Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

ASS
Fitzgerald, P.P. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese
of Limerick, with the rectory of Lismakeery and the
vicarage of Iverus united, forming the union of Askea-
ton, in the patronage of Sir Matthew Blakiston, Bart.;
the rectory is impropriate in R. Hunt, Esq. The tithes
amount to £450, of which £300 is payable to the im-
propriator, and £150 to the vicar; and the tithes of
the benefice amount to £410. The church, situated in
the town, is in a very dilapidated condition, and has
been condemned by the ecclesiastical provincial archi-
tect. The glebe-house, a large and handsome residence,
was built in 1827: the glebe comprises 17¼ acres. In
the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a union or
district, comprising the parishes of Askeaton, Iverus,
Lismakeery, and Tomdeely; there are two chapels, one
in the town, and one at Ballystean, both thatched build-
ings. Adjoining the church is a parochial school for boys
and girls; four public schools afford instruction to about
190 children; and there are three pay schools, in which
are about 150 boys and 50 girls. There is also a dis-
pensary. The present parochial church was that of the
commandery of Knights Templars, founded in 1298;
on the south side is a transept, now in ruins, and sepa-
rated from the church by two lofty arches which have
been rudely closed up; and near the east end are the
remains of an ancient tower, square at the base and
octangular above. This tower and also the church and
transept are precisely in the state in which they are
described in the “Pacata Hibernica,” published more
than 200 years since. To the west of the church are
the remains of the once stately castle, boldly situated
on a rock of limestone in the river Deel; and near it
are those of the banqueting-house, a very spacious and
elegant building, and, with the exception of the roof,
still in a very perfect state; the arched vaults beneath
are very extensive, and the windows of the great hall
are lofty and of beautiful design. On the eastern bank
of the river, and at a short distance to the north, are
the venerable ruins of the Franciscan abbey: it is built
entirely of the dark grey marble which is found here in
great abundance; the cloisters are nearly entire, and
of beautiful character; on each side of the enclosed
quadrangle are twelve lofty pointed arches supported by
cylindrical columns with richly moulded capitals; and
in the centre of the square is an ancient thorn of stately
growth. The church, with the exception of the roof, is
partly standing; the eastern gable, with its lofty win-
dow, has some beautiful details in the later English
style; the other portions are much decayed, and large
masses of the walls lie scattered around, as if detached
by the force of gunpowder; these ruins are close to the
bank of the river, and are almost washed by every tide.
Two miles north of the town are the ruins of Court
Browne castle, seated on an eminence overlooking the
Shannon. In 1834 two very splendid fibulae of pure
gold were found near the town; and, in the following
year, several ancient gold coins were discovered in sink-
ing the foundation of a wall on the west side of the
river. Silver chalices, crosiers, and a great number of
coins have been found near the abbey and the castle.
ASSEY, or ATHSY, a parish, in the barony of
LOWER DEECE, county of MEATH, and province of
LEINSTER, 4 miles (S.) from Navan, on the river Boyne;
containing 108 inhabitants. The land, though not rich,
is tolerably productive; a considerable portion is under
VOL. I.—81
ATH
tillage, and the remainder is good grazing land. Bellinter,
the seat of the Rev. J. Preston, is situated in a well-
wooded demesne of more than 800 acres, stretching
into the adjoining parish of Balsoon. The living is a
rectory, in the diocese of Meath, to which the rectory
of Balsoon was united by diocesan authority in 1826,
together forming the union of Assey, in the patronage
of the Crown: the tithes amount to £62. 15. 4½., and
the gross amount of tithes of the benefice is £132.
There is neither church nor glebe-house in the union,
the occasional duties of which are performed by the in-
cumbent of Kilmessan, who receives £24 per annum,
besides the glebe, which consists of three acres, valued
at £6 per annum. The Commissioners of Ecclesiastical
Inquiry, in 1831; have recommended that the two
parishes be formed into one, to be called the parish of
Athsy, and that a church and glebe-house for a resident
minister be erected. In the R. C. divisions this parish
forms part of the union or district of Dunsany and
Kilmessan.
ATHASSEL, a parish, in the barony of CLANWIL-
LIAM, county of TIPPERARY, and province of MUNSTER,
3½ miles (W.) from Cashel; containing, with the parish
of Relickmurry, 5498 inhabitants. This place, which
is situated on the river Suir, was distinguished for its
priory, founded towards the close of the 12th century
by William Fitz Aldelm de Burgho, for Canons Regular
of the order of St. Augustine, and dedicated to St.
Edmund the King and Martyr. In 1319 the town was
set on fire by Lord John, brother of Lord Maurice Fitz-
Thomas; and, in 1329, Bryan O’Brien burned it to the
ground: there are still some slight traces of its site.
The priory, which was amply endowed, and of which
the abbot sat in parliament, continued to flourish till
the reign of Edw. VI., when it was dissolved; and in
that of Philip and Mary it was, with other possessions,
granted to Thomas, Earl of Ormonde. The remains
are extensive and highly interesting, and shew the build-
ings to have been distinguished for elegance and mag-
nificence, and equal, if not superior, to any monastic
structure in the kingdom. In this monastery was
interred Richard de Burgho, second Earl of Ulster,
called, from his complexion, the Red, who, after giving
a splendid entertainment to the nobles and his friends
at Kilkenny, in 1326, retired hither and soon after died.
Castle Park, the seat of R. Creaghe, Esq., is a spacious
and well-built mansion, pleasantly situated in a richly
planted demesne, in which are some remains of an an-
cient castle; Ballycarron, the seat of T. Butler, Esq.,
is situated in an extensive and finely planted demesne;
Golden Hills is the castellated residence of H. White,
Esq.; and Spring mount, that of J. White, Esq. Suir
Castle, the residence of J. Robbing, Esq., is situated on
the banks of the Suir, and within the demesne are the
ruins of a castle with a square tower. The other seats
are Gaulty View, the residence of F. Maasey, Esq.;
Ballyslatteen, of R. Butler, Esq.; and Hymenstown, of
R. Scully, Esq. The parish is in the diocese of Cashel,
and is a rectory, forming part of the union of Relick-
murry: the tithes, including those of the parish of
Relickmurry, amount to £550. In the R. C. divisions
it forms part of the union or district of Golden.
ATHBOY, a market and post-town, and a parish
(formerly a borough), in the barony of LUNE, county
of MEATH, and province of LEINSTER, 5 miles (N. W.)
M