Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

ROS
tural purposes and also for repairing the roads; the
system of agriculture is much improved, and there is
no waste land. The principal seats are Lisgoole abbey,
the residence of M. Jones, Esq.; and Gortudrate, of A.
Crawford, Esq. The living is a rectory and vicarage,
in the diocese of Clogher, and in the patronage of the
Bishop: the tithes amount to £240. The glebe-house,
a handsome residence, was erected at an expense of
£1107, for which purpose the late Board of First Fruits
granted a gift of £323 and a loan of £461; the glebe
comprises 78 acres, valued at £136.10 per annum. The
church is an ancient edifice. In the R. C. divisions
the parish forms part of the union or district of Ennis-
killen. At Portora, within the limits of the parish, is the
Royal endowed school of Enniskillen, a handsome build-
ing, erected at an expense of £4000. About 120 children
are taught in three public schools; and there are three
private schools, in which are about 220 children, and
a Sunday school. The interest of a bequest of £50 by
Mrs. Noble is annually divided among twelve aged
women. A very ancient religious foundation appears
to have subsisted here, upon the site of which Lisgoole
abbey was afterwards founded for Canons Regular by
Mac Noellus Mackenleff, King of Ulster, about the year
1106. This establishment was destroyed by fire in 1360,
and in the reign of Hen. VIII., having fallen into ruin, it
was surrendered by the last abbot to Maguire, tanist of
Fermanagh, by whom it was assigned to the Francis-
cans, and the abbey rebuilt as a place of sepulture for
the principal families of that country; at the dissolution
it was granted to Sir John Davies. Here is a sulphure-
ous spring in great repute.
ROSSTRUNK, an island, in the parish and barony
of BURRISHOOLE, county of MAYO, and province of
CONNAUGHT, 4 miles (W.) from Newport-Pratt. This
small island, which is situated in Clew bay, and affords
good pasturage, is chiefly remarkable for its well-shel-
tered harbour, which has good ground for nearly a
square mile, with two or three fathoms. It affords
good anchorage, especially for small vessels, which may
go farther up the bay to Newport-Pratt, and Burris-
hoole.
ROSTELLAN, a parish, in the barony of IMOKILLY,
county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 3 miles
(S. W.) from Cloyne; containing 1163 inhabitants. This
parish, which is situated on the eastern shore of Cork
harbour, comprises 2218 statute acres, as applotted
under the tithe act, and valued at £2562 per annum.
The land is generally good, being in a limestone vale;
about one half is under tillage and the other in pasture
and demesne; the system of agriculture is greatly im-
proved, under the spirited example and encouragement
given by the Marquess of Thomond, whose farm is one
of the best cultivated and most productive in the
county. Rostellan Castle, the seat of that nobleman,
is an elegant mansion on the margin of the harbour,
over which it commands extensive and pleasing views,
and in a highly cultivated and extensive demesne,
comprehending one-third of the parish, and richly
embellished with woods and plantations. The grounds
are arranged with great taste, and for nearly two
miles skirted by the waters of Rostellan bay, and
diversified with the rural and picturesque houses of
the farming steward, gardeners, and others connect-
ed with the management of the farm. The gardens
539
ROS
are extensive and tastefully arranged; the flower gar
dens contain a fine selection of the choicest plants
and flowers. Here are the Rostellan mills for making
starch from potatoes, conducted by Mr. Prendergast.
The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of
Cloyne, formerly a part of the union of Aghada, from
which, on the demise of Dr. Brinkley in 1S35, it was
separated and made a distinct benefice, in the patronage
of the Crown. The tithes amount to £288. 7. 3½.;
the glebe, at Kilteskin, for which the old glebe, now
forming part of the demesne of Rostellan Castle, was
exchanged, comprises 47 acres. The parishioners attend
divine service at Aghada or Cloyne: but it is in contem-
plation to erect a district church for this parish and
that of Garranekenefick. In the R. C. divisions the
parish forms part of the union or district of Aghada;
there is a small chapel at Ballinrostig. About 30 chil-
dren are taught in the parochial male school, sup-
ported by the Bishop of Cloyne, and in the female
school, supported wholly by the Marchioness of Tho-
mond; and there are two private schools, in which
are about 60 children. The ancient castle of Ros-
tellan was, during the parliamentary war, surren-
dered to Lord Inchiquin in 1645, but was afterwards
retaken by Lord Castlehaven, who also made pri-
soners Lord Inchiquin’s brother and Col. Courtenay,
who had been sent to demolish it Near the de-
mesne is a holy well much venerated by the peasantry,
and an ash tree literally covered with their offerings to
the patron saint; not far distant is a stone on which is
sculptured a rude representation of the crucifixion; and
within the demesne are some limestone rocks, in which
are capacious natural caverns, with stalactites depending
from the roof.
ROSTREVOR, or ROSETREVOR, a sea-port
and post-town, in the parish of KILBRONEY, barony of
UPPER IVEAGH, county of DOWN, and province of
ULSTER, 7 miles (E. by S.) from Newry, and 57 (N.)
from Dublin; containing 996 inhabitants. This place
was anciently called Castle Roe or Rory, from its original
founder, Rory, one of the family of the Magennises,
Lords of Iveagh, of whose baronial castle, subsequently
occupied by the Trevor family, there are still some re-
mains near the town; it derived its present appellation
from Rose, youngest daughter of Sir Marmaduke Whit-
church, after whose marriage with Trevor, Viscount
Dungannon, the family seat, Iveagh castle, was inva-
riably called Rosetrevor. The town is beautifully situ-
ated in a cove of Carlingford Lough, at the western ter-
mination of the Mourne mountains, and contains 185
houses, which are large and handsomely built. The
streets are wide and open, and the whole town has a
cheerful and attractive appearance. The air is salubri-
ous, and the town is very desirable as a residence from
its fine situation on a gentle eminence sheltered by
mountains on. the north, south, and east, and open on
the west to Carlingford bay, the shores of which are
richly planted and embellished with numerous seats,
handsome villas, and picturesque cottages. The port
is principally frequented by fishing boats, for the
accommodation of which there is a small quay, from
which is a walk nearly a mile in length, thickly shaded
with trees; and on the side of the mountain is a stone
of very large dimensions, called Cloughmorne, which
is frequently visited for the very extensive and beauti-
3Z2