All Lewis entries for Carrigrohane

BALLINCOLLIG

BALLINCOLLIG, a post-town, in the parish of CARRIGROHANE, barony of BARRETTS, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 5? miles (W.) from Cork, and 130? miles (S. W.) from Dublin, on the road from Cork to Macroom; containing 875 inhabitants. This place is chiefly distinguished as a military depot, and for its extensive gunpowder-mills, formerly carried on under the superintendence of Government, but, after having been for some years discontinued, recently purchased by the present proprietors, and now in full operation. The artillery barracks form an extensive quadrangular pile of buildings, having in the eastern range the officers' apartments, and on the western side an hospital and a neat church, built in 1814, in which divine service is regularly performed by a resident chaplain. The buildings contain accommodation for 18 officers and 242 non-commissioned officers and privates, and are adapted to receive eight field batteries, though at present only one is stationed here, to which are attached 95 men and 44 horses: in the centre of the quadrangle eight gun sheds are placed in two parallel lines, and near them are the stables and offices; within the walls is a large and commodious school-room. Immediately adjoining the barracks, and occupying a space of nearly four miles in extent, are the gunpowder-mills, 16 in number. At convenient distances are placed the different establishments for granulating and drying the gunpowder, making charcoal, refining sulphur and saltpetre, making casks and hoops and the various machinery connected with the works; the whole communicating with each other, and with the mills, by means of small canals constructed for facility of carriage, and for preventing such accidents as might occur from other modes of conveyance. In appropriate situations, and adjoining these establishments, are the residences of the different persons superintending the works, and at the eastern extremity of the ground, but at a considerable distance from the mills, are two ranges of comfortable cottages for a portion of the work-people, now tenanted by 54 families, which obtain a comfortable livelihood. The number of persons employed is about 200, and the quantity of gunpowder manufactured annually is about 16,000 barrels. The police depot for the province of Munster is situated here; the men are drilled till they become efficient, and then drafted off to the different stations in the province. There is a R. C. chapel, to which is attached a school. To the south of the town, and on a limestone rock rising abruptly from the surrounding meadows, are the remains of Ballincollig castle, of which one of the towers is in tolerable preservation. -See CARRIGROHANE.

CARRIGROHANE

CARRIGROHANE, or KILGROHANMORE, a parish, partly in the county of the city of CORK, but chiefly in the barony of BARRETTS, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 4 miles (W. by S.) from Cork; containing 1921 inhabitants. This parish is situated on the south bank of the river Lee, over which is a stone bridge connecting it with the parish of Inniscarra, and on the new line of road through Magourney to Macroom. The whole comprises 2578 acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £4655 per annum; and that part of it which is included within the barony of Barretts contains 1556 acres, valued at £2136, according to the county estimate. The land is of excellent quality, and the farms, being in the occupation of persons of capital, are in an excellent state of cultivation. From the low price of grain, the produce of the dairy and the grazing of cattle have been found more profitable than growing corn; the lands are therefore being converted into dairy farms. The parish forms part of the limestone district that extends from near the source of the river Bride, along its southern bank, across the vale to the west of the city of Cork, and passing through its southern suburbs, terminates at Blackrock. The quarrying of limestone and manufacture of gunpowder at Ballincollig encourage that industry among the people of which the fruits are seen in their comfortable appearance and the improved state of their habitations. On the river Lee are some extensive mills, capable of manufacturing from 350 to 400 sacks of flour weekly. About a mile and a half from the church are several very handsome houses, occupied by the officers connected with the garrison of Ballincollig.

The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Cork,united from time immemorial to the rectories of Curricuppane and Corbally, and to one-fourth of the rectory of Kinneagh, which four parishes constitute the corps of the precentorship of the cathedral of St. Finbarr, Cork: the tithes of the parish amount to £330, and of the whole union to £943. The church is a small plain edifice, situated near the river Lee, to the repairs of which the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently made a grant of £143. There is no glebe-house in the union, but a glebe of 22 acres and 38 perches. In the R. C. divisions this parish, together with the parishes of Kilnaglory and Inniskenny, and a small part of that of Ballinaboy, form the union or district of Ballincollig, where there is a chapel. There are male and female parochial schools supported by subscriptions; a national school at Ballincollig, in which are a bout 100 boys and 70 girls; a public and two private schools, one of which is for infants, in which are about 60 boys and 40 girls; and a Sunday school supported by the rector. Behind the church are considerable remains of the ancient castle, and the fine ruins of a more modern house, of great strength, of which nearly the whole of the outer walls are remaining. The turrets, pierced with loopholes, which project from the upper story of the latter building, indicate that it was built about the reign of Queen Elizabeth, but the castle is evidently much older and both were ruined in the war of 1641. At Ballincollig are the ruins of an extensive castle, situated on an isolated rock which rises in the midst of a fertile plain. This castle was built by the Barrett family, in the reign of Edw. III. William Barrett joined in the insurrection of the Earl of Desmond against Elizabeth, but was pardoned by Her Majesty and received into favour. In the war of 1641 it was in the possession of the insurgents, who were dispossessed by Cromwell in 1645: it was garrisoned for Jas. II. in 1689, but after his flight fell into decay, and is now a stately ruin, with a very strong and lofty square tower still nearly perfect.

