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SLI
SLIGO, a sea-port, as-
size, borough, market and
post-town, in the barony of
UPPER CARBERY, county
of SLIGO, and province of
CONNAUGHT, 20¾, miles (S.
W.) from Ballyshannon, and
103¾ (N. W.) from Dublin;
containing 15,152 inhabi-
tants. This place, which is
the chief town of the coun-
ty, is indebted for its im-
portance to one of the first
English settlers in Ireland. So early as 1242 a
castle was erected here by Maurice Fitzgerald, Earl
of Kildare, and at that time Lord Justice of Ireland.
The same Earl, in 1252, founded also a monastery,
which he dedicated to the Holy Cross, for friars of the
order of St. Dominick, the origin of which establish-
ment has by some writers been erroneously ascribed to
O’Conor Sligo. In 1270 the town and the castle were
destroyed by O’Donell; but the monastery escaped the
ravages of that chieftain, and the castle was afterwards
rebuilt by Richard, Earl of Ulster, in 1310. In 1360
the town was again destroyed by fire, and in 1394 it was
plundered and burnt by Mac William Burgh. In 1414
the monastery was wholly consumed by an accidental
fire, and for its restoration Pope John XXII. granted
indulgences to all who should visit it and contribute
towards the expense of rebuilding it. In 1416 it was
rebuilt by Bryan Mac Dermot Mac Donchaigh, of
Mac Donagh:and in 1454 Bryan Mac Donagh, sole
monarch of Toroilill (now the barony of Tiraghrill),
was interred within its walls. It continued to flourish
till the dissolution, when it was granted to Sir William
Taaffe. At the commencement of the reign of Jas. I.,
a grant of a market and two annual fairs to be held
here was made to Sir Jas. Fullerton; and in 1613 the
town was made a parliamentary borough by charter of
incorporation. In 1621, it received a charter of the
staple, incorporating a mayor, two constables and mer-
chants, with the same powers as those of Youghal.
In 1627 Sir James Craig had a fresh grant of a mar-
ket and two fairs, which in 1674 were granted to
William, Earl of Stafford, and Thomas Radcliffe, Esq.
In the war of 1641 the town was taken without opposi-
tion by Sir Chas. Coote, at the head of an army of
4000 infantry and 500 horse. By his occupation of
this post, Sir Charles had the means of keeping a
check upon the royalists of the neighbouring counties;
but the R. C. Archbishop of Tuam with great zeal col-
lected forces for the recovery of the town, in which
attempt he was joined by Sir Jas. Dillon, who was sent
by the confederates to Kilkenny with 800 men to his
assistance, and having forced his way into the town was
on the point of expelling the parliamentarians, when he
was suddenly alarmed by the intelligence of an army
being on its approach to their relief. Upon this the
confederated forces retired, and in their retreat were
attacked and routed by Sir Chas. Coote; the arch-
bishop was killed in the action, and among his papers
were found the important documents that exposed the
connection of the King with the Catholic party. The
parliamentarians afterwards abandoned the town, which,
though threatened again by Sir Chas. Coote on his
568
SLI
advance against Limerick, in 1651, was retained by
the Catholics till the termination of the war. In the
war of the revolution it was taken by the brave Ennis-
killeners, who also defeated a large body of James’s
forces that were advancing against it, and took from
them a considerable booty; but the garrison was
shortly after driven out by Gen. Sarsfield, and the place
was finally reduced by the Earl of Granard.
The town is now the property chiefly of Lord Pal-
merston and Owen Wynne, of Hazelwood, Esq. It
is advantageously situated on the banks of the river
Garvogue, which connects Lough Gill with the bay of
Sligo, opening to the Atlantic; the river is about two
miles and a half in length, and the town is situated on
the extremity of it nearest the sea, where it is narrow-
est. This river is navigable from Lough Gill to the
town; but a weir across it prevents the navigation thence
to the sea, to the great injury of the commercial interests
of the place. The greater portion of the town is on the
south side of the river, in the parish of St. John, and is
connected with the smaller portion, in the parish of
Calry, on the north side, by two bridges. The streets
are irregularly formed, which detracts much from its
internal appearance, though the houses are chiefly of
respectable character, and there are several of a supe-
rior order; as seen, however, in combination with the
surrounding scenery, it forms an interesting and pleasing
feature in the landscape from many points of view in
the vicinity:the total number of houses is 2238. It
is lighted and paved under a local act of the 43rd of
Geo. III., the provisions of which are stated in the sub-
sequent account of the corporation; and the inhabit-
ants are supplied with water from public pumps, kept
in repair by the commissioners appointed under the
above-named act. A public library and two reading-
rooms are supported by subscription; and a newspaper
is published every Saturday. There is a small theatre,
which is very irregularly attended; races are generally
held annually in August on the race-course of Bomore,
about five miles from the town; and a regatta is held
on Lough Gill, which is very numerously attended.
The barracks for cavalry are capable of accommodating
7 officers and 96 non-commissioned officers and pri-
vates, with stabling for 60 horses; an excellent hospi-
tal for 15 patients is annexed to them. There are a
few linen and stocking weavers, who work on their own
account, but no large factories; the linen trade, for-
merly carried on here to some extent, has almost ceased,
and the linen-hall is unoccupied. A distillery belong-
ing to Messrs. Martin, Madden, and Co., manufactures
120,000 gallons of whiskey annually and affords em-
ployment to 55 persons; there are four public breweries,
and several manufactories for soap, candles, snuff,
tobacco, hats, ropes, and cables; also several extensive
flour-mills. The trade is facilitated by the river, which
is navigable through Lough Gill and supplies the town
with turf and other necessaries. The maritime trade of
the port is the chief source of the prosperity of the town,
and its rapid increase may be ascertained from the fact
that, in the year 1800, the number of vessels that,
entered the port was 65, of the aggregate burden of 4100
tons; while in the year 1830, the number of vessels was
540, and their aggregate burden, 57,015 tons. In 1834,
47 vessels in the foreign trade entered inwards and 2
cleared outwards, and 354 in the coasting and cross-