Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

WEL
A monastery for Franciscan Friars, or Friars minor, was
founded in 1240 by Sir Hugh Purcell; at the dissolu-
tion it was purchased by Henry Walsh, who established
on its site the hospital of the Holy Ghost, before noticed.
There are remains of two houses of the Knights of St.
John of Jerusalem, situated respectively at Killure and
Kilbarry, near which last is also a cromlech. In Arun-
del-square was anciently a college of Jesuits, of which
there are still some small remains. Of the old parish
churches, the only one of which any part remains is
that of St. Thomas, supposed to have been erected by
Hen. II., or by his son and successor, King John, and
which was dedicated to St. Thomas a Beckett: part of
the entrance is still entire, and displays a beautiful
specimen of Norman architecture. In Her Majesty’s
State Paper Office is lodged a curious manuscript his-
tory, in verse, of the municipality of Waterford, supposed
to have been written in the time of Hen. VIII., and of
which a printed version is given in Ryland’s History of
Waterford. Among eminent natives may be noticed
Gotofield, a learned Dominican friar of the 13th century;
William of Waterford, author of a polemical work, pub-
lished in 1433; Peter White, a celebrated classical teacher,
and author of several publications, in the reign of Eliza-
beth; Nicholas Quemerford, D. D., cotemporary with the
above, and author of “Answers to certain Questions pro-
pounded by the citizens of Waterford,” and other works;
Peter Lumbard, R. C. Archbishop of Armagh, and a
learned writer, who died in 1625 or 1626; Peter Wad-
ding, a learned Jesuit, highly esteemed for his piety,
who died in 1644; John Hartrey, a Cistertian monk,
who wrote the history of his order in Ireland; and Luke
Wadding, a Franciscan friar, born in 1588, who also
compiled the annals of his own order. Waterford gives
the title of Marquess to the family of De la Poer Beres-
ford.
WATERGRASSHILL, a village, partly in the pa-
rish of KILQUANE, but chiefly in that of ARDNAGEEHY,
barony of BARRYMORE, county of CORK, and province
of MUNSTER, 5 miles (S. by W.) from Rathcormac, on
the mail road from Cork to Dublin; containing 533
inhabitants. This place is said to stand on the highest
ground in the county; the ascent by the road from
Cork, a distance of nine miles, is almost uniform but so
gradual as to be scarcely perceptible. It is intersected
by the new line of road from Mallow to Middleton, and
is a station of the constabulary police; a penny post
to Cork and Rathcormac has been lately established.
In the vicinity are two paper-mills. A church or chapel
of ease for the union of Killaspigmullane is about to be
erected near the village. Watergrasshill gives name to
the R. C. union or district, of which it contains the
principal chapel; a school is attached to it. There is
also a dispensary for the poor.
WATERSIDE.—See LONDONDERRY.
WELLS, a parish, partly in the barony of GOWRAN,
county of KILKENNY, but chiefly in that of IDRONE
WEST, county of CARLOW, and province of LEINSTER,
2 miles (S. by W.) from Leighlin-bridge, on the road to
Gowran; containing 1554 inhabitants. This parish
is situated upon the south side of the river Barrow, and
comprises 2633 statute acres, as applotted under the
tithe act, the whole of which is in a highly improved
state of cultivation. Here is a slate quarry. Fairs for
general farming stock are held on Ascension-day and
695
WES
Sept. 11th. The seats are Ravindon, the residence of
the Rev. S. T. Roberts 3 Barbage, of the Rev. T. Vigors3
and the Deanery-house, of the Hon. and Very Rev.
Dean Bernard. The living is a rectory, in the diocese
of Leighlin, constituting, with the chapelry of Bally-
nochen, the corps of the deanery of Leighlin, and in
the patronage of the Crown: the tithes amount to
£392. 6. 2., and the gross income of the deanery to
£448. 4. 1. j there are several small glebes, comprising
21 acres. The church, which formerly stood near the
village of Royal Oak, was by act of council in 1807
removed to the site of the ancient chapel of Ballynochen,
now a townland in the parish: it is a plain building
in an elevated situation overlooking the Barrow, erect-
ed in 1810 by aid of a gift of £500 and a loan of £200
from, the late Board of First Fruits; the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners have recently granted £256 for its repair.
In the R. C. divisions the parish is part of the txnion or
district of Leighlin-bridge: the chapel is a large build-
ing. The parochial school-house was built by aid of
£60 from the incumbent: a female school is maintained
by subscription, and there are two private schools, at-
tended by about 140 children. The ruins of the for-
mer church at the Royal Oak are still visible; and
near Ballynochen is a rath of considerable extent,
called by the peasantry “the Maudlin Moat.”
WESTMEATH (County of), an inland county of the
province of LEINSTER, bounded on the east by the
county of Meath 3 on the north, by those of Meath,
Cavan, and Longford; on the west, by those of Long-
ford and Roscommon; and on the south, by the King’s
county. It extends from 53° 18’ to 53° 47’ (N. Lat.j,
and from 6° 55’ to 7° 55’ (W. Lon.) 3 comprising an
area, according to the Ordnance survey, of 386,251
statute acres, of which 313,935 are cultivated land,
55,982 are unimproved mountain and bog, and 16,334
are under water. The population, in 1821, amounted
to 128,819; and in 1831, to 136,872.
This county formed part of the kingdom of Meath
“when the island was divided into five provincial dynas-
ties, and was then known by the name of Eircamhoin,
or “the Western Division.” Its provincial assemblies
were held at the hill of Usneagh, supposed by some
to be the Laberus noticed by Ptolemy as one of the
inland cities of Ireland. In 1153, the northern part
of the county became the scene of contention between
two sons of Dermod O’Brien, who terminated their
strife by a bloody battle fought near Fore, in which
Turlogh having obtained the victory, became master of
his brother’s person and put out his eyes. The principal
Irish families during this period were those of Mac
Geoghegan (chieftains of Moycashel), O’Mulbrenan or
Brenan, O’Cofly, O’Mullady, O’Malone, O’Daly, O’Hig-
gins, Magawly, Magan, O’Shannagh (afterwards changed
to Fox), O’Finilan and O’Cuishin. The annals of the
religious houses prove that this county suffered much
during the period in which the island was exposed to
the predatory incursions of the Danes; the town and
abbey of Fore alone having been burnt nine times in the
10th and 11th centuries, either by the Danes or by the
bordering Irish chieftains. After the settlement of the
English in Leinster, the county formed part of the
palatinate of Hugh de Lacy, who allotted it in large
tracts to his principal followers, the most remarkable of
whom were Petit, Tuite, Hussey, D’Alton, Delamare,