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SPI
Stanley at Ballykisteen, on the Limerick road, is an
elegant modern building, situated in a very fertile and im-
proving part of the country, and commanding a fine view
of the range of the Galtee mountains. It is a rectory,
in the diocese of Emly, forming part of the union of
Cullen: the tithes amount to £314. 15.4½. There is a
R. C. chapel at the village of Solloghod. A boys’ school,
founded by Lord Stanley, to the master of which he
allows a salary of £25 per annum., is in connection
with the Board of National Education; the mistress of
a girls’ school, also founded by his lordship, receives £20
per annum from him: each has a house and a small plot
of ground: the usual attendance at the schools is from
40 to 60 children. There are some traces of Danish
encampments.
SOWEY, county of SLIGO.—See BALLYNAKILL.
SPA, a watering-place, in the parishes of BALLYNA-
HAGLISH and CLOGHERBRIEN, barony of TRUGHENACK-
MY, county of KERRY, and province of MUNSTER, 3
miles (W.) from Tralee: the population is returned with
the respective parishes. This place, which is generally
called the “Spa of Tralee,” is finely situated on the
northern shore of Tralee bay; and its excellent bathing
strand and mineral spa, the latter of which, is a strong
chalybeate, together with the salubrity of its situation,
and the fine views it affords of the Tralee and Dingle
mountains, attract numerous visiters during the season,
for whose accommodation several neat and commodious
lodges have been erected. On the strand, which at low
water is nearly three miles in length, races are generally
held in the course of the season; and a regatta in the
bay has been lately established. Near the centre of the
bay are the small rocky islets called the Samphire, to
the larger of which aquatic excursions are often made;
and the drive along the strand, from the Spa to the
town of Tralee, affords a delightful succession of marine
and mountain scenery. Off the shore, to the west of the
Spa, is an excellent oyster bed, which, is allowed to be
dredged gratuitously by poor persons, who furnish, an
abundant supply during the season at the rate of 3d. per
100. Among the seats and lodges in the immediate vi-
cinity are Frogmore Lodge, the residence of the Rev.
Barry Denny; Plover Hill, of George Gun, Esq.; Oy-
ster Hall, of Barry Collins, Esq.; and the lodges of
Danl. Supple, jun., W. Neligan, R. O’Connell, and O.
Stokes, Esqrs.
SPANISH, or GREEN, ISLAND, in the parish of
CREAGH, Eastern Division of the barony of WEST CAR-
BERY, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 6
miles (W.) from. Skibbereen; containing 12 inhabitants.
It is situated in the mid-channel of the river Ilen, where’
it flows into the harbour of Baltimore; and comprises
120 acres of land, some part of which is rocky, but the
greater part is under cultivation, and produces tolerably
good crops.
SPIDDLE, or SPIDDAL, a village, in the parish
and barony of MOYCULLEN, county of GAIAVAY, and
province of CONNAUGHT, 9 miles (W.) from Galway, on
the bay of Galway: the population is returned with the
parish. Here is a pier, built by the Fishery Board,
which is the only place of shelter for boats on this side
of the bay. In the R. C. divisions it is considered a
parish, united with that of Minna, in which union are
two small thatched chapels, one at Spiddal and the other
at Minna.
572
STA
SPIKE ISLAND, in the parish of TEMPLEROBIN,
barony of BARRYMORE, county of CORK, and province
of MUNSTER, 1½ mile (S.) from Cove, in the harbour of
Cork; containing 205 inhabitants. This island is situ-
ated in the middle of Cork harbour, and acts as a natural
breakwater, preserving the bay within perfectly smooth,
while that portion of it which is without is very much
agitated. It comprises 180 acres of fertile land, which,
previously to its occupation by Government, in 1811, as
an Ordnance depôt for the south of Ireland, afforded,
good pasturage, but was uninhabited. The substratum
is, on one side, a compact dove-coloured limestone, and
on the other a clay-slate, uniting with the former in a
remarkable manner. On the high ground in the centre
are extensive artillery barracks; on the western side is
a large and handsome military hospital; forts, bomb-
proof, have been constructed to defend the entrance of
the harbour, and around the shores are several houses
occupied by persons connected with the establishment.
The principal entrance is on the north, where is a com-
modious pier, with a water-gate, near which are three
small towers, with apartments for the gate-keeper, sen-
tinel, and others; the battery is very strong and well
mounted, and is the only salute battery on the southern
coast. The barracks are frequently used by regiments
under orders for foreign service when waiting for the
arrival of transports or detained by contrary winds; and
detachments are sent hence to Hawlbowling island, and
Carlisle and Camden forts. The only place of wor-
ship is the chapel of the garrison. In the R. C. divi-
sions it forms part of the district of Monkstown, in the
diocese of Cork.
SPRINGVILLE, a village, in the parish of BURRY,
barony of UPPER KELLS, county of MEATH, and pro-
vince of LEINSTER, 5 miles (S. W.) from Kells; contain-
ing 33 houses and 171 inhabitants. Here is Spring-
ville, the seat of P. O’Reilly, Esq.
STABANNON, a parish, in the barony of ARDEE,
county of LOUTH, and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles
(E. N. E.) from Ardee, on the road to Castle-Bellingham,
and on the river Dee; containing, with the villages of
Drumgoolstown and Rootstown, 2221 inhabitants, of
which number, 279 are in the village of Stabannon.
According to the Ordnance survey, this parish com-
prises 4376¾ statute acres of land of the best quality,
mostly under an improved system of tillage. At Drum-
goolstown is a bleach-green, conducted by Messrs. J.
and R. Crawley. The only gentleman’s seat is Charle-
ville, belonging to Lieut.-Col. Tisdall; it is pleasantly
situated on the banks of the river Dee, and is one of
the oldest houses in the county, having been built in
1640. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Ar-
magh, episcopally united from time immemorial to the
vicarage of Richardstown, and in the patronage of the
Vicars Choral of St. Patrick’s cathedral, Dublin, to
whom the rectory is appropriate; the tithes amount to
£498. 10., of which £298. 10. is payable to the vicars
choral, and £200 to the incumbent, who receives no
part of the tithes of Richardstown. The glebe-house,
within a very short distance of the church, was erected
in 1818, at an expense of £738, British currency, of
which half was a loan and half a gift from the late
Board of First Fruits: the glebe comprises 20 acres of
excellent land, of which 15 belong to the vicars choral,
and five, valued at £12.10. per annum, to the incum-