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DOW
which it gives name: it was built by De Courcy for the
Knights Templars, but afterwards fell into the hands of
the Magennis family. Ardglass, though but a small
village, has the remains of considerable fortifications:
the ruins of four castles are still visible. Not far from
it is Kilclief castle, once the residence of the bishops of
Down; between Killough and Downpatrick are the ruins
of Bright and Skreen castles, the latter built on a Danish
rath, as is that of Clough; in Strangford lough are
Strangford castle, Audley’s castle, and Walsh’s castle;
Portaferry castle was the ancient seat of the Savages; in
the Ardes are also the castles of Quintin, Newcastle, and
Kirkestown; the barony of Castlereagh is so called from a
castle of the same name, built on a Danish fort, the resi-
dence, of Con O’Neill; near Drumbo is Hill Hall, a square
fort with flanking towers; Killileagh Castle is now the
residence of Hamilton Rowan, Esq.; and at Rathfriland
are the ruins of another castle of the Magennises. Gene-
ral Monk erected forts on the passes of Scarva, Poyntz,
and Tuscan, which connect this county with Armagh, the
ruins of which still exist. At Hillsborough is a small
castle, which is still maintained in its ancient state by
the Marquess of Downshire, hereditary constable; and
other castles in various parts have been taken down.
The gentlemen’s seats are numerous, and many of them
are built in a very superior style of architecture; they
are all noticed in their respective parishes.
Mineral springs, both chalybeate and sulphureous,
abound, but the former are more numerous. Of these,
the most remarkable are Ardmillan, on the borders of
Strangford lough; Granshaw, in the Ardes; Dundon-
nell, three miles north-west of Newtown-Ardes; Magh-
eralin, Dromore, Newry, Banbridge, and Tierkelly.
Granshaw is the richest, being equal in efficacy to the
strongest of the English spas. The principal sulphure-
ous spa is near Ballinahinch: there is an alum spring
near the town of Clough. The Struel springs, situated
one mile south-east of Downpatrick, in a retired vale,
are celebrated not only in the neighbourhood and
throughout Ireland, but in many parts of the continent,
for their healing qualities, arising not from their chymi-
cal but their miraculous properties: they are dedicated
to St. Patrick, and are four in number, viz., the drink-
ing well, the eye well, and two bathing wells, each en-
closed with an ancient building of stone. The principal
period for visiting them is at St. John’s eve, on which
occasion the water rises in the wells, supernaturally,
according to the belief of those who visit them. Penances
and other religious ceremonies, consisting chiefly of
circuits made round the wells for a certain number of
times, together with bathing, accompanied by specified
forms of prayer, are said to have been efficacious in re-
moving obstinate and chronic distempers. A priest
formerly attended from Downpatrick, but this practice
has been discontinued since the year 1804. Not far
distant are the walls of a ruined chapel, standing north
and south: the entrance was on the north, and the
building was lighted by four windows in the western
wall. St. Scorden’s well, in the vicinity of Killough, is
remarkable from the manner in which the water gushes
out of a fissure in the perpendicular face of a rock, on an
eminence close to the sea, in a stream which is never
observed to diminish in the driest seasons.
Pearls have been found in the bed of the Bann river.
Fossil remains of moose deer have been found at different
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DOW
places; and various kinds of trees are frequently dis-
covered imbedded in the bogs. This county is remark-
able as being the first place in Ireland in which frogs
were seen: they appeared first near Moira, in a western
and inland district, but the cause or manner of their
introduction is wholly unknown. The Cornish chough
and the king-fisher have been occasionally met with near
Killough; the bittern is sometimes seen in the marshes
on the sea-coast; the ousel and the eagle have been ob-
served in the mountains of Mourne; and the cross-bill
at Waringstown. Barnacles and widgeons frequent
Strangford lough and Carrickfergus bay in immense
numbers during winter; but they are extremely wary.
A marten, as tall as a fox, but much longer, was killed
several years since at Moira, and its skin preserved as a
curiosity. Horse-racing is a favourite amusement with
all classes, and is here sanctioned by royal authority;
Jas. II. having granted a patent of incorporation to a
society to be called the Royal Horsebreeders of the
county of Down, which is still kept up by the resident
gentry, and has produced a beneficial effect in improving
the breed of race-horses. Downshire gives the title of
Marquess to the family of Hill, the descendants of one
of the military adventurers who came to Ireland in the
reign of Elizabeth.
DOWN, Borough and Diocese of.—See DOWN-
PATRICK.
DOWNINGS, a parish, in the barony of CLANE,
county of KILDARE, and province of LEINSTER, 5 miles
(N. W.) from Naas, on the road to Edenderry; contain-
ing 1393 inhabitants. It is intersected by the Grand
Canal, which passes through a large tract of bog extend-
ing into the parish, and has two bridges, called respec-
tively Burgh’s bridge and Bonner’s bridge, where the
summit level commences, which is estimated as having
an elevation of 400 feet above the top of St. Patrick’s
steeple, Dublin, whence it proceeds to Ballyteague, a
distance of four miles: there is a reservoir of 20 acres
for the supply of the canal. The parish is mostly under
tillage. The gentlemen’s seats are Downings, the ele-
gant residence of M. Bury, Esq., and Woodville, the
seat of J. Bury, Esq. The living is a rectory and vicar-
age, in the diocese of Kildare, the rectory forming part
of the union of Kilcock, and the vicarage part of the
union of Bridechurch: the tithes amount to £132.
Divine service is performed in a house appointed by the
bishop, once every Sunday and holyday. In the R. C.
divisions the parish forms part of the union or district
of Carogh. There are some slight remains of the old
parish church.
DOWNMAHON, or DUNMAHON, a parish, in the
barony of FERMOY, county of CORK, and province of
MUNSTER, 3 miles (N. N. W.) from Fermoy; containing
927 inhabitants. It comprises 2263 statute acres, as
applotted for the county cess, and valued at £2285. 8.4.
per annum; the land is chiefly in tillage and produces
good crops. On the east bank of the Funcheon, near
Glanworth bridge, is a large flour-mill, the produce of
which is in high repute. The parish, which is said to
have formerly belonged to the abbey of Fermoy, is an
impropriate rectory, in the diocese of Cloyne: the tithes
amount to £300, and are entirely payable to John
Nason, Esq. In the R. C. divisions it forms part of
the union or district of Glanworth. Here are the re-
mains of a castle, consisting of a square tower.
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