GREAT ISLAND

GREAT ISLAND, or BARRYMORE ISLAND, in the harbour of CORK, barony of BARRYMORE, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER ; containing, with the post-town of Cove, (which is described under its own head), 11,089 inhabitants. It was anciently called ArdNeimheidh, and is one of the first places mentioned in Irish history whose locality can be fixed with precision. A battle was fought here in 125 between -ngus, king of Ireland, and Niadh Nuaget, a tributary prince, in which the latter recovered the crown of Munster ; and in the 12th century the island maintained its independence against the English for some time after they had acquired possession of Cork and the adjacent country. In 1329 it was the property of Lord Philip Hod-net, who resided at Clonmel, where he was besieged by the Barrys and Roches, and all his adherents put to death. The Barrys having obtained possession, it was called Barrymore Island. During the war of 1641, a party of Lord Castlehaven's troops coming here to plunder, were attacked by Major Power with 30 horse and two companies of foot, and about 500 of them were slain. In 1666 it was described by the Earl of Orrery as very fertile, and a place of such consequence as, were he an enemy about to invade Ireland, to be the first he would endeavour to secure. Most of the islands and headlands in its neighbourhood have since been strongly fortified.

It extends five miles from east to west, and two from north to south, comprising 221 gneeves, or 13,149 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £9758 per ann., and is most advantageously situated. To the south is the magnificent harbour of Cove ; on the west is the deep channel, half a mile wide, which separates it from the mainland at Passage ; on the north it is bounded by the noble estuary of the Lee, and on the east by a shallow channel which separates it from Foaty Island, over which is a lofty bridge, from the extremity of which branch two roads, one leading by way of Passage to Cove, the other crossing the island to the same port. The shores are generally bold, and the interior has a pleasing variety of hill and dale, watered by several small streams that flow into the Eastern Channel. It is composed of clay-slate covered with a light productive soil, but intermingled with fragments of the substratum: two-thirds are under tillage, and the remainder in pasture or included in demesnes. Two ferries afford communication between the island and the mainland, the western ferry to Passage, the eastern to Midleton. There is also a communication by land from Belvelly, where a stone bridge and causeway connect it with Foaty island, whence is another causeway communicating with the mainland ; a direct communication is thus opened by land with Cork. The beauty of its situation and salubrity of the climate have induced many genteel families to settle here. Among the principal seats are Marino, the residence of T. G. French, Esq. ; Ballymore House, of J. H. Bennett, Esq. ; Cuskinny, of Savage T. W. French, Esq. ; Eastgrove, of J. Bagwell, Esq. ; Ballymore, of R. B. Shaw, Esq. ; Ashgrove, of R. Frankland, Esq. ; Ballymore Cottage, of W. J. Coppinger, Esq. ; Belgrove, of the Rev. G. Gumbleton ; Whitepoint House, of H. H. O'Brien, Esq. ; Spy Hill, of the Rev. T. L. Coghlan ; the Retreat, of Mrs. O'Grady ; Merton, of R. Morrison, Esq. ; East Hill, of Capt. Stubbs ; Bellevue, of Dr. Crotty, R. C. Bishop of Cloyne ; and Ballynoe House, of A. Hargreave, Esq. Besides these are many lodges and cottages ornee for the accommodation of visiters during the bathing season.

The island is divided into the Eastern and Western parishes, which together form the union of Clonmel, or Cove, in the diocese of Cloyne, and in the patronage of the Bishop. The Eastern parish, called also Templerobin, includes, in addition to the eastern part of Great Island, part of Foaty, and the whole of Hawl bowling, Spike, and Rocky islands (each of which is described under its own head) ; it is a rectory and vicarage, and the tithes amount to £323. The Western parish, called Clonmel, besides the western part of the island, includes the remaining portion of Foaty island ; it is a vicarage, and was anciently called Templelyra, from having belonged to the Knights Templars ; the entire tithes amount to £276 . 18. 5-, of which two-thirds are payable to the lessee of the economy estate of the cathedral of Cloyne, and one-third to the vicar: the tithes of the benefice amount to £415. 7. 8. A third parish was erected in 1762, by the Rev. Downes Conron, the incumbent. on a dispute between him and the Dean and Chapter of Cloyne relative to tithes ; but a compromise was effected and the incumbent has to pay £100 annually to the economy estate. There is no tradition of Kilgarvan as a parish, and it is mentioned only in one of the county records ; but 20 acres of arable land in Kilgarvan, with their tithes, &c., were granted by patent to Sir Richard Boyle, Knt., in 1605. The glebe-house is about to be rebuilt ; there is a glebe of 18 acres belonging to the incumbent, and one of 30 acres belonging to the economy estate. The church, which is in Cove, is a large and handsome edifice. In the R. C. divisions the island forms the district of Cove, and has a chapel in that town, and one at Funnah. There is also a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists. There are four public schools, in which about 380, and eleven private schools in which about 370, children are educated ; also a Sunday school, supported by the curates: most of them are in or near Cove. The most interesting relics of antiquity are the remains of Belvelly castle, built by one of the Hodnets, formerly a potent family, and of Templerobin and Clonmel churches ; within the walls of the latter are interred Tobin, the author of the "Honeymoon" and other dramatic productions ; and the Rev. C. Wolfe, who wrote the ballad" Not a drum was heard," on the death of Gen. Sir John Moore.