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TUA
to nourish for many years, and acquired considerable
importance; it subsequently, however, fell into decay
and is now only an obscure village. The parish com-
prises 5669¼ statute acres, chiefly pasture; the soil is
of excellent quality, and the arable land, under an im-
proving system of agriculture, produces good crops.
Green Park is the residence of Cope Garnett, Esq. The
living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Meath,
united by act of council, in 1678, to the rectory of
Kilbrew, and in the patronage of the Crown; the tithes
amount to £200. 5., and of the union to £379. 15.
The glebe-house is situated about a mile from the
church, having been built in 1815, at an expense of
£794 British, of which £461 was a loan and £277 a
gift, from the late Board of First Fruits, the residue
being defrayed by the incumbent. The glebe, situated
in the parish of Kilbrew, comprises lla. lr. 7p., sub-
ject to a rent of £31. The church also is in Kilbrew,
and was rebuilt and enlarged about 80 years since. In
the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union
or district of Skreen.
TUAM, an incorporated
market and post-town (for-
merly a parliamentary bo-
rough), a parish, and the
seat of an archdiocese, partly
in the barony of DUNMORE,
but chiefly in that of CLARE,
county of GALWAY, and pro-
vince of CoNNAUGHT, 16
miles (N. W.) from Galway,
and 98¾ (W. by N.) from
Dublin, at the junction of
the mail coach roads from
Ballinasloe, Dunmore, and Hollymount, to Galway and
Roscommon; containing 14,367 inhabitants, of which
number, 6883 are in the town. This place, called an-
ciently Tuaim-da- Gualand, owes its origin to the foun-
dation of a religious establishment, about the beginning
of the 6th century, by St. Jarlath, son of Loga, who for
some time lived in seclusion in the small monastery of
Cluainfois, which he had previously founded. The
church of Tuam was soon afterwards made the cathe-
dral of a diocese, of which St. Jarlath became the first
bishop’, and was called Teampul-J arlath, in honour of
its founder, to whom it was subsequently dedicated.
St. Jarlath is supposed to have died in 540, and long
after his death his bones were discovered and deposited
in a silver shrine, which was placed in a church or
chapel called Temple-ne-Serin, or “the Church of the
Shrine.” Prior to the year 1150, Tirdelvac O’Conor,
King of Ireland, founded a priory for Augustinian.
Canons, which ‘he dedicated to St. John the Baptist;
and in 1161 Roderic O’Conor, then King, erected
a strong castle of stone here, which obtained the ap-
pellation of “the wonderful castle.” The town was
soon, after destroyed by an accidental fire, but was
soon restored, as in 1172 a great synod was convened
here by Bishop Catholicus O’Dubhai, at. which three
churches were consecrated. An abbey for Premon-
stratensian canons was founded here either in the
reign of John or early in that of Hen. III., by one
of the family of de Burgo, and dedicated to the Holy
Trinity. In 1244 the town, with all its churches, was
destroyed by fire. In’ 1252, when Hen. III. confirmed
646
TUA
to Florence Mac Flin the Pope’s bull for annexing the
bishoprick of Enaghdune to the see of Tuam, it was on
condition that he should have a portion of land within
the town for the erection of a castle, in exchange for
other land of equal value. The same king by letters
patent granted to the archbishop a fair on the 28th of
December and the seven following days. In 1356, the
place was plundered and burnt by Charles Oge, son of
William de Burgo,
The town, which is situated in a flat and rather low
but healthy tract of land, consists of several spacious
and some smaller streets, containing 1197 houses, most
of which, are neatly built and several are large and of
handsome appearance: it is amply supplied with water
by a copious and limpid stream, which in its course
turns several mills. The principal sources of recreation
are a reading-room over the market-house, and a public
billiard table; a newspaper is published here; races
are held annually about the 1st of September on an ex-
cellent course about a mile from the town, called Gur-
rans Turlogh, which is in winter overflowed with water,
forming a considerable lake; an unsuccessful attempt
was made some years since to drain it. The grounds of
the archbishop’s palace are tastefully laid out, and the
gardens are spacious and kept in excellent order: the
mansion, though not possessing much architectural em-
bellishment, is large and handsomely built; and arounc.
the demesne is a walk, a mile in length, thickly planted
with trees and furnished with seats affording a pleasant
promenade to the people of the town. The house of the
R. C. archbishop also adds much to the appearance of
the town. The ancient market cross, of richly sculp-
tured stone, was a great ornament: it was erected by
Turlogh O’Conor, but has been suffered to fall into
decay; part of the base is still to be seen in the
old meat market, and two other parts in the church-
yard, of which that part of the shaft forming the cross
is erected at the head of the tomb of Dr. Singe, one of
the Protestant archbishops. The trade of the town,
which is at present next in importance to Galway, is
very considerable: it is principally for the supply of
the surrounding districts. A constant intercourse with
Dublin is maintained, from which the shopkeepers ob-
tain the various articles for their home trade. There are
two good inns, at which the mails and other coaches stop.
An extensive brewery, belonging to Mr. Blake, pro-
duces from 4000 to 5000 barrels of malt liquor annually;
attached to it are a malting concern, making about 600
quarters of malt, and some flour-mills, carried on by
the sons of that gentleman: there is also a tannery, and
the manufacture of coarse linens is extensive. The mar-
kets, on Wednesday and Saturday, are abundantly sup-
plied with provisions of all kinds, and with fish from
Galway and Ballina; fairs are held on May 10th, July
4th, Oct. 20th, and Dec. 15th. The market-house is a
neat building, nearly in the centre of the town.
The inhabitants, received their first charter from
Jas. I., who in the 11th of his reign incorporated them
under the designation of “the Sovereign, Free Bur-
gesses, and Commonalty of the Borough of Tuam.”
By this charter the corporation consists of a sovereign,
twelve free burgesses, and an indefinite number of
freemen, assisted by a recorder, treasurer, town-clerk,
two serjeants-at-mace, and other officers. The sove-
reign, who is judge of the borough court and clerk of