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AHO
and several single stones, called “Gcllanes,” are stand-
ing in the parish. Raths or Danish forts are numer-
ous, and there are several artificial caves.
AHOGHILL, a parish, partly in the barony of
LOWEK ANTRIM, partly in that of KILCONWAY, partly
in that of UPPER TOOME, but chiefly in the barony of
LOWER TOOME, county of ANTRIM, and province of
ULSTER, 4 miles (E. S. E.) from Portglenone; containing
14,920 inhabitants, of which number, 421 are in the
village. The district around this place appears, from
the numerous remains of forts and the great number of
tumuli and human bones found, to have been the scene
of much early warfare. During the war of 1688, the
ford of the river Bann at Portglenone was regarded as
a very important pass between the counties of Antrim
and Derry; and Sir I. Magill and Capt. Edmonston
were, in 1689, despatched to defend it against the Irish
army on their march towards the Bann, in order to
enter the county of Derry. In 1760, when the French
under Thurot made a descent on Carrickfergus, the in-
habitants of this place rose in a body for the defence of
the country: a well-appointed force marched to Belfast,
numerous parties proceeded to Carrickfergus, while
others patroled the country nightly, and these irregular
levies had a powerful effect in repelling the invaders.
About the year 1771, an organised system of outrage
pervaded the whole of this parish, in common with
other parts of the county: the persons who thus com-
bined, called themselves “Steel Men,” or “Hearts of
Steel,” and executed their revenge by houghing cattle
and perpetrating other outrages; they attacked the
house of Paul McLarnon, Esq., who, in defending
himself, was shot. In 1778, a corps was raised by John
Dickey, Esq., of Cullybackey, and called the Cullybackey
Volunteers; a similar corps was embodied the following
year by T. Hill, Esq., of Drumra, called the Portglenone
Volunteers, to which was afterwards added a second
corps by — Simpson, Esq.; and a corps, called the
Ahoghill Volunteers, was raised by Alexander McManus,
of Mount Davies.
The parish, anciently called Magkrahoghill, of which
the derivation is unknown, is bounded by the river
Bann, which flows out of Lough Neagh in a direction
from south to north, and is intersected by the river
Maine, which flows into that lough in a direction
from north to south. It was formerly more extensive
than at present, having included Portglenone, which, in
1825, was, together with 21 townlands, severed from it
and formed into a distinct parish. According to the
Ordnance survey, including Portglenone, it comprises
35,419 statute acres, of which 14,954 are applotted
under the tithe act, and 145¾ are covered with water.
The system of agriculture is in a very indifferent state;
there is a considerable quantity of waste land, with some
extensive bogs, which might be drained. The surface is
hilly, and many of the eminences being planted, render
the valley through which the Maine flows beautiful and
interesting. The village is neatly built, and the neigh-
bourhood, is enlivened with several gentlemen’s seats.
The castle of Galgorm, a seat of the Earl of Mount-
cashel, is a handsome square embattled edifice, erected
in the 17th century by the celebrated Dr. Colville; the
rooms are wainscoted with Irish oak from the woods of
Largy and Grange. The other principal seats in the
parish and neighbourhood are Mount Davies, the resi-
24
ALL
dence of Alex. McManus, Esq.; Low Park, of J. Dickey,
Esq.; Ballybollan, the property of Ambrose O’Rourke,
Esq.; Lisnafillen, of W. Gihon, Esq., of Ballymena;
Fenaghy, the residence of S. Cuningham, Esq., Leighn-
more, the property of J. Dickey, Esq.; and Drumona,
built by Alex. Brown, Esq. The linen trade appears to
have been introduced here by the ancestor of John
Dickey, Esq., of Low Park, and now in its several
branches affords employment to the greater number of
the inhabitants. There are several bleach-greens on the
river Maine: and a good monthly market is held in the
village, for the sale of linens, on the Friday before Bally-
mony market. Fairs for cattle and pigs are held on
June 4th, Aug. 26th, Oct. 12th, and Dec. 5th. The
manorial court of Fortescue, anciently Straboy, has
jurisdiction extending to debts not exceeding £5 late
currency; and the manorial court of Cashel is held
monthly at Portglenone, for the recovery of debts to
the same amount. Two courts leet are held an-
nually; and petty sessions are held every alternate
Friday.
The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Connor,
and in the patronage of the Crown: the tithes amount
to £1015. 7. 8. The church is an ancient edifice; the
walls have within the last few years been raised and
covered with a new roof. The glebe-house was built by
a gift of £100 and a loan of £1500 from the late Board
of First Fruits, in 1815; the glebe comprises 138½
acres. In the R. C. divisions this is the head of a union
or district, comprising also Portglenone, and containing
three chapels, one about half a mile from the village,
another at Aughnahoy, and a third at Portglenone.
There are places of worship for Presbyterians in connec-
tion with the Synod of Ulster at Ahoghill and Cully-
backey, both of the third class: in the former are also
two places of worship for Seceders of the Ahoghill
Presbytery, each of the second class, and in the latter
is one for Covenanters; there is also a place of worship
for Independents, and a Moravian meeting-house at
Gracehill. There are 15 schools in different parts of
the parish, in which are about 400 boys and 330 girls;
and there are also 12 private schools, in which are about
300 boys and 150 girls; and 16 Sunday schools. John
Guy, in 1813, bequeathed £12 per ann. to the Moravian
establishment, which sum is now, by the death of his
adopted heir, augmented to £45 per annum. There are
some remains of Rory Oge Mac Quillan’s castle of
Straboy, and some tumuli at Moyessit.
ALISH.—See RATHKYRAN.
ALLEN, Isle of,—See RATHERNON.
ALL SAINTS, a parish, in the barony of RAPHOE,
county of DONEGAL, and province of ULSTER, 6 miles
(W.) from Londonderry, on Lough Swilly, and on the
road from Londonderry to Letterkenny; containing
4066 inhabitants. It consists of several townlands for-
merly in the parish of Taughboyne, from which they
were separated and formed into a distinct parish, con-
taining, according to the Ordnance survey, 9673¾ statute
acres, of which 102 are covered with water. The land
is generally good and in a profitable state of cultivation;
the system of agriculture is improving; the bog affords
a valuable supply of fuel, and there are some good
quarries of stone for building. Castle Forward, the pro-
perty of the Earl of Wicklow, is at present in the occu-
patipn of W, Marshall, Esq. A distillery and a brewery