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Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

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TRA<br />

within its limits: the materials with which the new court-<br />

house was constructed were chiefly raised from a quarry<br />

of fine limestone near the castle green, which has been<br />

since filled up and planted. Sea-weed from Tralee bay<br />

is in general use for manure. The principal gentlemen’s<br />

seats in the vicinity are Ballyseedy, the finely planted<br />

demesne of Arth. Blennerhasset, Esq., now occupied<br />

by Sir Edw. Denny, Bart.; Oak Park, the residence of<br />

John Bateman, Esq., situated in grounds well wooded<br />

with oak, among which are some trees of singular size<br />

and beauty, and open to the public; Belmont, of the<br />

Rev. A. B. Rowan; Ballard House, of Fras. Crosbie,<br />

Esq.; Spring Lodge, of F. J. Martelli, Esq.; Lower<br />

Cannon, of J. Eagar, Esq.; Magh, of W. Seely, Esq.;<br />

Chute Hall, of W. Chute, Esq.; Spring Hill, of Capt.<br />

Chute; Arbella, of Fras. Peet, Esq.; Plover Hill, of<br />

Geo. Gun, Esq.; and Frogmore Lodge, of the Rev.<br />

Barry Denny. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of<br />

Ardfert and Aghadoe, and in the patronage of Sir Edw.<br />

Denny: the tithes amount to £408. 7- 7. The glebe-<br />

house is a large and commodious building adjoining the<br />

church; the glebe comprises 11a. Or. 29p. The church,<br />

which was enlarged in 1819 by aid of a loan of £2450<br />

from the late Board of First Fruits, and more recently<br />

enlarged and thoroughly repaired by a fund raised by<br />

subscription and the sale of the pews, is a large and<br />

handsome structure with a square tower surmounted<br />

with pinnacles. In the R. C. divisions the parish is the<br />

head of a union or district, comprising also the greater<br />

part of the parishes of Annagh, Clogherbrien, and<br />

Ratass: the chapel is a spacious and handsome edifice,<br />

the entrance to which from the High-street is through<br />

a fine avenue bordered with trees. A convent for nuns<br />

of the order of the Presentation, established about 12<br />

years since, has a small chapel attached to it. There<br />

are places of worship for Calvinistic Independents and<br />

Wesleyan Methodists. A school, under the superinten-<br />

dence of the incumbent, was built about 12 years since<br />

by aid of a grant of £140 from the Lord-Lieutenant’s<br />

fund, and shortly after its erection was placed in con-<br />

nection with the trustees of Erasmus Smith’s charity,<br />

who allow the master a fixed salary of £20 per ann.<br />

and a contingent gratuity of £10: there is also a<br />

school for females, formerly in connection with the<br />

London Hibernian Society, held under the same roof;<br />

the salary of the mistress is paid by subscriptions,<br />

which average £30 per ann.: the building can accom-<br />

modate 80 children of each sex, and both schools are<br />

under the superintendence of the Protestant clergyman.<br />

A male school in connection with the Board of National<br />

Education is held in a large edifice, consisting of an<br />

upper and lower apartment, each extending the whole<br />

length, of the building, and togetheraffording accommoda-<br />

tion for about 800 children. A female free school is con-<br />

nected with the convent of the Presentation, by the nuns<br />

of which the children are instructed in the elements of<br />

useful literature and in lace-making and needle-work:<br />

it is partly supported by a grant from the same Board.<br />

There are five private schools: the number of chil-<br />

dren instructed in all these schools is about 830. There<br />

is also a Sunday school in the town. The county in-<br />

firmary, with a dispensary attached, has been established<br />

here. The county fever hospital, a substantial modern<br />

building, forming three sides of a quadrangle, and<br />

capable of accommodating 200 patients, is situated in a<br />

642<br />

TRA<br />

spacious area in the vicinity. There is also a temporary<br />

asylum for the reception of lunatics previously to their<br />

transmission to the district lunatic asylum at Limerick.<br />

Two asylums for the aged and impotent poor are sup-<br />

ported respectively by the Protestant and Catholic in-<br />

habitants. A neat row of six almshouses, affording<br />

accommodation to 36 poor widows, was built in 1832<br />

by Dr. M c Eniry, P. P., at an expense of £600: the<br />

widows are selected by the parish priest. The interest<br />

of £1000 Irish, bequeathed by Miss Tuomy, of Tralee,<br />

who died about 30 years since, is distributed by the<br />

parish priest among the poor, generally at Christmas.<br />

The only relics of the ancient abbey are some sculptured<br />

ornaments which have been built into the front of the<br />

R. C. chapel and of the adjoining school-house. At<br />

Ballybeggan are the remains of a castle, and at the nor-<br />

thern outlet are some slight vestiges of the castle of<br />

Mac Aliistrom or Ellistrom. On the northern shore of<br />

the bay, about three miles from the town, is a celebrated<br />

chalybeate spring, which has given the name of Spa to<br />

a small watering-place that is described under its own<br />

head.<br />

TRAMORE, a maritime market and post-town, in<br />

the parish of DRUMCANNON, barony of MIDDLETHIRD,<br />

county of WATERFORD, and province of MUNSTER, 6<br />

miles (S. S.W.) from Waterford, and 81¾ (S. W.) from<br />

Dublin; containing 2224 inhabitants. This town is<br />

situated at the north-western extremity of the bay of<br />

Tramore, to which it gives name, commanding a fine<br />

view of the sea, and sheltered by the surrounding heights<br />

from the most prevailing winds. In the reign of Hen.V.,<br />

the Irish sept of the Powers, with their adherents, being<br />

then in a state of hostility with the citizens of Water-<br />

ford, landed at this place, and proceeding to Ballymac-<br />

dane were joined by the O’Driscolls, when a battle took<br />

place, in which they were defeated by the citizens with<br />

great slaughter. The advantages of its situation and<br />

its fine beach, which is more than three English miles<br />

in length and perfectly firm and level, have made this<br />

town a favourite place of resort for sea-bathing by the<br />

inhabitants of Waterford and of the adjacent counties.<br />

Many comfortable lodging-houses have been built for<br />

the accommodation of visiters, and a spacious hotel has<br />

been erected by Mr. Rivers on an elevated site above<br />

the village. A new line of road on a better level has<br />

been constructed from Waterford, and great facilities<br />

of intercourse with that city are afforded by numerous<br />

vehicles. These advantages, combined with pure air,<br />

have made it a pleasant summer residence, and several<br />

handsome houses have been erected in the village and<br />

its immediate vicinity, of which the principal are Tra-<br />

more Lodge, the residence of W. Christmas, Esq.;<br />

Eastland, of P. G. Barron, Esq.; and Newtown, of E.<br />

O’Neil Power, Esq. Races, which are much encouraged<br />

by the neighbouring gentry, and supported by subscrip-<br />

tion, are held annually on the strand. At one extre-<br />

mity of the beach immense heaps of sand have been<br />

thrown up by the sea and now form a rabbit warren;<br />

from their summit is a fine view of the bay, the navi-<br />

gation of which is very dangerous. In 1816, the Sea<br />

Horse transport, with the 2nd battalion of the 59th<br />

regiment of foot, was wrecked in this bay, when 292<br />

men and 71 women and children perished. Within the<br />

entrance of the bay are two small fishing coves, from<br />

which it has been proposed to carry out two piers for

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