and burned a great
part of Athy, whereupon Sir Wm. Brabazon, then Lord-
Justice of Ireland, caused them to be proclaimed as
traitors, marched a large force into Offaly, which he laid
waste with fire and sword, and forced O’Conor to take
refuge in Connaught. Sir William then, to secure his
newly acquired possessions, erected a castle here, the
name of which, in the subsequent reign of Philip and
Mary, when the territories of Offaly and Leix were re-
duced to shire ground under the names of the King’s and
Queen’s counties, was changed from Dingan to Philips-
town, in honour of the king, and the place made the
assize town of the former of these counties. In 1569, it
obtained a charter of incorporation from Elizabeth,
which conferred the same liberties and free usages as
the town of Naas enjoyed; also a Thursday market
and other minor privileges; this charter was followed
by a grant of lands in the next year. In 1673, Chief-
Justice Bysse obtained for it a licence to hold two fairs.
Another charter granted to it in the 4th year of Jas.
II., conferred on it the privilege of returning two mem-
bers to parliament. Afterwards, during the war of that
period, it was burned by the same king’s troops. At
the Union it was deprived of the right of returning
representatives, in consequence of which the borough
gradually declined, until at length the corporate juris-
diction fell into total desuetude. The act of the 2nd
and 3rd of Wm. IV., by which the assizes have been
removed from Philipstown to Tullamore, has completely
extinguished its political importance and reduced it nearly
to the rank of a village.
The town has little to recommend it. In size and
population it is small, and its situation, being nearly
surrounded by bog, is extremely uninteresting. Its
public buildings are a court-house, formerly the county
court, but now used only for holding sessions; a
prison, until lately the county gaol, erected at the
commencement of the present century; a large cavalry
barrack, containing accommodations for 12 officers,
131 non-commissioned officers and privates, and 82
horses, with an hospital for 16 patients; the church,
a neat small building; and a large and handsome R. C.
chapel. The town is paved at the expense of the county,
but it is not lighted. The market, which continues to
be held on Thursday, is large and improving. Fairs
are held on Jan. 3rd, March 18th, May 15th, June 14th,
Aug. 17th, Oct. 18th, and Dec. 3rd: four of these,
460
PHI
termed the new fairs, from having been instituted about
the year 1820, are held in a part of the town called
Molesworth-street, so named from Viscount Moles worth,
of whose estate the town formerly formed a part. Quar-
ter sessions are held here four times in the year and
petty sessions every second Thursday: the magisterial
duties within the borough have been performed by the
county justices for a series of years beyond the memory
of man. A large dispensary is supported in the usual man-
ner. The Grand Canal passes close to one end of the town.
During the progress of that work, the line terminated
for some time at Philipstown and produced a sensible
effect on the growth of its prosperity; but when the
canal had been extended to Tullamore, that place drew
to it all those advantages, and Philipstown sank still
lower in trading importance. Here is a school for boys,
under the superintendence of the trustees of Erasmus
Smith’s charity; and there are two other public schools.
The ruins of the old castle are still to be seen covered
with ivy. Philipstown gives the inferior title of Baron
to Viscount Molesworth.—See KILLADERRY.
PHILIPSTOWN, a parish, in the barony of ARDEE,
county of LOUTH, and province of LEINSTER, 4 miles
(N.) from Ardee, on the road to Carrickmacross, and
on the river Glyde; containing 1659 inhabitants. This
parish is bounded on the north-west by the county of
Monaghan, and comprises, according to the Ordnance
survey, 3660 statute acres, which, excepting a portion
of bog, is good arable and pasture land: agriculture is
improving, under the auspices of the neighbouring
gentry, who are also endeavouring to introduce the im-
proved system of breeding cattle. The mill of Louth
stands at the north-eastern extremity of the parish.
The principal seats are Thomastown Castle, the residence
of M. O’Reilly, Esq., in a well-wooded demesne of about
300 plantation acres; and Rathnestin, of J. Henry, Esq.
The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Armagh, form-
ing part of the union of Charlestown: the tithes amount
to £271. 17. 6., of which £234. 17. 6. is payable to the
impropriator, and £37 to the vicar. In the R. C. divi-
sions the parish is one of four, forming the union or
district of Tallanstown; there is a large chapel at Reas-
town. About 70 children are educated in two public
schools, of which the parochial school-house at Reas-
town was built and is supported by G. H. Macartney,
Esq., and the incumbent, by the latter of whom also
and Col. Filgate the other school is supported. There
are also two private schools, in which are about 100
children.
PHILIPSTOWN, an extra-parochial district, in the
barony of FERRARD, county of LOUTH (though locally
situated within the county of the town of Drogheda),
and province of LEINSTER, 1½ mile (N.) from Drogheda,
on the road to Dunleer; containing 70 inhabitants, and
comprising 268¼ statute acres.
PHILIPSTOWN-NUGENT, a parish, in the barony
of UPPER DUNDALK, county of LOUTH, and province of
LEINSTER, 2¾ miles (W. N. W.) from Dundalk, on the
road to Castle-Blayney and on the river of Philipstown;
containing 459 inhabitants. It comprises, according to
the Ordnance survey, 1035¾ statute acres of land, chiefly
in tillage. Here are the extensive flour-mills of Messrs.
Keiran, fitted up in a superior manner; and at Hack-
ball’s Cross is a station of the constabulary police. It
is a curacy, in the diocese of Armagh, forming part of