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ture, with a lofty octagonal spire, was erected in 1756,
at the sole expense of H. Boyd, Esq.: the stone for
building it was procured from the quarries in the parish,
which were then worked on that gentleman’s estate. It
is a chapelry, in the diocese of Connor, endowed with
£60 per ann., of which £20 per ann. is paid by the
trustees of Primate Boulter’s augmentation fund, and
the remainder by the patron, H. Boyd, Esq., descendant
of the founder. There is neither glebe-house nor glebe.
The R. C. chapel is a small building; and there are places
of worship for Presbyterians and Wesleyan Methodists
the former in connection with the Synod of Ulster and of
the third class. There are several schools in the town,
principally supported by the resident gentry. H. Boyd,
Esq., in 1762, built and endowed with the rental of the
townlands of Carnside and Ballylinney, reserving only
£40 for the incumbency of Ballycastle, 20 almshouses
near the church, for poor men, or the widows of poor
men who had worked eight years in the collieries or other
works on his estate; they are still maintained, and are
tenanted by the deserving poor of the town under the
superintendance of the Primate, the Bishop, and the
Chancellor of Connor for the time being, whom he
appointed trustees for the management of the lands.
There are some ruins of the castle from which the town
derived its name; also some ruins of Bona Margy, a
religious house founded in 1509 by Charles Mac Donnell,
for monks of the Franciscan order, and one of the
latest of those establishments which were founded in
Ireland; the remains of the chapel are the most per-
fect. This is the. burial-place of the Antrim family,
who have put a new roof upon a small oratory erected
over the ashes of their ancestors, over the window of
which is a Latin inscription scarcely legible, importing
that it was built in 1621 by Randolph Mac Donnell,
Earl of Antrim. In 1811 was found, by the side of a
rivulet near the town, a flexible rod of gold composed
of twisted bars 38 inches long, hooked at,each end, and
weighing 20 ounces and a half; it was undoubtedly a
Roman torques, and probably brought hither by some
of the Danish or Scottish ravagers of Roman Britain.
There is a strong chalybeate spring near the town; and
on the shores are found chalcedony, opal, jasper, and
dentrites.
BALLYCASTLE, a village, in the parish of DUN-
FEENY, barony of TYRAWLEY, county of MAYO, and
province of CONNAUGHT, 15 miles (N. W.) from Ballina:
the population is returned with the parish. This place
is situated on the north-west coast, and commands a
fine view of Downpatrick Head: the beach affords
excellent accommodation for sea-bathing, and by the
outlay of a little capital it might be made a delightful
watering-place. Several improvements have already
been made; many new houses have been built, a market-
place is in course of erection, and a new line of road is
now being constructed through the mountains to Bel-
mullet, which will materially add to the advantages of
the place. Petty sessions are held every Wednesday;
it is a constabulary and chief revenue-police station,
and has six fairs in the year, and a penny post to
Killala.
BALLYCLARE, a market and post-town, partly in
the parish of BALLYNURE, but chiefly in that of BALLY-
EASTON, barony of LOWER BELFAST, county of ANTRIM,
and province of ULSTER, 93½ miles (N.) from Dublin;
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containing 824 inhabitants. This place is situated close
to the Six-mile-water, and at the extremity of the mail
coach road, which branches off from that between Bel-
fast and Antrim. The town, which is neatly built,
contains about 180 houses, and is noted for its monthly
linen market, and for its horse fairs, which are held on
May 24th, July 19th, Aug. 23rd, and Nov. 22nd.
There are places of worship for Presbyterians and
Wesleyan Methodists, the former in connection with
the presbytery of Antrim, and of the second class.
BALLYCLERAHAN, a parish, in the barony of IFFA
and OFFA EAST, county of TIPPERARY, and province of
MUNSTER, 4 miles (S. W.) from Fethard; containing 568
inhabitants. This parish, which forms part of the lands
belonging to the see of Cashel, is situated on the road
from Cashel to Clonmel, and is chiefly remarkable for
its castle of great strength, said to have been built by
Mocklerough More, or the “great Mockler,” whose ter-
ritories extended from this place to Nine-mile House,
or, as it was then called, Mockler’s Grange. This castle,
opposite to which the Butler family erected a strong
fortress on their own estate, was besieged by Cromwell,
who in vain attempted to make any impression upon it,
from an eminence since called Crugg Denial Noi, or the
“Rock of the Nine Soldiers,” from the loss of nine of
his men who were killed by a discharge from the castle;
but changing his position during the night, he assaulted
it in the morning and obtained possession of it after an
obstinate resistance. Mockler and his second son fell
bravely defending the castle, and his eldest son, being
taken prisoner, was hanged at the gate; another of his
sons with a few of the family, escaped to France, but
the rest of the garrison were put to the sword. The
remains consist of a lofty square tower in one of the
angles of the court, which is enclosed with very strong
and high walls of stone; also part of a dwelling-house
within the area, and, on the outside, the ruins of a
chapel near the gateway. The parish comprises 1038
statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. It is a
rectory, in the diocese of Cashel, and forms part of the
union and corps of the deanery of Cashel; the tithes
amount to £75. 0. 8. There is no church; the inhabi-
tants attend divine service in the adjoining parish of
Newchapel. The glebe comprises 11 acres. The R. C.
parish is co-extensive with that of the Established
Church; the chapel is a spacious building. There are
two pay schools, in which are about 70 boys and 20
girls.
BALLYCLOG, or BALLYNECLOG, a parish, in
the barony of DUNGANNON, county of TYRONE, and
province of ULSTER, 2 miles (N.) from Stewarts-town,
on the road to Moneymore; containing 2786 inhabi-
tants. This place formed part of the lands granted by
Jas. I. to Sir Andrew Stewart, and with the exception
of the lands belonging to the primate, which are in the
manor of Cookstown,is wholly included within the manor
of Stewarts-town. The parish is situated on Lough
Neagh, and comprises, according to the Ordnance sur-
vey, 7796¾ statute acres, of which 3092¼ are in the
lough. The lands are chiefly under tillage; there are
about 15 acres of woodland and 20 of bog; the system
of agriculture is in a highly improved state, and there
is not a single acre of waste land in the parish. Coal,
limestone, freestone, basalt, and quartz prevail; and
many rare plants grow here, which are not found in any