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patients, and at a short distance from the East Barracks
is the general military hospital for about 130 patients.
The town, is finely situated on the opposite banks of
the river Blackwater, over which is a handsome stone
bridge of 13 arches, widened about 40 years since by
the late Mr. Anderson, and consists of a spacious square
of handsome houses, the south side of which was the
guard-house of the temporary barracks, and of several
principal streets connected with others in a parallel
direction by shorter streets intersecting them at right
angles; also of Barrack-street, and a range of neat
houses extending from the north end of the bridge. The
streets are partially paved and watched, under the
provisions of an act of parliament obtained in 1808,
and the inhabitants are amply supplied with water.
There is a circulating library, and a news-room is
supported by subscription at the principal hotel, where
also is a billiard-room, and where assemblies and
concerts are held. The theatre, some few years after
it was built, was converted into a coach-manufac-
tory; but a spacious warehouse on the north side of
the river is occasionally fitted up for dramatic perform-
ances by the Cork company. Races are held annually
about the end of September, and continue for a week,
and it is in contemplation to apply for a king’s plate;
the race-course, a fine area of 120 acres to the north of
the town, is also used as a ground for military exercises.
The environs abound with pleasing scenery, and the
east side of the bridge, which is the only remaining
portion of any building connected with the ancient vil-
lage, is richly covered with ivy, presenting a picturesque
object, heightened by the water of a mill-dam, which,
crossing the river diagonally under its numerous arches,
has the appearance of a natural waterfall. Adjoining
the bridge is the entrance to Fermoy House, the resi-
dence of the late J. Anderson, Esq., to whom not only
the town owes its prosperity, but the entire country is
indebted for the important advantages resulting from,
the introduction of the mail coach system and the for-
mation of many new and useful lines of road: it is now
occupied by the lady of the late Major Hennis, and is a
handsome, mansion, beautifully situated on a gently slop-
ing lawn bounded by the river. The number of military
stationed here is on an average nearly 2000, the supply of
whom, in addition to its own population, affords employ-
ment to tradesmen and artisans of every kind; and hence
the necessaries and luxuries of life are found here in as
great profusion as in any of the larger towns in Ireland.
There are some extensive flour-mills, paper-mills, and a
public brewery, with a large malting establishment at-
tached to it, formerly celebrated for its ale, but now
principally brewing porter. The staple trade of the
town is in. corn and butter, of which considerable quan-
tities are sent off; but a great impediment to its com-
mercial prosperity results from the want of water con-
veyance, the Blackwater not being navigable within
many miles of this place. Coal and culm are brought
by lighters to Tallow, and thence by land carriage to
Fermoy, a distance of 10 miles; and in the same tedious
manner is the produce of the town and neighbourhood
conveyed to the shipping-place for exportation, although
it is calculated that a rail road or canal might be made
at a moderate expense from this town to Tallow, the line
between those places being nearly level throughout. A
branch of the National Bank of Ireland, has been opened,
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and a savings’ bank has been also established. The
market is on Saturday, and is abundantly supplied with
live stock, provisions of every kind, and various articles
of merchandise; and fairs for general farming stock are
held on June 21st, Aug. 20th, and Nov. 7th. The mar-
ket-place, near the river, though well adapted to the
purpose, is used only for the corn market. Two mails
from Cork to Dublin, and Bianconi’s cars, pass daily
through the town. The quarter sessions for the East
Riding are held here in January; a manorial court, for-
merly held every three weeks, with jurisdiction extend-
ing to debts not exceeding 40s., late currency, is about
to be revived; petty sessions are held every Monday,
and a constabulary police force is stationed in the town.
The court-house, a neat and appropriate building at
the east end of the town, was erected in 1808.
The parish comprises 3319 statute acres, as applotted
under the tithe act, and valued at £5281 per annum.
The land is generally of good quality, and the system of
agriculture has within the last few years been greatly
improved, under the auspices of an agricultural society
established by the late Mr. Anderson, which holds its
annual meetings in October for the distribution of pre-
miums, on which occasion there is a ploughing match.
The substratum on the north side of the river is lime-
stone, and on the south a kind of brown stone; there
is no bog, and but very little waste land. About a mile
from the town are the extensive nursery grounds of
Mr. P. Baylor, on which about 50 persons are generally
employed; the produce is sent to Cork, Limerick, and
other principal towns. The principal seats are Mill Bank,
the residence of D. Reid, Esq.; Fermoy House, already
noticed; Fermoy Lodge, of G. Shaw, Esq.; Ashfield, of
J. W. Anderson, Esq.; Uplands, of S. Perrot, Esq.;
Corren, of Major Coast; Grange Hill, of W. F. Austin,
Esq.; Richmond, of H. Smyth, Esq.; Richmond Lodge,
of Mrs. Collis; and Fairfield, of Capt. Roberts., The
living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Cloyne,
and in the patronage of Sir Robt. Abercromby, Bart.,
the present lord of the manor, in whom also the rectory
is impropriate, by purchase from the Anderson family.
The tithes amount to £591. 9. 10., which is wholly
payable to the impropriator. The curacy is endowed
with £20 per annum by the late Mr. Anderson, and
with £80 per annum by the late Board of First Fruits;
the curate receives also a stipend for the performance
of a separate service for the military every Sunday in
the church. There is no glebe-house; the glebe, at the
northern extremity of the parish, comprises about 4
acres. The church, a remarkably elegant structure with
a square tower formerly surmounted with a spire, which
has been taken down, was erected at the joint expense
of the late Mr. Anderson, who presented the site, and
at different times contributed nearly £3000; the late
Mr. Hyde, who gave £1500; and the late Board of First
Fruits, which gave £500 and granted a loan of £2000.
The internal arrangement corresponds with its external
appearance: the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have re-
cently granted £172 for its repair.
In the R. C. divisions the parish is united to that of
Clondullane, the greater part of Litter, and a part of the
parish of Kilcrumper. The chapel, a spacious and hand-
some edifice on an eminence, was erected by subscrip-
tion, towards which the late Mr. Anderson contributed
the site rent-free and £ 500; the altar-piece, of light