Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

HEY
CONNAUGHT, 16 miles (N.) from Galway, and 107¾ (W.)
from Dublin; containing 1441 inhabitants. This is a
neat and clean town, having been much improved by its
proprietor, R. J. Mansergh St. George, Esq.; it has a
considerable trade, and commands fine views of Lough
Corrib, and the mountains of Joyces’ country and
Mayo. It comprises 217 houses, is a chief constabulary
police station, and has petty sessions on Mondays; here
is also a dispensary. Bobbin lace, coarse linen, and
flannel are made. The market is on Tuesday, and fairs
are held on May 11th and Oct. 14th. Headford Castle
is the residence of R. J. M. St. George, Esq.; it is a
handsome modern building, erected on the ruins of the
ancient castle; the extensive demesne, which is laid out
with great taste, is entered from the town by a good
gateway. Here is also Clydagh House, the seat of G.
Staunton Lynch, Esq. In the neighbourhood are seve-
ral raths; and between the town and the shores of
Lough Corrib are the ruins of Ross abbey, partially
covered with ivy. It was founded for Observantine
Franciscans, in 1498, by Lord Granard, and a chapter
of the order was held in it in 1509. At the suppression
of religious houses it was granted to the Earl of Clan-
ricarde. In 1604 it was repaired by the Catholics, and
in 1812 the roof fell in; one of the windows is still
perfect. Within this ruin is the burial-place of the
Burke, Kirwan, Browne, and Lynch families. In 1828,
silver coins of the reigns from Hen. III. to Wm. III.,
copper coins of Jas. II. and his successor, military
weapons and other relics were found near Headford
Castle, and are now in the possession of Mr. Harri-
son.
HENRYVILLE, a village, in the parish of BALLY-
CLUG, barony of LOWER ANTRIM, county of ANTRIM,
and province of ULSTER, adjoining the post-town of
Ballymena, with which it is connected by a bridge over
the river Braid: it contains 48 houses and 252 inhabi-
tants.
HERBERTSTOWN, a Village, partly in the parish
of BALLYNARD, and partly in that of CAHIRCORNEY,
barony of SMALL COUNTY, county of LIMERICK, and
province of MUNSTER, 6 miles (N. E. by N.) from Bruff,
on the road from Limerick to Hospital. It is a con-
stabulary police station, and has large pig fairs on Jan.
15th, March 17th, June 28th, and Nov. 7th. Here is
a large R. C. chapel, which was erected in 1836 at an
expense of £800.
HEYNSTOWN, or HAINSTOWN, a parish, in the
barony of UPPER DUNDALK, county of LOUTH, and
province of LEINSTER, 2½ miles (S.) from Dundalk, on
the road to Ardee; containing 442 inhabitants. This
parish comprises, according to the Ordnance survey,
1980½ statute acres, which are chiefly under tillage. It
is well planted, and the scenery is highly picturesque;
there is an abundance of good building stone. Prospect,
the seat of W. H. Richardson, Esq., commands a very
extensive view; and Clermont Park, that of T. Fortescue,
Esq., stands in a handsome and well-wooded demesne,
comprising about 800 statute acres. The living is a
rectory, in the diocese of Armagh, and in the patronage
of the Lord-Primate: the tithes amount to £350; there
is neither glebe-house nor glebe. The church is a plain
modern structure, near which are some remains of an
ancient round tower. In the R. C. divisions the parish
forms part of the union or district of Haggardstown,
4
HIL
at which place is the chapel. Here are the ruins of
Dunmahon castle, consisting of a quadrangular pile,
with circular towers of dissimilar sizes at the angles.
HILLSBOROUGH, an
incorporated market-town
(formerly a parliamentary
borough), and a parish, in
the barony of LOWER IVE-
AGH, county of DOWN, and
province of ULSTER, 16
miles (W. N. W.) from Down-
patrick, and 70¼ (N.E.) from
Dublin; containing 6886 in-
habitants, of which number,
1458 are in the town. This
place, originally called Crom-
lyn, derived its present name from a castle erected by
Sir Arthur Hill in the reign of Chas. I., which at the
Restoration was made a royal fortress by Chas. II., who
made Sir Arthur and his heirs hereditary constables,
with 20 warders and a well-appointed garrison. The
castle is of great strength and is defended by four bas-
tions commanding the road from Dublin to Belfast and
Carrickfergus: it is still kept up as a royal garrison
under the hereditary constableship of the present Mar-
quess of Downshire, a descendant of the founder, and is
also used as an armoury for the yeomanry. At the
time of the Revolution, the army of Wm. III. encamped
under its walls: and during the disturbances of 1798
the royal army encamped on Blaris moor, within two
miles of this place. The town, which is built on the
summit and declivities of a hill, consists of one princi-
pal and three smaller streets, and contains 214 houses,
many of which are of handsome appearance; it is well
paved, partially lighted, and amply supplied with water
conveyed by pipes from the neighbouring hills. The
approach from the Dublin road has been widened, one
of the old streets near the castle has been removed, and
other considerable improvements have been made.
Races, established under the management of the horse-
breeders of the county of Down, incorporated by charter
of Jas. II., are held in this neighbourhood and at Down-
patrick alternately, and are kept up with great spirit.
The course, called the Maze, about two miles from
the town, winds round the base of a hill, from the
summit of which the spectators have an excellent view
of the races, and an elegant stand has been erected.
The manufacture of linen and cotton is carried on,
chiefly for the Belfast merchants; an extensive ale
brewery was established in 1810, and a very large dis-
tillery in 1826, which has three stills worked by one
fire; in these works, which belong to Messrs, Brad-
shaw and Co., 40 men are regularly employed, and 2000
tons of grain are annually consumed. The Lagan canal
from Belfast to Lough Neagh passes within a mile of
the town, and a wharf has been constructed on its
bank for landing coal and other necessaries. The
market is on Wednesday, and fairs are held on the third
Wednesday in Feb., May, Aug., and Nov.; the market-
place is spacious, and shambles and grain stores have
been erected. Great agricultural improvements have
been carried on in the neighbouring district by the pre-
sent Marquess during the last twenty-five years. By
charter of Chas. II. the corporation consists of a sove-
reign, 12 burgesses, and an indefinite number of freemen,