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Cill Bharrainn - Kilbarron

 

KILBARRON, a parish, in the barony of TYRHUGH, county of DONEGAL, and province of ULSTER, on the road from Donegal to Enniskillen; containing, with the greater part of the sea-port, and market and post-town of Ballyshannon, 10,521 inhabitants. St. Columb founded a church here, of which Barrind was bishop about 590. According to the Ordnance survey, the parish comprises 23,932 3/4 statute acres, of which 915 1/4 are water. About half is arable; the remainder is meadow, pasture, and mountain land, and there is a sufficient extent of bog. In addition to the usual crops, great quantities of carrots and onions are raised in the open fields. The Abbey river, which flows into Abbey bay, in Ballyshannon harbour, contains eel, trout, and salmon; and off the coast most kinds of sea fish are abundant, but are preyed upon by a kind of small shark, or dogfish. During spring and summer here are many seals, and the coast is frequently visited by large whales, and great numbers of skate and thornback are taken with the long line. Sandstone and whinstone are found at Kildoney, and a kind of stone coal appears in the cliff overhanging the sea; the seam is about 7 inches thick and dips towards the land. In boring for coal, emery has been discovered about 12 feet below the surface. The principal seats are Parkhill, belonging to the representatives of the late J. O'Neil, Esq.; Cavan Garden, the residence of T. J. Atkinson, Esq.; Cherrymount, of Dr. Crawford; Camlin Tredennick, of I. Tredennick, Esq.; Fort William, of W. Tredennick, Esq.; Danby, of J. Forbes, Esq.; Wardton, of J. Folliott, Esq.; Laputa, of J. F. Johnston, Esq.; and Cliff, of Col. Conolly, who has greatly benefited this part of the county, in which he is one of the largest proprietors, having for many years expended at least £1000 per annum in agricultural implements, flax seed, dispensaries, schools, and roads; in addition to which he has expended large sums on the improvement of Ballyshannon harbour. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Raphoe, and in the gift of Col. Conolly, in whom the rectory is impropriate. Of the 44 townlands comprised within the parish, only four pay full tithe, three are subject to a small modus, and the remainder are tithe-free: the tithes amount to £45, of which £26 is payable to the impropriator, and £19 to the vicar. The church was erected in 1745, on an eminence near the town, and is the principal landmark for vessels entering the harbour. Divine service is also performed in a school-house. There is a glebe-house, for the erection of which a gift of £100, and a loan of £675, were granted, in 1810, by the late Board of First Fruits: the glebe comprises 316 acres. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church: the chapel, in Ballyshannon, is a large neat building, erected in 1795; another at Castleard was erected in 1832, and has a burial-ground. There are also places of worship for Presbyterians, in connection with the Synod of Ulster, of the third class, and for Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists. About 580 children are educated in seven public schools, to one of which Col. Conolly subscribes £8 annually; and about 310 are taught in ten private schools: there are also seven Sunday schools. Near the glebe-house, on a stupendous rock rising almost perpendicularly out of the sea, are the ruins of the castle of Kilbarron, which is supposed to have been inhabited by freebooters. Within the parish are fourteen Danish raths; and in the harbour of Ballyshannon, at the mouth of the Erne, there was formerly an island, called Inis Samer, where, according to the Munster annals, was a religious house, in which Flaherty O'Maoldora, King of Conall, or Tyrconnell, having renounced the world, died in 1197. There is a chalybeate spring in the parish.

 

(Extract from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837)

 

 

Last Updated 10 Aug 2019

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 Townlands

Abbey Island   17
Abbeylands   173
Alla   213
Ardgillew   100
Ardpattan   95
Ballymacaward   605
Ballynacarrick   141
Ballynaglogh   101
Ballyshannon Town    
Behy   869
Camlin   166
Camp   55
Carricknahorna   2,337
Cashel   687
Cashelard   2,740
Cashellackan   82
Cavan   85
Cavangarden   299
Cherrymount   167
Cloghbolie   156
Cloghore   480
Clontyseer   198
Cool Beg   286
Cool More   115
Coolcholly   819
Corlea   1,108
Cowpark   88
Creevy   815
Croaghbreesy   523
Crockacapple   125
Derrykillow   1,051
Doobally   504
Drumnagroagh   162
Edenagor   117
Garvanagh   827
Kilbarron   384
Kildoney Glebe   508
Killeen   217
Kinkeel Island   10
Knader   788
Knocknashangan   227
Laheen   356
Legaloscran   62
Legaltan   254
Lissacholly   612
Mullans   302
Parkhill   204
Raheen   99
Rathlin O'Birne Island   50
Rosscat   204
Rowantreehill   193
Sheegys   224
Sminver   99
Spaddan   68
Templenew   100
Tirconeen   28
Tober   1,529
Tonregee   65
Townparks   295
Tully   88
Tullyhorky   329
Tullymore   302
Twomilestone   60

 

 
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Lindel Buckley

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