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RAT
ness; but the two upper strata, not more than 16 inches
thick, have only yet been worked, and that in a very
inefficient manner; all the strata dip very rapidly.
Nodules of ironstone are found in the rivulets and also
imbedded in the clunch; limestone is also abundant,
and no district in Ireland seems better adapted than
this for the establishment of iron-works. Flagstones of
very large size are quarried in these mountains, and
numerous escars are found almost exclusively of lime-
stone. The principal seats are Glenville, the residence
of J. Massey, Esq.; and Cahermoyle, of W. S. O’Brien,
Esq.; the woods around these seats are extensive and
luxuriant, and are very interesting from their situation
in a fertile valley destitute of all timber but what is on
the demesnes; the plantations of Glenville are very
extensive, reaching to the summit of the mountain.
Athea, or Temple Athea, is the only village in the parish;
it is very small but picturesquely situated, and is a sta-
tion of the constabulary police. The living is a rectory
and vicarage, in the diocese of Limerick, and in the
patronage of the Bishop; the tithes amount to £133.
The glebe-house, towards the erection of which the late
Board of First Fruits contributed a gift of £400 and a
loan of £340, is a handsome residence, built in 1827;
the glebe comprises 2½ acres. The church is a small but
very neat edifice, in the early English style, with a
square tower, and was wholly rebuilt in 1820, on which
occasion the late Board of First Fruits advanced a loan
of £500. In the R. C. divisions the eastern portion of
the parish forms part of the union of Ardagh, and the
western portion is a parish of itself, called Athea, where
the chapel is situated. About 80 children are taught in
two public schools. Within the grounds of Glenville
are some chalybeate and petrifying springs. There are
some remains of a very ancient church, and not far
from the parish church are the ruins of Ballyvohan
castle.
RATHRONAN, a parish, in the barony of IFFA and
OFFA EAST, county of TIPPERARY, and province of
MUNSTER, 1¾ mile (N.) from Clonmel, on the road to
Fethard, containing 1010 inhabitants. The parish,
which comprises 2543 statute acres, rests chiefly on a
limestone substratum; the soil is very good, producing
fine wheat and rich pasturage, without waste land or
bog. A flour mill is situated on a stream which flows
through the parish. Excavations have been made in
quest of coal at an eminence called the Giant’s Grave;
the last shaft sunk in a black slaty rock passed through
a thin bed of wavellite, at a depth of 40 feet; the pro-
prietor is about to renew the experiment. Rathronan
House is the elegant residence of Major-Gen. Sir. Hugh
Gough, K. C. B. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese
of Lismore, and in the patronage of the Duke of Devon-
shire; the rectory is impropriate in John Bagwell, Esq.
The tithes amount to £203. 1. 6., of which £110. 15. 5.
is payable to the impropriator, and the remainder to
the vicar. The church, a neat building, was erected in
1825, on the site of the old church, at the sole expense
of the lady of Gen. Sir Wm. Meadows, who endowed it
with the interest of £1800, payable at the death of a
Mrs. Meadows. At the Giant’s Grave there is an
upright stone, about eight feet high above the ground,
on which two crosses are sculptured; that on one
side of the stone is in raised relief, that on the other
in has relief.
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RAT
RATHSALLAGH, a parish, in the barony of UPPER
TALBOTSTOWN, county of WICKLOW, and province of
LEINSTER, 1 mile (S.) from Dunlavan, on the road to
Baltinglass; containing 271 inhabitants. The parish
is situated on the western boundary of the county, and
comprises 1753 statute acres, as applotted under the
tithe act: agriculture is improving; the principal crops
are oats and potatoes. It belongs entirely to E. Penne-
father, Esq., whose mansion is the only gentleman’s
seat, though there are several respectable farm-houses.
One of the largest fairs in the kingdom is held here on
Sept. 4th, for horses, cattle, sheep and pigs. The living
is a vicarage, in the diocese of Dublin and Glendalough,
forming part of the union of Dunlavan; the rectory is
appropriate to the Dean and Chapter of St. Patrick’s
Cathedral, Dublin. The tithes amount to £77. 16. 2.,
of which £49. 3. 10¼. is payable to the appropriators,
and £28. 12. 3¾. to the vicar. In the R. C. divisions
it is also within the union or district of Dunlavan. In
the demesne of Rathsallagh is a school, maintained
entirely by the Pennefather family. There is an old
rath on the townland of Rathsallagh.
RATHSARAN, a parish, in the barony of UPPER
OSSORY, QUEEN’S county, and province of LEINSTER,
2¾ miles (W.) from Rathdowney, on the road from
Dublin to Thurles; containing 868 inhabitants. This
parish is bounded on the west by the county of Tippe-
rary, and comprises 2065 statute acres, as applotted
under the tithe act. The living is a rectory and vicar-
age, in the diocese of Ossory, and in the patronage of
the Bishop: the tithes amount to £130, and the glebe
comprises 114 acres. The glebe-house was erected by
aid of a gift of £250, and a loan of £550, in 1820, from
the late Board of First Fruits. The church was built
in 1797, by aid of a gift of £500 from the same Board.
In the R. C. divisions it forms part of the union or dis-
trict of Rathdowney, and contains a chapel. The pa-
rochial school, in which are about 50 children, is aided
by a contribution from the rector, and a grant of £8
per annum from the Society for Discountenancing
Vice.
RATHTOOLE, or BALLYCOR, a parish, in the ba-
rony of NEWCASTLE, county of DUBLIN, though locally
in the barony of UPPER TALBOTSTOWN, county of WICK-
LOW, and province of LEINSTER, 4 miles (N. W. by N.)
from Baltinglass, on the road to Ballitore; containing
238 inhabitants. It comprises 687 statute acres, and is
a vicarage, in the diocese of Dublin, forming part of the
union of Timolin; the rectory is appropriate to the pre-
bendaries and vicars choral of Christ-Church cathedral,
Dublin. The tithes amount to £52. 10., of which £35 is
payable to the appropriators, and the remainder to the
vicar. At Ballycore is an ancient burial-place.
RATHUGH.—See RAHUE.
RATHVILLY, a parish, in the barony of RATH-
VILLY, county of CARLOW, and province of LEINSTER,
5 miles (N. E.) from Tallow, on the road to Baltinglass,
and on the rivers Slaney and Derreen; containing 3187
inhabitants, of which number, 305 are in the village.
This parish comprises 9103 statute acres, as applotted
under the tithe act, three-fourths being meadow and
pasture, and the remainder, excepting some bog, arable
land. Within its limits, close on the confines of Wick-
low county, is the townland of Ladytown, belonging to
Baltinglass parish in that county. Granite exists here, but