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Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

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TAL<br />

Dublin, on the mail coach road from Waterford through<br />

Youghal to Cork; containing 4717 inhabitants, of which<br />

number; 2998 are in the town. This place, together<br />

with the surrounding territory, was, in 1586, granted<br />

by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Walter Raleigh, by whom<br />

the estates were subsequently assigned to Sir Richard<br />

Boyle, afterwards created Earl of Cork. In the origi-<br />

nal grant it is designated a decayed town, but it was<br />

restored by the Earl, who in the 11th of Jas. I. ob-<br />

tained for the inhabitants a charter of incorporation<br />

and various important privileges. Though not walled,<br />

an intrenchment with four gates was thrown up around<br />

it for its defence, during the war in 1641, by the<br />

Earl, who maintained here a garrison of 100 infantry;<br />

and in 1643 the Earl of Inchiquin, with his army,<br />

met the Lords Dungarvan and Broghill at this place,<br />

whence they proceeded to the relief of Lismore castle,<br />

at that time besieged. In 1644 the castle of Bally-<br />

macow, near the town, was taken from Sir Philip Per-<br />

ceval by the Irish, but was soon after restored by<br />

order of the supreme council at Kilkenny, in conse-<br />

quence of its seizure having been a violation of the<br />

cessation of hostilities previously concluded.<br />

The town is situated about half a mile to the<br />

south of the river Bride, and consists chiefly of two<br />

principal streets; it contained, in 1831, 477 houses, of<br />

which many are well built and of respectable appear-<br />

ance. The wool-combing business was formerly car-<br />

ried on extensively; but at present the principal trade<br />

is in grain, which is brought from Fermoy and the<br />

neighbouring markets to be shipped here. The ma-<br />

nufacture of coarse lace affords employment to several<br />

hundred females; an extensive ale and porter brewery<br />

was established here in 1835, by Messrs. Anthony and<br />

Terry, which produces annually 3000 barrels; and at-<br />

tached to it is a large malting concern. There are also<br />

very extensive flour-mills, belonging to Messrs. Hannan,<br />

which were built in 1822, and produce annually 10,000<br />

barrels of flour; they are set in motion by a powerful<br />

stream which rises to the south of the town and falls<br />

into the river Bride at Tallow bridge. The Bride,<br />

which winds through the parish, is navigable to within<br />

a quarter of a mile of the bridge; and at Janeville<br />

quay, about 2 miles distant, lighters from 30 to 40 tons’<br />

burden unload their cargoes of coal, culm, and timber,<br />

and receive grain at Tallow bridge quay; the river Bride,<br />

from its junction with the Black-water, affording a faci-<br />

lity of water carriage to Youghal. A new line of road<br />

has been constructed to Youghal, opening an improved<br />

communication between this place and the neighbour-<br />

ing towns. The market is on Saturday; and fairs are<br />

held on March 1st, Trinity-Monday, Oct. 10th, and<br />

Dec. 8th: the market-house is a neat and well-arranged<br />

building.<br />

A charter of incorporation was granted by Jas. I.,<br />

in the 11th of his reign, to the inhabitants, under the<br />

designation of the “Sovereign, Free Burgesses, and<br />

Commonalty of the borough of Tallagh,” by which the<br />

town and the surrounding lands within a mile and a<br />

half of the parish church were constituted a free bo-<br />

rough. By this charter the corporation was to consist<br />

of a sovereign, not less than 13 nor more than 24 free<br />

burgesses, and an indefinite number of freemen, with a<br />

recorder and other officers. The sovereign, who, with<br />

the recorder, was a justice of the peace, was chosen<br />

589<br />

TAL<br />

annually by the lord of the manor from the free bur-<br />

gesses nominated for that purpose by the sovereign and<br />

a majority of that body, by whom vacancies in their<br />

number were filled up from among the freemen, and<br />

freemen were also admitted. The charter conferred<br />

upon the corporation the privilege of returning two<br />

members to the Irish parliament, which it continued<br />

to exercise till the union, when the borough was dis-<br />

franchised. It held a court of record in which the<br />

sovereign and recorder presided, with jurisdiction ex-<br />

tending to £20; but, long before the disfranchisement<br />

of the borough, the corporation had ceased to exercise<br />

any municipal functions, and soon afterwards became<br />

extinct. The seneschal of the manor for some time<br />

continued to hold a court, with jurisdiction to the ex-<br />

tent of £15: but this has been for some time discon-<br />

tinued, and the only pleas now cognizable in the manor<br />

court are for debts not exceeding 40s. A chief constabu-<br />

lary police force is stationed in the town.<br />

The parish comprises 4745 statute acres, as applotted<br />

under the tithe act; about 400 acres are pasture, 100<br />

mountainous but in cultivation, and the remainder<br />

chiefly under tillage; the soil is fertile, and the system<br />

of agriculture improved; there is neither waste land<br />

nor bog. The surrounding district produces abundance<br />

of grain of all kinds, and there are some extensive<br />

dairies. Kilmore Hill, the residence of the Rev. W.<br />

Perceval, is a handsome seat on the new line of road<br />

to Youghal, about a mile from the town. The living<br />

is a rectory, in the diocese of Lismore, episcopally united,<br />

in 1817, to the vicarage of Kilwatermoy, and in the pa-<br />

tronage of the Duke of Devonshire. The tithes amount<br />

to £369. 4. 7.; the glebe comprises about 5 acres, and<br />

the tithes for the whole benefice amount to £457. 16. 10½.<br />

The church, for the repairs of which the Ecclesiastical<br />

Commissioners have recently granted £259, is a spa-<br />

cious structure: in the aisle is a monument of marble,<br />

erected by the parishioners to the Rev. H. Brougham,<br />

their late rector, who died in 1831. The R. C. parish<br />

is co-extensive with that of the Established Church:<br />

the chapel is a handsome cruciform edifice, with a tower<br />

of hewn stone; the interior is neatly arranged; the<br />

high altar is of elegant design, and over a small altar of<br />

marble is a monument to the Rev. Denis O’Donnell,<br />

late P. P., with an emblematic sculpture, beautifully<br />

executed, representing Religion and Charity. A con-<br />

vent of the order of the Presentation was erected here<br />

in 1836, at an expense of £1500, on a site of two acres<br />

presented by the Duke of Devonshire; the late Rev.<br />

D. O’Donnell bequeathed £1000 towards the erection<br />

of the buildings, and the Rev, E. Condon, under whose<br />

superintendence they were completed, supplied the re-<br />

mainder. About 450 children are taught in four public<br />

schools, of which one is supported by the Trustees of<br />

Erasmus Smith’s fund; and there are seven private<br />

schools, in which are about 200 children. Almshouses<br />

have lately been erected under the will of John Boyce,<br />

Esq., who endowed them for the reception of six aged<br />

couples, to each of whom he assigned £10 per ann.:<br />

the buildings, which are very neat and well adapted to<br />

the purpose, are situated at the southern entrance of<br />

the town. Near the R. C. chapel are also almshouses<br />

for poor widows, erected and endowed with £30 per<br />

ann. by a bequest of the late Rev. D. O’Donnell. There<br />

are a dispensary and a fever hospital, to which the

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