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FEA
FAVORAN, or FOYRAN, a parish, in the barony
of DEMIFORE, county of WESTMEATH, and province of
LEINSTEK, 5 miles (N.) from Castle-Pollard; containing
1897 inhabitants. This parish, which is bounded on
the north by Lough Sheelin, and on the west by the
river Inny, which separates it from the county of
Longford, contains 4187 statute acres, as rated for the
county cess. The surface is mountainous towards the
south; in other parts the soil is fertile, and principally
tinder tillage, except in the lower situations towards the
north, where there are large quantities of bog. Lime-
stone abounds, but the state of agriculture is rather
backward. The gentlemen’s seats are Clare Island, the
handsome residence of Capt. A. Walker, beautifully
situated on the shore of Lough Sheelin; and Williams-
town, of J. Lahy, Esq. Fairs are held at the village of
Finae. It is a curacy, in the diocese of Meath, forming
part of the union of Rathgraff, or Castle-Pollard; the
rectory is appropriate to the vicars choral of Christ-
Church cathedral, Dublin: the tithes amount to
£156. 1. 11., the whole payable to the vicars choral,
who allow the curate a small stipend for discharging
the clerical duties. Application has been made to the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners for aid in the erection of
a church, and Lord Longford has guaranteed to advance
the whole amount required by the Commissioners to be
subscribed. In the R. C. divisions it is part of the
union or district of Castle-Pollard, and has a chapel at
Tullystown. About 180 children are educated in two
private schools. There are the remains of an ancient
church; at Togher are those of a castle; and near
Finae is a breastwork, the vicinity of which was an-
ciently the scene of several battles.—See FINAE.
FEACLE, a parish, in the barony of TULLA, county
of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER,4½ miles (W.N.W.)
from Scariff, on the new road to Gort; containing 8844
inhabitants. This parish, which is the largest in the
county, comprises about 30,000 statute acres, of which
two-fifths consist of arable and pasture land, and the
remainder, with the exception of 300 acres of woodland,
is coarse mountain pasture, waste, and bog, a large
portion of which is improvable. It presents, through-
out, a succession of mountain and valley, extending to
the confines of the county of Limerick, and includes
the extensive and picturesque lake called Lough Graney,
or “the lake of the sun,” situated nearly in its centre.
Prior to the year 1828 there was scarcely a road on which
a wheel carriage could be used; but through the spirited
exertions of Jas. Moloney, Esq., of Kiltannan, excellent
roads have been constructed, partly by the Board of
Public Works and partly by the county; and this dis-
trict has now a direct communication with Limerick,
Gort, Ennis, Killaloe, and Loughrea. These roads
encompass three sides of Lough Graney, the banks of
which are in several places finely planted: the soil in
the vicinity of the lake is well adapted for the growth
of oak and larch; and it is expected that planting will
be extensively carried on, and a considerable portion of
the waste land brought into cultivation. A beautiful
river flows from this lake, which is 18 feet above the
level of the Shannon, through Lough O’Grady, at the
south-eastern extremity and partly within the limits of
the parish, and falls into the Shannon at Scariff bay,
with which a navigable communication could be formed
at a moderate expense, by a canal about five miles in
615
FED
length. A. court for the manor of Doonas is occasionally
held by the seneschal, in which small debts are recover-
able; and it is in contemplation to establish a court of
petty sessions and a dispensary in the parish. There
are several tuck-mills and a large bleach-green; and
there were formerly extensive iron-works at a place still
called Furnace-town. The gentlemen’s seats are Caher,
the occasional residence of Barry O’Hara, Esq., situated
in a finely planted demesne on the banks of Lough
Graney; Ayle, the ancient seat of J. M c Namara, Esq.;
Lakeview, of T. Bridgeman, Esq.; and Kilbarron, of
E. M c Grath, Esq., rebuilt on the site of the old mansion.
It is a rectory, vicarage, and perpetual cure, in the
diocese of Killaloe; the rectory is part of the union of
Omullod, the vicarage, part of the economy estate of the
cathedral of Killaloe, and the perpetual cure is in the
patronage of the Dean and Chapter, who, as trustees of
the economy fund, allot a stipend of £69. 5. to the
curate. The church, a small neat edifice, was built
about the year 1823, by aid of a gift of £300 from the
late Board of First Fruits. The R. C. parish is co-
extensive with that of the Established Church, and
contains four chapels: the principal chapel, at Feacle,
is a spacious cruciform structure, built in 1827, under
the superintendence of the Rev. T. M c Inerny, at an
expense of £1300; it is provided with galleries, and has
a very handsome altar embellished with well-executed
paintings and a very large bell: the site was granted
gratuitously by Henry Butler, of Castle Crinn, Esq., who
has also contributed £50 towards its erection. A school-
house on an extensive scale is now being built near the
chapel by subscription. The chapel at Killenana is in-
tended to be rebuilt, and those at Kilcleran and Cahir-
murphy to be taken down, and a large chapel erected at
Knockbeagh, on a site presented by J. Molony, Esq., who
will also contribute liberally towards its erection. In a
school, superintended and partly supported by the R. C.
clergyman, and four private schools, about 360 children
are educated. Lead ore has been discovered at Glen-
dree, and on the shores of Lough Graney is found a fine
sand, chiefly composed of crystals, and much used for
scythe boards.
FEDAMORE, a parish, partly in the barony of
CLANWILLIAM, but chiefly in that of SMALL COUNTY,
county of LIMERICK, and province of MUNSTER, 6 miles
(S.) from Limerick, on the road to Bruff; containing
3420 inhabitants, of which number, 277 are in the
village. This parish comprises 5958 statute acres, as
applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £7964 per
annum. The soil is remarkably fertile; about one-
fourth of the land is under tillage, and the remainder,
with the exception of about 800 acres of valuable bog,
is good pasture and meadow land. The meadows are
subject to inundation from the river Commogue, and
sometimes the crops of hay are entirely swept away.
The neighbourhood is highly interesting, and embellish-
ed with several gentlemen’s seats, of which the principal
are Ballyneguard, that of J. Croker, Esq., a handsome
mansion in a well-wooded and richly varied demesne
of 700 plantation acres; Sandville, of J. Barry, Esq.;
Grange, of H. O’Grady, Esq.; Friarstown, the ancient
residence of the Hunt family; and the Glebe-house, of
the Rev. J. Bennett. The village contains 26 houses.
Fairs are held here on May 5th and Oct. 9th, chiefly for
cattle and pigs, and occasionally for horses; and there is