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Firbane; containing, with part of that town and the
post-town of Cloghan (which are separately described),
5021 inhabitants. This parish formed part of the ancient
possessions of the family of the M c Coghlans, proprietors
of the surrounding territory, who built a strong castle
here, which was surrendered to Ireton in the parlia-
mentary war; the last male representative of this family,
Thomas Coghlan, Esq., M. P. for the borough of Bana-
gher, died in 1790. A monastery was founded here
in 490 by St. Canoc, or Mocanoc, which continued to
flourish till 820, when it was burnt by Felim M c Croim-
hain; and after its restoration was occupied by some
monks from Wales, who founded in it a celebrated
school, from which circumstance it is supposed to have
derived its name. Though repeatedly plundered and
destroyed by fire, it subsisted till the dissolution, when
the site and lands were granted to Sir Gerald Moore.
An abbey was also founded near Firbane by St. Diar-
mid, who died in 563, and was succeeded by St. Coem-
gan; it was plundered in 1041, and destroyed by fire
in 1077, soon after which it appears to have been aban-
doned, as no notice of it occurs since 1082. The parish
comprises 16,313 statute acres, of which about one-third
is bog and waste; the remainder, with the exception of
a small portion of woodland, is equally divided between
pasture and tillage; the system of agriculture is im-
proving, and limestone is found in abundance. The
principal seats are Gallen, the residence of A. Arm-
strong, Esq., beautifully situated in a richly wooded
demesne bordered by the river Brosna, and contain-
ing the picturesque remains of the ancient monastery;
Strawberry Hill, of Major Molloy; Castle Iver, of W.
B. Armstrong, Esq.; and Clonana Castle, of— Molony,
Esq. At Castle Iver are some mills for oatmeal, worked
by steam. Pairs are held on May 15th, Aug. l5th, Oct.
29th, and Nov. 17th: the May and October fairs are
the principal for horses, cattle, and pigs.
It is a vicarage, in the diocese of Meath, forming
part of the union, of Reynagh; the rectory is impro-
priate. The tithes amount to £415.7.8., and are equally
divided between the impropriator and the vicar; the
glebe comprises 222 statute acres, valued at £l54 per
annum. The church, a small neat edifice, situated at
Cloghan, was built by a gift of £600 from the late Board
of First Fruits, in 1813. In the R. C. divisions it is
part of the union of Banaghcr, or Reynagh, in the. dio-
cese of Ardagh; the chapel at Cloghan is a spacious
plain building. About 130 children are taught in three
public schools, of which the national school is endowed
with a house and garden by the Hon. Frederick Ponson-
by, and one at Shillestown with a house and half an acre
of land by Mr. Judge. There are also seven private
schools, in which are about 280 children. There are
some remains of the ancient castle of Clonana.
GALLOON, a parish, partly in the baronies of
KNOCKNINNY and CLONKLLY, but chiefly in that of
Coole, county of FERMANAGH, and province of ULSTER,
5½ miles (S. S. E.) from Lisnaskea, on Lough Erne, and
on the road from Cavan to Enniskillen; containing
10,506 inhabitants. The parish, according to the Ord-
nance survey, comprises (including islands) 25,287
statute acres, of which 432½ are in the barony of Knock-
ninny, 9341¼ in that of Clonkelly, and 15,513¼ in that of
Coole; about two-thirds are good arable and pasture
land, 1455½ are m Upper- Lough Erne, 1072 in small
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lakes, and of the remainder a very large portion is bog,
which is easily reelaimable. The system of agriculture
is in a very unimproved stae; limestone is abundant,
and freestone of good quality is procured for building
and other purposes. The only seat of importance is
Crom Castle, the residence of the Earl of Erne, about
three miles from Newtown-Butler, a handsome mansion
recently erected, in which is still preserved the armour
worn by McCarthy Moore at the battle of Kilgarret.
The lake affords considerable facility of water convey-
ance, and it is in contemplation to open the port of
Ballyshannon by the river Erne; there is a large flour-
mill at Roosky, in this parish. The living is n rectory,
in the diocese of Clogher, and the corps of the chancel-
lorship of the cathedral of Clogher, in the patronnge of
the Bishop: the tithes amount to £410, and the grows
annual value of the benefice, including glebe, is £540.
There is no glebe-house; the glebe comprises 128 Irish
acres. The old church was burnt by an accidental fire
in 1819, and the present spacious cruciform edifice was
erected in 1821, by aid of a grant of £2000 from the
late Board of First Fruits. In the R. C. divisions the
parish is the head of a union or district comprising also
four townlands of the parish of Drummully; there are
two chapels, situated at Newtown-Butler and Donagh;
the former erected in 1830, at tiu expense of £400, and
latter in 1826, at an expense of £500. There are also
places of worship for Wesleyan and Primitive, Wesleyan
Methodists; the latter is a fine new building, one-half of
the expense of which was contributed by J. Butler Dan-
vers, Esq. About 670 children are taught in five na-
tional and four other public schools; and there are six
private schools, in which are about 540 children, and
ten Sunday schools. There are several raths in the
parish; and at Mulnagone is a chalybeate spa, strongly
impregnated with sulphur, which has been found effien-
cious in chronic diseases. There are some ruins of old
churches on the island of Galloon and also at Donagh.
—See Newtown-Butler,
GALLOW, a parish, in the barony of Upper Deece.,
county of MEATH, and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles
(N. N. W.) from Kilcock, on the road to trim; con-
taining 640 inhabitants. About. one-third of it is in
tillage, and the remainder is good pasture. The prin-
cipal seats are Gallow, the residence of W. Maher, Esq.;
Clarkstown, of T. Potterton, Esq.; and Ferrans, of I.
North, Esq. It is a rectory, in the diocese of Meath,
forming part of the union of Raddonstown: the titles
amount to £129.4.7. In the R. C. divisions it is part
of the union or district of luracor, or Summerhill. About
25 children are educated in a private school.
GALTRIM, or GAULTRIM, a parish, in the barony
of Lower DEECE, county of MEATH, and province of
LEINSTER, 3 miles (S.) from Summerhill, on the road
to Navan; containing 716 inhabitants. This parish
comprises 3953 statute acres, of which about two-thirds
are under tillage. At (Cloneymeath is a quarry of good
building stone. Here is a constabulary police station.
Galtrim House, a handsome residence in a well planted
demesne, is the seat of J. Fox, Esq., who is descended
from Magnus Nial, Monarch of Ireland, and is the re-
presentative of the Lords of Kilcourcy, to whom Queen
Elizabeth granted large possessions. This district was
anciently a palatinate: the parish was grunted by the
Irish parliament, in 1543, to the priory of St. Peter’s