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RAT
river in a well-planted demesne; Snow Hill, of —
Power, Esq,; Ringville, of Lady Esmonde; Springfield,
of John Waring, Esq.; Kilmurry, of Geo. Giles, Esq.;
Larkfield, of H. Snow, Esq.; and Mount Prospect, of
J. Hackett, Esq. It is a vicarage, in the diocese of
Ossory, forming part of the union of Rossbercon; the
rectory is impropriate in the corporation of Waterford.
The tithes amount to £166. 10.2½., of which £100. 0. 11¾.
is payable to the corporation, and £66. 9. 2¾. to the
vicar. On the next vacancy of the benefice, this parish
is to be united to Kilculliheen. In the R. C. divisions
it is the head of a union or district, called Slieruagh,
or Slieve-ruagh, comprising this parish and those of
Kilculliheen, Ballygorum, Kilbride, Kilquane, Kilcolumb,
and Kilmackavogue; in which union are a private and
three public chapels, of which one is at Slieve-Rae, in
this parish. At Ringville, a Lancasterian school is sup-
ported by Lady Esmonde; there are also a private
school, in which are about 40 children, and a Sunday
school. There are remains of an old castle in the
demesne of Bellevue; and ruins of an old church at
Rathpatriek, where several stones have been dug up,
bearing inscriptions scarcely legible.
RATHREA, a parish, in the barony of ARDAGH,
county of LONGFORD, and province of LEINSTER, 5 miles
(S.) from Edgeworthstown; containing 1054 inhabi-
tants. It is situated on the confines of the county of
Westmeath, from which it is separated by the river
Inny, and it comprises 2364¾ statute acres, as applotted
under the tithe act, of which a large portion consists of
bog and unprofitable mountain, and the arable land is
but of ordinary quality; limestone abounds. There is
a large flour-mill, worked by M. West, Esq. On the
site of the old castle of Rathrea is Foxhall, the residence
of R. M. Fox, Esq. The parish is in the diocese of
Ardagh: the rectory is impropriate in R. M. Fox, Esq.,
and the vicarage forms part of the union of Kilglass.
The tithes amount to £109. 15. 4½., of which £38.3. 6½.
is payable to the impropriator, and the remainder to
the vicar. In the R. C. divisions it is part of the union
or district of Lagan, and has a chapel at Ballycloghan.
About 150 children are instructed in three private
schools. In the demesne of Foxhall are the ruins of
the old church, containing a monument to the memory
of Sir N. Fox.
RATHREA, a parish, in the barony of TYRAWLEY,
county of MAYO, and province of CONNAUGHT, 5 miles
(W.) from Killala, on the road from Ballina to Cross-
molina; containing 1851 inhabitants. It is bounded
by the river Owenmore, and comprises 4119 statute
acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at
£1790 per annum. The land is mostly under tillage,
and the state of agriculture is improving, though much
of the old system is still adhered to: there is but little
bog, and abundance of limestone. Fairs are held on
March 17th, the Thursday after Trinity-Sunday, June
24th, Sept. 29th, and Dec. 26th, for cows, horses, and
sheep, but they are not much frequented. The most
remarkable seats are Farm Hill, the residence of Major
Gardiner; Courthill, of John Gardiner, Esq.; Spring
Hill, of Thomas Goodwin, Esq.; and Smithstown, of
Arthur Pugh, Esq. It is a rectory and vicarage, in the
diocese of Killala: the rectory is partly appropriate to
the precentor and archdeacon of Killala, and partly to
the vicars choral of the cathedral of Christ-Church and
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RAT
St. Patrick’s, Dublin; the vicarage forms part of the
union of Ballisakeery. The tithes amount to £160, of
which £38. 15. is payable to the vicars choral, £38. 15.
to the precentor, £2. 10. to the archdeacon, and £80 to
the vicar. In the R. C. divisions it is part of the union
or district of Kilfian. There are two public schools, of
which the parochial school is aided by the rector; they
afford instruction to 133 children. An old burial-ground
on the land of Major Gardiner is still used as a ceme-
tery.
RATHREGAN, a parish, in the barony of RATOATH,
county of MEATH, and province of LEINSTER, 2 miles
(S. by W.) from Dunshaughlin, on the road from Dublin
to Trim; containing 325 inhabitants. This parish com-
prises 2481 statute acres of tolerably good land, mostly
pasture. Here is a constabulary police station. Par-
sonstown is the residence of the Hon. Major Stanhope.
It is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Meath,
forming part of the union of Dunshaughlin; the tithes
amount to £120, and the glebe, consisting of 23 acres,
is valued at £40 per annum. The glebe-house of the
union is within the parish; it was built in 1822 by aid
of a loan of £562 from the late Board of First Fruits.
In the R. C. divisions it is the head of a union or dis-
trict, called Batterstown, comprising the parishes of
Rathregan, Bailymaglasson, Balfeaghan, Raddonstown,
Kilcloon, and Moyglare; and containing three chapels.
There is a school in the vicinity of the chapel of Rath-
regan.
RATHROE, a parish, in the barony of SHELBURNE,
county of WEXFORD, and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles
(E.) from Arthurstown: the population is returned
with the parish of St. James. This parish, which has
long since merged for civil purposes into those of St.
James and Dunbrody, is estimated to contain 3981
statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. It is an
impropriate curacy, in the diocese of Ferns, annexed to
those of St. James and Dunbrody: the rectory is im-
propriate in Lord Templemore, to whom the tithes,
amounting to £82. 18. 10., are payable. In the R. C.
divisions it forms part of the district of Hook.
RATHRONAN, a parish, in the Shanid Division of
the barony of LOWER CONNELLO, county of LIMERICK,
and province of MUNSTER, 4 miles (W.) from New-
castle, on the road to Shanagolden; containing 3102
inhabitants. This parish comprises 18,153 statute acres,
of which 17,869 are applotted under the tithe act;
about 1000 acres are under tillage, 5000 meadow and
rich pasture, and the remainder mountain pasture,
plantation, and turbary. The land in the eastern por-
tion is of good quality, being based on a substratum of
limestone, and produces excellent crops under a good
system of cultivation: the meadows and pastures arc
extremely rich; great numbers of sheep are fed on
them annually, and the mountain districts afford good
pasturage for numerous herds of cattle: there are not
more than 300 acres of waste land, and much of the
rougher kind is daily being brought into cultivation.
The mountain range extends from the village of Ardagh
to the confines of the county west of Arthea, where it
joins the county of Kerry, a distance of more than 10
miles; the general formation is that of silicious grit
and indurated clay or clunch, resting on a limestone
base. Throughout the entire range are five several
strata of coal, varying from 12 to 40 inches in thick-
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