| MOYCULLEN, a parish, in the barony of MOYCULLEN, county of GALWAY, and province of CONNAUGHT, 4 miles (N. W.) from Galway, on the road to Oughterard ; containing 5965 inhabitants, This parish is bounded on the cast by Lough Corrib, and com-prises 27,294 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. The land is of very indifferent quality ; and there is a large quantity of reclaimable waste and bog. In the village, which has a penny post to Galway, petty sessions are held on alternate Tuesdays ; and fairs on Feb. 1st, May 28th, Sept. 2nd, and Dec. 8th. The principal seats are Curcullen, that of M. P Browne, Esq. ; Danesfield, of P. M. Burke, Esq. ; Drimcong, of J. Kilkelly, Esq. ; and Knockbane, of A. O'Flaherty, Esq. The living is a rectory and perpetual cure, in the diocese of Tuam ; the rectory forms part of the Wardenship of Galway, and the perpetual curacy forms part of the union of Kilcummin, The tithes amount to £133. 6. 8., of which £100 is payable to the warden of Galway, and £33. 6. 8. to the perpetual curate, In the R. C. divisions the parish is in the diocese of Galway, forming part of the union or district of Spiddal, and partly a district in itself : the chapel is a neat building. The late Rev. Francis Blake, P.P., left £500 for erecting a school-house, to which the Board of National Education added £200 ; a very good building has been erected, in which about 500 children are educated. Another school-house has been recently erected at the other end of this extensive parish, under the auspices of A. O'Flaherty, Esq. There is a private school, in which are about 60 children. A fine Danish fort at Danesfield gives name to the estate on which it stands : and there are ruins of two old castles, which have obtained celebrity from being selected by Lady Morgan as the scene of one of her novels : they may be seen from a great distance. Roderic O'Flaherty, a learned Irish historian and antiquary, was born here in 1630. |
| SPIDDLE, or SPIDDAL, a village, in the parish and barony of MOYCULLEN, county of GALWAY, and province of CONNAUGHT, 9 miles (W.) from Galway, on the bay of Galway : the population is returned with the parish. Here is a pier, built by the Fishery Board, which is the only place of shelter for boats on this side of the bay. In the R. C. divisions it is considered a parish, united with that of Minna, in which union are two small thatched chapels, one at Spiddal and the other at Minna. |
