Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

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increased facility for the carriage of lime and the con-
veyance of agricultural produce to market.
The traces of antiquity are numerous. On the sum-
mit of Tory Hill, called in Irish Slieve-Grian, or “the
Hill of the Sun,” is a circular space covered with stones,
on one of which, resting on several others, is an inscrip-
tion which has given rise to much controversy. On the
summit of the Hill of Cloghmanta, which signifies “the
Stone of God,” is another circular heap. Both these
monuments are much decayed. The most remarkable
cromlech is at Kilmogue, in the barony of Knockto-
pher; the upper stone is 45 feet in circumference, and
is elevated six feet above the ground at its lower end,
and 15 at its tipper: the country people call it Lachan
Schal, or “the Great Altar.” Numerous other cromlechs
are dispersed through various parts of the county. Not
far from the spa of Ballyspellane is a large stone, for-
merly supported by several smaller: it is called Clogh-
bannagh, or “the Stone of Blessing.” Not far from it
is a conical stone, lying on its side. The remains of
another heap, called Cloghan-carneen, may be seen at
Ballynasliegh, near Durrow. Many human bones have
been found in the neighbourhood, and, among others, a
skeleton enclosed between flags, with a horn near it.
On the Hill of Garryduff, in Fiddown parish, is a place
called Leibe-na-cuhn, or “the Dog’s Grave,” around
which are the remains of ranges of stones. Several
small urns containing ashes were found in front of a
great stone in Kilbeacon parish, and in other places.
Raths are very numerous in some districts, particularly
in Galmoy and near the Nore; they are of various
shapes, and are formed of one, two, or three enclosures.
Chambers under ground, roofed with flags, are found not
accompanied by raths. At Earlsrath is a very large
fort, enclosed by a fosse, in the area of which are the
vestiges of buildings. Some large moats are observable
in several parts: the largest are at Callan, Kilkenny,
and Castlecomer; one of them, at Rathbeath, is pointed
out as the place where Hereman built his palace and was
buried. There are five round towers: one at St. Canice,
a few feet from the southern side of the cathedral;
another at Tulloherm; a third at Kilree; a fourth at
Fertagh, or Fertagh-na-geiragh; of the fifth, at Agha-
viller, only the lower part remains. In the parish of
Macullee is a place called Reighlig-na-lughduigh, or
“the Burying-place of the Black Lough,” where are
some upright stones, near which human bones and seve-
ral bronze spear-heads were found. There is a faint
tradition that a great battle had been fought here.
Besides the ruined abbeys in the city of Kilkenny, there
were two very celebrated monasteries of the Cistertian
order, one at Jerpoint, the other at Graig. The Domi-
nicans had abbeys at Rossbercon and at Thomastown,
and the Carmelites at Knocktopher. An old abbey is
said to have stood at Barrowmount; another near
Kellymount; and a second monastery, not noticed by
writers on the monastic antiquities of Ireland, at Tho-
mastown.
The number of castles, though much diminished by
the ravages of time and internal commotions, is still
very great, but most consist of a single tower. Granny
or Grandison Castle, in Iverk, is one of the most con-
siderable: it was the residence of Margaret Fitzgerald,
the great Countess of Ormond, a lady of uncommon
talents and qualifications, who is said also to have built
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the castles of Balleen and Coolkill, with several others
of minor note. The Butlers owned the castles of Knock-
topher, Gowran, Dunfert, Poolestown, Nehorn, Callan,
Ballycallan, Damagh, Kilmanagh, and Urlingford.
King John built a castle at Tybrackny, where also are
the foundations of a Danish town and a tombstone with
Danish sculptures. The castles of Drumroe, Barrow-
mount, and Low Grange, are said to have belonged to
Lord Galmoy; those of Stroan, Kilfane, Clofouke, Co-
nahy, Ballyfoyle, and Cloranke, to the family of the
Purcells; that of Cowen to the Brennans; those of
Castlemorres, Frenystown, and Foulksrath, to the fami-
lies whose names they bear; and those of Bishops-court
and Kilbline to the Currys. The Shortalls possessed
the castles of Cloghmanta, Kilrush, Tubbrid, Killeshu-
ran, and Balief; the two latter, as well as that of
Seskin near Durrow, are round. Gaulstown Castle
belonged to a branch of the De Burgos; Grenan, said
to have been built in the time of King John, to a family
of the name of Den; the Walshes of the mountains held
numerous castles in that district; Courtstown, Bally-
lench, and some others, belonged to the Graces; Dun-
fert, corrupted into Danesfort, was erected by William,
Earl Marshal. The modern mansions of the nobility
and gentry are noticed in the account of the parishes
in which they are respectively situated.
The farm-houses are generally built of stone, oftener
cemented with clay than mortar; some of the better
kind are slated, but thatch is most general; some may
be comfortable, but few are neat or cleanly. The resi-
dences of rich farmers are generally inferior to their
means; but the greatest defect is in the offices, which
are sometimes covered with potatoe stalks, forming a
very bad thatch, and sometimes with heath, which is
not much better. Ash trees are often planted near the
farm-houses, and, towards the border of Munster, cherry
trees. The offices generally form an irregular yard in
the front of the house, wholly or at least partially occu-
pied by the dunghill. The most usual tenure for farms
is for thirty-one years, or three lives: some land in the
hilly districts is held at will, but tenures of this descrip-
tion are decreasing; the inhabitants of these districts,
who generally live in scattered villages and hold in part-
nership, usually obtaining a joint lease for years. There
is not much land in mortmain: the see of Ossory pos-
sesses about 9300 acres, besides the manors of Durrow
and Freshford. The condition of the labouring poor is
wretched in the extreme: it is only by slow degrees
that they can procure articles of clothing; turf is their
general fuel, in consequence of the high price of coal;
potatoes, with milk when it can be procured, are almost
their only food; sometimes, but not always, salt is
added, and occasionally a herring. The clothing is
frieze and flannel; the women wear stuff petticoats;
straw hats manufactured at home, and estimated at
from sixpence to a shilling, are commonly worn by
both sexes. The English language is very generally
spoken.
At Ballyspellane, in Galmoy barony, is a mineral
spa, celebrated both for the medicinal properties imputed
to it, and by the lines written on it by the witty and
eccentric Dr. Sheridan, the friend of Swift; the water
is best drunk on the spot, as the carbonic acid gas con-
tained in it, and to which its effects are chiefly attribut-
able, soon evaporates on exposure to the air. Chaly-