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LEA
of agriculture improving. The substrata are limestone,
limestone gravel, and reddish sand; the limestone,
which is of good quality, is extensively quarried. Besides
the seats noticed in the articles on Portarlington and
Ballybrittas, are Gray Avon, the residence of J. Arm-
strong, Esq.; Mount Henry, of H. Smith, Esq.; James-
town House, of R. Cassidy, Esq.; Ballintoher, of D.
French Esq.; the glebe-house, of the Rev. J. Powell;
Fisherstown House, of T. L. Kenney, Esq.; Killamullen,
of G. Blakeney, Esq.; Ballycarrol, of J. Reed, Esq.;
Kilbracken, of A. W. Alloway, Esq.; and Abbeyview
Cottage, of the Rev. D. Maher. The Grand Canal
passes for three miles through the parish, and the river
Barrow might be rendered navigable from Portarlington
to Monastereven at a trifling expense. Fairs are held
at Portarlington, and petty sessions are held there
weekly on Wednesday, and at Ballybrittas on Monday.
The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Kildare, and
in the patronage of the Bishop; the rectory is appro-
priate to the dean and chapter. The tithes amount to
£830. 15. 4½., of which £553. 16. 11. is payable to the
lessee of the dean and chapter, and the remainder to
the vicar. The glebe-house was built by a gift of £369
and a loan to the same amount from the late Board of
First Fruits, in 1829; the glebe comprises 25 acres.
The church, a small neat edifice, was built by subscrip-
tion, aided by a loan of £350 from the late Board of
First Fruits, in 1810; and the Ecclesiastical Commis-
sioners have recently granted £375 for its repair.
There are two chapels of ease at Portarlington. In the
R. C. divisions nearly the whole of the parish forms
part of the union or district of Portarlington, Emo,
and Killeynard; the chapel, at Killeynard, has been
lately rebuilt. About 750 children are taught in six
public schools; there are also six private schools, in
which are about 130 children. At Portarlington and
Ballybrittas are dispensaries, and a mendicity society
on Dr. Chalmers’ plan is supported by subscription.
There are ruins of the old churches of Old Lea, Tier-
hoghar, and Ballyadden; and on the bank of the river
Barrow are the remains of the ancient castle, consisting
of a massive round tower, with several quadrangular
buildings, apparently parts of the original structure and
of great strength; the whole enclosed within massive
walls pierced with embrasures, and presenting an im-
posing and venerable appearance as seen from the river.
There are six raths in the parish. Near Portarlington
is a powerful chalybeate spa, efficacious in scorbutic
cases.
LEARMONT, an ecclesiastical district, partly in the
barony of TIRKEERAN, county of LONDONDERRY, and
partly in that of STRABANE, county of TYRONE, and pro-
vince of ULSTER, 5 miles (W.) from Dungiven, on the
road to Omagh; containing 4411 inhabitants. It was
formed in 1831, under the 7th and 8th of Geo. IV., by
separating nine townlands from Banagher, eight from Up-
per Cumber, and one from Lower Cumber, the whole of
which are in Londonderry, except Stranagalvally, which
is in Tyrone. Much of the land is very good and under
an excellent system of cultivation, and the waste land is
being reclaimed under the liberal encouragement of
Barre Beresford, Esq., proprietor of the chief portion of
this district. Sawel mountain, on the verge of the two
counties, rises to the height of 2236 feet above the level
of the sea; near it are the precipitous rocks called
248
LEC
the Eagle’s Nest. Blue limestone is burnt here for
manure, and manganese and lead ore are found, also
iron ore almost in a metallic state. The village of
Learmont, or Park, is situated on the Faughan water,
near the base of Sawel mountain, and has been much
improved lately by its proprietor. The principal seat
is Learmont, the elegant residence of Barre Beresford,
Esq., which he is enlarging and finishing in the Eliza-
bethan or Tudor style. Around it is an extensive
demesne, containing large and valuable timber, and
ornamented with baths and groups of statues. Here
is also Kilcreen, the residence of J. C. Beresford, Esq.;
Straid Lodge, of the Rev. J. Hunter; and Tamna, the
shooting-lodge of Hugh Lyle, Esq. The living is a
perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Derry, and in the
alternate patronage of the Rectors of Banagher and
Upper Cumber, except the fifth turn, which devolves
on the Rector of Lower Cumber. The curate’s income
is £85 per annum, which is paid by the three rectors.
The late Bishop Knox proposed to make this district a
parish of itself, the tithes of which exceed £300 per
ann., in which case Mr. Beresford proposed to exchange
land planted and improved for a glebe. The church, a
small neat edifice, was built in 1831, at an expense of
£750, of which £400 was given by the late Board of
First Fruits, £100 by the late Bishop Knox, £100
by B. Beresford, Esq., £50 by the Irish Society, £25
by the Skinners’ Company, £25 by Robt. Ogilby, Esq.,
and the rest by various individuals. In the R. C. divi-
sions it forms part of the union or district of Banagher,
and has a chapel at Altenure. There is a school at
Park, to which Mr. Beresford allows £5 per annum and
a house, and three other public schools, in which about
260 children are educated; there are also three private
schools, in which about 150 are educated, and a Sunday
school.
LECK, a parish, in the barony of RAPHOE, county of
DONEGAL, and province of ULSTER, 1 mile (E.) from
Letterkenny, on the road to Strabane; containing 4046
inhabitants. According to the Ordnance survey it com-
prises, including a detached portion, 10,744¾ statute
acres, of which 10,393 are applotted under the tithe act
and valued at £4047 per annum, and 264 are in the
tideway of the river Swilly, which is navigable through
the whole of the parish. A large cattle fair is held at
Old Town on June 8th. Here is Rock Hill, the beauti-
ful seat of J. Vandeleur Stewart, Esq. The parish
formed part of the corps of the deanery of Raphoe, but
was separated from it by act of council in 1835, and is
now a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Raphoe,
and in the patronage of the Crown: the tithes amount
to £324. The glebe-house was erected by aid of a gift
of £450 and a loan of £50 from the late Board of First
Fruits, in 1820; the glebe comprises 32 statute acres,
valued at £25 per annum. The church is an ancient
structure, and is about to be rebuilt. In the R. C. divi-
sions it forms part of the union or district of Conwall.
The parochial school is aided by an annual donation
from Col. Robertson’s fund; and there are two other
public schools, one of which is supported by Sir E.
Hayes, Bart.; about 160 children are educated in these
schools, and there are two Sunday schools.
LECKARROW, a village, partly in the parish of
St. JOHN’S, and partly in that of KILLENVOY, barony of
ATHLONE, county of ROSCOMMON, and province of CON-