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STR
The church is a neat structure, with a tower and spire,
rebuilt in 1786 by aid of a gift of £500 from the late Board
of First Fruits; the churchyard is well planted, and
adorned by the ruins of the ancient abbey, which, being
overgrown with ivy, have a very picturesque appearance.
In the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a union
or district, comprising the parishes of Stradbally and
Ballylaneen, and containing three chapels, two of which
are in this parish, at Stradbally and Fahagh, the latter
built principally at the expense of the late James Bar-
ron, Esq.; it is in contemplation to erect a new chapel
in the village. A school for children of both sexes was
endowed with £30 per ann., by the late Pierse Barron,
Esq., who built the school house; a school is supported
by Mrs. Uniacke, of Woodhouse, for children of both
sexes, and there is also another public school; in these
schools about 200 children are taught, and in a private
school are about 50 children. The late Rev. P. Wall,
P. P., left upwards of £100 to be distributed in clothing
and other charities. On the estate of Fahagh are the
remains of an ancient building which derives interest
from having been the place of refuge of the Fitzgeralds.
At Ballivoney the traces of an extensive building are
scarcely visible, extending in length 180 feet, and in
breadth 90, with an open wall in front; it is supposed
to have belonged to the Knights Templars. Two miles
south-west of the village, on a very steep cliff, are the
ruins of a castle (of which the Irish name signifies “the
house of fortification”), built by the Fitzgeralds,
and defended on the land side by a deep trench, over
which was a drawbridge. At Carrigahilla is a relic sup-
posed to be druidical, consisting of an oval enclosure,
182 yards long by 33 broad, having a large upright stone
in the centre and several smaller ones around it. One
of the brotherhood of the Augustine friars, ruins of
whose abbey are in the churchyard, was called the
White Friar, and is the hero of many legendary
tales.
STRADE, county of MAYO. —See TEMPLE
MORE.
STRADONE, a market and post-town, in the parish
of LARAH, barony of UPPER LOUGHTEE, county of
CAVAN, and province of ULSTER, 5 miles (E. by S.)
from Cavan, and 50 (N. W.) from. Dublin, on the road
from Virginia to Ballyhaise; containing 35 houses and
250 inhabitants. It is a station of the constabulary
police, and has a dispensary. The market is on Mon-
day; and fairs are held on Feb. 7th, March 28th,
May 10th, June 24th, Aug. l6th, Oct. 10th, and Dec. 18th,
for general farming stock. Stradone House, the resi-
dence of Major Burrowes, is a handsome mansion, situ-
ated in an extensive and finely wooded demesne adjoin-
ing the town.
STRAFFAN, a parish, in the barony of NORTH SALT,
county of KILDARE, and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles
(S.W.) from Celbridge, on the road to Naas; contain-
ing 727 inhabitants. It comprises 2212 statute acres,
as applotted under the tithe act, which is nearly
equally divided between tillage and pasture; the soil is
in general a strong stiff clay. The Grand Canal passes
within two, and the Royal Canal within about four,
miles of the parish. The principal seats are Straf-
fan House, the modern seat of H. Barton, Esq.; Bar-
berstown, of Capt. Robinson; Lodge Park, of A. Henry,
Esq., J. P.; and Straffan Lodge, the neat residence of
579
STR
Mrs. Whitelaw. It is a vicarage, in the diocese of
Dublin, forming part of the union of Celbridge; the
rectory is impropriate in Mrs. Whitelaw; the tithes
amount to £130, of which £80 is payable to the im-
propriator, and £50 to the vicar. In the R. C. divi-
sions also it forms part of the union or district of
Celbridge: the chapel is a neat edifice, situated in the
village; connected with it is a Sunday and day school.
A school for girls is supported by Mrs. Barton; and
there are two private schools in which are about 60
children.
STRAIDKELLY, or STRAIGHTKELLY, a village,
in the parish of TICKMACREVAN, barony of LOWER
GLENARM, county of ANTRIM, and province of ULSTER,
1½ mile (N. W. by N.) from Glenarm, on the old coast
road to Belfast; containing 25 houses and 172 inha-
bitants. It is situated on the hill of Cloony, over which
the old road passes at an elevation of nearly 200 feet
above the level of the sea, while the new military road
takes nearly a level course along the shore round the
base of the hill, being not more than 15 feet above high
water mark.
STRANGFORD, a small sea-port and post-town, in
the parish of BALXYCULTER, county of DOWN, and pro-
vince of ULSTER, 6 miles (N. E.) from Downpatrick, and
79¾ (N. N. E.) from Dublin; containing 583 inhabitants.
In the year 1400, the constable of Dublin city, with divers
others, fought a great sea battle at Strangford against
the Scotch, in which many of the English were slain.
It is situated on the western side of the channel which
forms the entrance of the lough to which the town gives
name; it is a very small place, having only 119 houses,
among which are a chapel of ease to the parish church of
Ballyculter, a R. C. chapel, and a Wesleyan Methodist
meeting-house: here is also a small quay for the con-
venience of the fishing boats, and of the passengers
crossing the strait to Portaferry. It is a constabulary
police station: fairs are held on Aug. 12th and Nov.
8th. The trade is chiefly in coal and timber. A school,
in which are about 200 children, is supported by the
Hon. W. Fitzgerald De Roos and the Rev. Charles
Wolseley. Near this place are the remains of two
castles called Welsh’s and Audeley’s; the former has
been converted into the handsome dwelling-house of
R. F. Anderson, Esq.; the latter, still in ruins, is on a
hill which commands a view of the lough as far as New-
town, and is supposed to have been erected by one
of the Audeleys, who settled in this county under
John De Courcy. The lough of Strangford was for-
merly called Lough Coyne: it extends from Killard
Point to Newtown, a distance of about 17 miles, from
north to south; in some parts it is five and in others
three miles in breadth, and at its entrance not quite one.
It contains a vast number of islands and rocks. Six of
the islands are inhabited; namely, Castle island, in the
parish of Saul, containing 118 acres of land under culti-
vation, and on which are the ruins of a castle; Rea
island, in the parish of Tullynakill, containing 103 acres,
occupied by a farmer; Wood island, also in the parish
of Tullynakill, containing 16 acres, and on which are
large beds of shells, from 50 to 60 feet above the level
of the sea, that are converted into excellent lime by
burning; Tagart island, in the parish of Killyleagh;
Islandbawn, in the parish of Killinchy, containing 30
acres of land; and Maghea island, in the parish of Tul-
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