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Ashfield, of W. Oldham, Esq.; Cabra, of J. Plunkett,
Esq.; and Huntstown, of O. Coghlan, Esq
The parish is divided into the northern and south-
ern portions, each of which is subdivided into smaller
parts: the prebendal or northern part furnishes an en-
dowment for the two prebends of Mullahidart, or” Cas-
trum Knoc ex parte decani,” and Castleknock, or” Castrum
Knoc ex parte precentoris,” in the cathedral church of
St. Patrick, Dublin. In 1219, the great tithes were
appropriated by Archbishop Henry to the priory of
Malvern, in Worcestershire, on condition that they
should add five monks to their number; and in 1225
the prior and monks granted to the uses of the economy
fund of St. Patrick’s cathedral a moiety of the tithes of
the manor of Castleknock, renouncing to the arch-
bishop all right to the vicarage and its small tithes and
oblations. During the prelacy of Archbishop Luke, a
new division of the tithes was made, by which, of the
four parts into which they were divided, one was as-
signed to the prebendary of Mullahidart, one to the
prebendary of Castleknock, one to the economy estate
of St. Patrick’s cathedral, and one to the priory of
Malvern, which transferred its interest to the abbot
and convent of St. Mary, near Dublin, in 1468. This
last portion having become impropriate on the dissolu-
tion of the religious houses, and forfeited by the rebel-
lion of the impropriator, was granted as an augmenta-
tion of the vicar’s means: and this division of the tithes
still exists. The living is consequently a vicarage, in
the diocese of Dublin, endowed with a portion of the
great tithes, and united to the prebend of Castleknock
and the rectory of Clonsillagh and curacy of Mulla-
hidart, with cure of souls: it is in the patronage of the
Bishop. The tithes amount to £560, of which £220
is payable to the economy estate, £140 to the preben-
dary of Mullahidart, and £200 to the prebendary of
Castleknock. There are two churches in the vicarial
union,. one at Castleknock, the other at Clonsillagh;
the former was rebuilt by a loan of £1000 from the
late Board of First Fruits, and large subscriptions, in
1810, replacing one that had been built, in 1609, on
the site of an Augustinian abbey for Canons Regular,
founded in the 13th century by Richard Tyrrell, and
dedicated to St. Bridget. There is a glebe-house; and
the glebe, in two parcels, comprises 19a. 1r. 5p., besides
8 acres which have been taken into the Phoenix Park,
and for which, and also for the tithes of the park, the
vicar receives £50.15. per ann. late currency, from Go-
vernment. In the R. C. divisions this parish is the
head of a union or district, comprising the parishes of
Castleknock, Chapelizod, Clonsillagh, Cloghranhidart,
and Mullahidart; and containing three chapels, one at
Blanchardstown, one at Porterstown (in Clonsillagh),
and one at Chapelizod. At Cabra is a nunnery of the
order of St. Dominick: the society removed hither
from Clontarf about 1820, and consists of a chaplain,
prioress, and nuns, besides lay-sisters; it is a respect-
able ladies’ school, and the sisterhood also instruct from
150 to 200 poor children, who are partly clothed. The
nunnery is surrounded with grounds tastefully laid out,
and has a neat chapel and dwelling-house for the chap-
lain. There is another nunnery at Blanchardstown, in
which more than 200 poor children are taught. In
addition to the parochial school, there are two by the
side of the canal, one for boys, maintained by a bequest
300
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from the late Mr. Morgan; and the other supported
out, of the produce of lands devised by a lady named
Mercer, and yielding a rent of more than £750 per ann.,
vested in trustees, by whom 50 girls are maintained,
clothed, and educated. A school for boys and girls at
Abbotstown is supported solely by J. H. Hamilton, Esq.,
of Sheep-hill, by whom the children are also partly
clothed; at Blanchardstown is a national school for both
sexes j and a free school was built by Luke White, Esq.
The late Mr. Tisdal bequeathed a large sum to the paro-
chial schools, which is to be paid after his widow’s
death. There are a savings’ bank and a dispensary. The
remains of the ancient fortress of Castleknock occupy
the summit of a lofty hill. In Knockbrush Hill, which
is situated near the Ashbourne road, are occasionally
found bones of men and horses, military weapons, and
coins. Part of this hill is evidently artificial, and
tradition says that it was raised over those who fell
on this spot, in 1014, in the widely extended battle of
Clontarf. Ancient horse-shoes, spurs, and other relics,
have been dug up at Scripplestown. At Abbotstown are
some remains of the abbey; and there is also a well
dedicated to St. Bridget.
CASTLELOST, a parish, in the barony of FARTUL-
LAGH, county of WESTMEATH, and province of LEIN-
STER; containing, with the post-town of Rochford-
Bridge, 1909 inhabitants. This place was celebrated at
a very early period for an extensive monastery, founded
at Rathyne, or Rathenin, by St. Carthag or Mochuda,
in which he presided for more than 40 years over 867
monks, who supported themselves and the neighbouring
poor by their labour. There was also a very eminent
school under the direction of St. Carthag, in connection
with the monastery; but, in the Easter holidays of 630,
he and his monks were driven from the abbey by King
Blathmac, and the saint took refuge at Lismore, in the
county of Waterford, where he died in 636. He is said
to have been succeeded by St. Constantine, King of
Britain, who resigned his crown; and the names of suc-
ceeding abbots are preserved till the year 783, from
which date there are no further records of the monastery.
The parish is situated on the road from Dublin to Ath-
lone, and is bounded on the south by part of the bog of
Allen: comprising 10,794 statute acres, of which 5982
are applotted under the tithe act. The surface is gently
undulating, with few hills of considerable elevation, the
highest of which is Gnewbane: the lands are principally
under tillage, and the system of agriculture is improving.
In Gnewbane are some quarries of a species of marble,
and also of black-stone; and at the foot of the hill is an
extensive tract of bog separating this parish from King’s
county. The principal seats are Sidebrook, that of J.
Rochfort, Esq.; Heathfield, of Dr. Fergusson; Farview,
of D. North, Esq.; Gortumloe, J. H. Shiel, Esq.; Cottage,
of Mrs. Shiel; and Drummond Lodge, of T. M. Carew,
Esq. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Meath,
and in the patronage of Lord Kilmaine: the tithes
amount to £221. 10. 8¾. The rector also reqeives tithes
from the townlands of High and Low Baskin, in the
parish of Drumraney. The church, a neat modern edi-
fice, was erected in 1815, by aid of a gift of £800 from
the late Board of First Fruits. The glebe-house was
built by aid of a gift of £400 and a loan of £400 from
the same Board, in 1810: the glebe comprises 22 acres,
subject to a rent of £24 per annum. In the R. C.