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neighbourhood. Athlone gave the title of Viscount to
the Earl of Ranelagh, and at present gives that of Earl
to the family of De Ginkell.
ATHLUMNEY, a parish, in the barony of SKREEN,
county of MEATH, and province of LEINSTER, ¼ of a
mile (S. by E.) from Navan; containing 1148 inhabit-
ants. This parish is situated on the river Boyne, by
which it is separated from the parish of Navan, and
over which are two bridges of stone; it is intersected
by the roads leading respectively from Navan and Trim
to Drogheda, and is skirted on the south by the mail
coach road from Dublin to Enniskillen An old castle,
situated on the right bank of the river, was formerly
the property of the Dowdell family, by whom it was
destroyed, to prevent its falling into the hands of Crom-
well. The remains consist of an extensive and irregular
pile of building of an oblong form, with two projecting
square towers apparently of more ancient foundation
than the remainder, which, with its gabled windows,
appears to be in the Elizabethan style. The parish
comprises 2398 statute acres, as applotted under the
tithe act. The land is of excellent quality and mostly
under tillage; and limestone abounds and is quarried
to a considerable extent. Athlumney, the seat of P.
Ponsonby Metge, Esq., is beautifully situated on the
banks of the Boyne, commanding some pleasing views,
and the demesne is well planted and tastefully embel-
lished. There are extensive flour and oatmeal-mills on
the river, and a flax-mill in which upon the average
260 men are employed. The Boyne navigation from
Navan to Drogheda passes through the parish. The
living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Meath, and in the
patronage of P. P. Metge, Esq., in whom the rectory is
impropriate; the tithes amount to £270, of which £180
is payable to the impropriator, and £90 to the vicar.
The church is in ruins, and there is neither glebe-house
nor glebe: divine service is performed by the vicar,
every Sunday evening, in a private house In the R. C.
divisions this parish is the head of a union or district,
called Johnstown, comprising the parishes of Athlum-
ney, Kilcarn, Follistown, Gerrardstown and Staffords-
town, and containing two chapels, situated at Johnstown
and Walterstown; the chapel at Johnstown is a very
old edifice, and it is in contemplation to rebuild it.
There are two schools; one at Johnstown of 79 boys
and 59 girls, and the other in Mr. Blundell’s factory,
towards the support of which that gentleman gives £18
per annum.
ATHNASSEY, or ATHENEASY, a parish, in the
barony of COSTLEA, county of LIMERICK, and province
of MUNSTER, 3 miles (E. N. E.) from Kilmallock; con-
taining 549 inhabitants. It is situated on the road
from Kilmallock to Hospital, and comprises 2799 statute
acres, as applotted tinder the tithe act. The land is
good; about one-half is under tillage, and the remainder
is meadow, chiefly attached to dairy farms, except a
small tract of very valuable bog, which is rapidly di-
minishing. Nearly in the centre of the parish is
Martinstown, the residence of M. Walsh, Esq. The
parish is in the diocese of Limerick, and is a rectory
forming part of the union of Kilmallock belonging to
the Dean and Chapter of Limerick; the tithes amount
to £225. 11. 2½., forming part of the economy fund of
the cathedral; the glebe comprises 27 acres of profitable
land In the R. C. divisions it is the head of a union or
VOL. I.—89
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district, also called Ballinvana, comprising the parishes of
Athnassey, Bulgadine, Emly-Grenan, Kilbreedy-Major,
and Ballinvana; the chapel, built in 1834, is near the
verge of the Red bog The only school is a pay school
of about 15 boys and 12 girls. Some fragments of the old
church are still remaining in the burial-ground attached
to it: it is supposed to have been founded in the 7th
century, and was dedicated to St. Athanasius, from
which circumstance probably the parish may have de-
rived its name. There are several traces of ancient
military works within the parish, and several military
weapons of rude workmanship have been found; also
the ruins of a small religious house called Adam’s Church,
and fragments of castles or buildings at Fauntstown,
Gormanstown, and Stephenson, near the first of which
are a ruined chapel and a celebrated holy well.
ATHNETT.—See ANHID.
ATHNOWEN (ST. MARY), or OVENS, a parish,
partly in the barony of BARRETTS, but chiefly in that
of EAST MUSKERRY, county of CORK, and province of
MUNSTER, 1½ mile (W.) from Ballincollig; containing
1953 inhabitants. This parish, which is generally called
Ovens, is situated on the south line of road from Cork
to Macroom, and is bounded on the north by the river
Lee, and intersected by the Bride. It comprises 4660
statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued
at £7594 per annum: the soil in the northern or hilly-
part is rather poor and stony, but in the vales extremely
rich, lying on a substratum of limestone forming part of
the great limestone district extending to Castlemore on
the west, and to Blackrock on the east. The limestone
is quarried to some extent for burning into lime for the
supply of the hilly districts to the north and south for a
a distance of several miles. The principal seats are
Grange, the residence of J. Hawkes, Esq., which occu-
pies the site of Grange abbey (said to have been founded
by St. Cera, who died in 679), and includes part of the
ancient walls; Sirmount, of G. Hawkes, Esq., which
occupies an elevated site commanding an extensive
prospect over a highly interesting and richly cultivated
tract of country; Spring Mount, of S. M c Carthy, Esq.;
Clashenure, of Kyrle Allen, Esq.; and the glebe-house,
of the Rev. W. Harvey. There are two boulting-mills
on the river Bride; one at Killumney belonging to Mr.
D. Donovan, jun.; and the other at Ovens, belonging to
Messrs. R. Donovan and Sons. The petty sessions for the
district are held every alternate week at Carroghally.
The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of
Cork, united by diocesan authority, in 1785, to the
prebend of Kilnaglory in the cathedral church of St.
Finbarr, Cork: the tithes amount to £425. The church
is a neat ancient structure, with a square tower crowned
with pinnacles. There is a glebe-house, with a glebe of
20a. 2r. 17p. In the R. C. divisions this parish is the
head of a union or district called Ovens,-which includes
also the parishes of Desertmore and Aglish, and the
ploughlands of Millane and Killumney, in the parish of
St. Finbarr, Cork: the chapel, erected in 1835, is a
handsome edifice of hewn limestone, in the mixed Gothic
and Grecian styles of architecture. The male and female
parochial schools are supported principally at the expense
of the rector. There is also a national school, in which
are 140 children, under the patronage of the Roman
Catholic clergy, for which a spacious school-room has
been built near the chapel A dispensary has been
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