Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

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and £15. 12. 2¼. to Mr. Cooper. The church is a neat
edifice, standing on an elevated ridge which projects
into the western side of the vale, midway between the
two “Meetings of the Waters.” A portion of the ruins of the
castle, erected in the 14th century, is incor-
porated in the walls of this church, the erection of which
was aided by a loan of £1000 from the late Board of
First Fruits, in 1819; the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
have lately granted £291 for its repair. There is a
glebe-house; the glebe comprises about 30 acres. In
the R. C. divisions this parish is partly in the union or
district of Danganstown, but chiefly forms the head of
a union, called Newbridge and Barrenisky, comprising
also the parishes of Kilbride and Redcross, and part of
that of Templemichael; and containing two chapels, one
at Barrenisky and one at Newbridge; attached to the
latter is a national school. There are three parochial
schools under the direction of the rector, which are
supported partly by subscriptions and partly by the
proprietors of land granting small portions to the schools
rent-free. There is also a school supported by the pro-
prietors of the copper mines, principally for the miners’
children. The interest of a bequest of £100 is divided
among the poor; and a savings’ bank was established
here in 1834.
CASTLE-MAGNER, a parish, partly in the barony
of ORRERY and KILMORE, but chiefly in that of Du
HALLOW, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER,
3½ miles (E. by N.) from Kanturk; containing 2853
inhabitants. It derives its name from the family of
Magner, to whom this part of the country formerly be-
longed, and who erected a castle here, which was for-
feited during the protectorate. This castle and lands
were granted to the family of Bretridge, from whom
they passed to the Hartstonges; the remains now form
part of a farmer’s residence. Not far from Castle-
Magner, in the parish of Subulter, is Knockninoss,
where, on the 13th of November, 1647, a battle was
fought between the English, under Lord Inchiquin,
and the Irish army commanded by Lord Taaffe, in
which the English obtained a complete victory: a
detailed account of the battle is given under the head of
Subulter. During the same war, Loghort castle, in
this parish, was garrisoned with 150 men by Sir Philip
Perceval, ancestor of Lord Arden, but was taken by the
Irish, who held it till May, 1650, when Sir Hardress
Waller, with a battery of cannon, captured it, and in his
letter to the parliament describes it as a place of great
strength. This castle, which was built in the reign of
John, remained in a state of ruin for many years after
the protectorate, but was repaired in the early part of
the 18th century by Lord Egmont. It is 80 feet high,
with walls 10 feet thick at the base, but gradually di-
minishing to 6, and encompassed with a deep moat or
trench passed by a drawbridge. Here was formerly an
armoury for 100 cavalry, well furnished with broad-
swords, bayonets, pistols, carbines, and other weapons,
among which was the sword of Sir Alex. Mac Donald,
who was treacherously killed by a soldier, after the
battle of Knockninoss: these arms have been deposited
at Charlesfort for security.
The parish is situated on the new line of road from
Mallow to Kanturk, and is partly bounded on the south
by the river Blackwater, and contains about 7760 stat-
ute acres, consisting of nearly equal portions of arable
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and pasture landj there Is some woodland, and a con-
siderable quantity of wet rushy ground, but no bog or
waste. The soil is generally fertile, producing excellent
crops, and there are several large dairy farms. On the
lands of Coolnamagh are some pits of culm, forming
part of the Dromagh vein, but not worked at present.
Limestone abounds, and is quarried for building, repair-
ing roads, and making lime. The new Government line
of road to King-William’s-town passes through the
extremity of the parish for about a mile and a half.
Four fairs were formerly held at Cecilstown, at which is
a constabulary police station, and petty sessions are held
there every Monday. Ballygiblin, the seat of Sir W. W.
Becher, Bart., is an elegant mansion of some antiquity,
but recently modernised with great taste. In its beau-
tiful demesne are the ivy-clad ruins of a church, whicn
tradition states was intended to be the parish church,
but was not completed. The other residences are Betty-
ville, the seat of J. Therry, Esq.; Ramaher, of C. Purcell,
Esq.; the glebe-house, of the Rev. J. D. Penrose,; Cecils-
town Lodge, of W. Wrixon, Esq.; and Assolas, belong-
ing to Sir W. W. Becher.
The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Cloyne,
and in the patronage of the Bishop; the rectory is im-
propriate in John Longfield, Esq. The tithes amount to
£809. 5. 1., of which half is payable to the impropriator
and half to the vicar. The church, which stands on an
eminence, and is a plain neat structure, was erected in
1816, by aid of a loan of £500 from the late Board of
First Fruits; but the spire was built at the expense of
Lord Arden. The glebe-house was erected by aid of a
loan of £300, and a gift of £500, in 1813, from the same
Board: the glebe consists of only two roods of land.
In the R. C. divisions this parish is the head of a union
or district, comprising Castle-Magner, Rosskeen, and
Subulter, and has a small chapel here. A school of 50
boys and 30 girls, under the National Board, is aided
by Sir W. W. Becher, Bart.,who allows 20 guineas per
annum; and a school for boys and girls is supported by
the trustees of Erasmus Smith’s foundation, who allow
£20 per annum to the master, with a contingent gratu-
ity of £10, and £14 per annum to the mistress, with a
like gratuity of £8, The school-house, which contains
apartments for the teachers, is a neat building in the
rustic style, erected by the late Hon. John Perceval, and
is kept in repair by Lord Arden.
CASTLEMAINE, formerly a market-town, in the
parish of KILTALLAGH, barony of TRUGHENACKMY,
county of KERRY, and province of MUNSTER, 1¼ mile
(N. by E.) from Milltown; containing 387 inhabitants.
This place, which is situated on the harbour of Castle-
maine, on the south-west coast, takes its name from a
castle erected on the bridge over the river Maine by M c
Carthy More and the Earl of Desmond, as a defence to
their frontiers. Each of these chiefs was to garrison it
alternately for their joint protection; but when the earl
received possession of it from M c Carthy, he retained
it in his own power, and on the expiration of the
term for which his garrison was to remain, refused to
admit M c Carthy, and kept entire possession of the
castle, which remained in his family till the reign of
Elizabeth. The garrison under Thomas Oge defended
it for a considerable time against the Queen, but it was
ultimately taken by the English forces. During the
war in 1641, it was in the hands of the Irish, till it was