All Lewis entries for Kilfintinan

KILFENTINAN

KILFENTINAN, a parish, in the barony of BUNRATTY, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, contiguous to the post-town of Six-mile-bridge (of which it includes a small portion); containing 2856 inhabitants and comprising about 3600 acres, as rated for the county cess. It is situated on the northern shore of the river Shannon, and comprehends the two small inhabited islands of Grass and Graigue, containing respectively six and five plantation acres of rich pasture land. Near the latter is a rocky shoal called "the Scarlets," on which is a low tower erected as a guide to the navigation of the river. On the shores of this parish are some of the rich corcasses, which yield a succession of abundant crops without any manure. The land is mostly in tillage, and the state of agriculture has been latterly improved. A court for the manor of Bunratty is occasionally held at Cratloe, by Lord Egremont's seneschal, in which small debts are recoverable. Here is a station of the constabulary police. The seats are Cratloe Woods, the occasional residence of Stafford O'Brien, Esq.; and Ballintlen, of J. Kelly, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Limerick, and in the patronage of the Earl of Egremont, in whom the rectory is impropriate: the tithes amount to £267. 10., of which £197. 10. is payable to the impropriator, and £70 to the vicar. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church. The principal chapel is at Crathoe Cross, and there is another at Ballyliddane, near Six-mile-bridge. About 120 children are educated in four private schools, and application is about to be made to establish a school at Crathoe, under the National Board. The ruins of the castles of Cratloe, Cratloe Kail, and Ballintlea, still remain; also of the old church on Gallows hill, and of another at Crochan. Near the hatter is a very perfect druidical altar or cromlech.

SIX-MILE-BRIDGE

SIX-MILE-BRIDGE, a post-town, partly in the parish of KILFENTINAN, barony of BUNRATTY, but chiefly in that of KILFINAGHTY, barony of TULLA, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, 8 miles (N. W. by W.) from Limerick, and 101- (W. S. W.) from Dublin, on the old mail road from Limerick to Ennis ; containing 1491 inhabitants. This place is called in Irish Abhuinn 0' Gearna, from the river Gearna or Ougarnee, on which it is situated : it was formerly of some note, and had a chapel or vicarial house belonging to the Dominican friars of St. Saviour, Limerick, of which no vestige now exists. The town, which is irregularly built, in 1831 contained 229 houses : although advantageously situated on the river Ougarnee, which flows into the Shannon at Bunratty, and is navigable thence for boats to within half a mile of the town, it has been long declining ; its market, formerly held on Friday, is discontinued, and the market-house, once a handsome building, is now unroofed. A large mill, formerly used for grinding corn, and since used as a paper-mill, has lately been discontinued ; as have some mills below the town for several years. A fair held on Dec. 5th for store and fat cattle is much frequented by provision merchants from Cork and Limerick. General sessions are held here in June ; petty sessions occasionally on Tuesdays ; and a seneschal's court usually once in six weeks, for the recovery of small debts. A constabulary police force is stationed in the town. The sessions-house is a commodious building, attached to which is a small but well regulated bridewell. Here are the church of the union of Bunratty, and the principal R. C. chapel of the district. The former is an old edifice, of which the tower, being considered insecure, was taken down a few years since, and for rebuilding it and repairing the church the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have lately granted £542. Rn the R. C. divisions Six-mile-bridge gives name to the union or district, comprising the parishes of Kilmurrynegaul, Kilfinaghty, and Finogh, and containing the chapels of Six-mile-bridge and Kilmurry ; the former is a spacious modern building. The school-house near the chapel is a large building, erected by subscription about 10 years since ; the classics are taught in this school, which is under the superintendence of the parish priest. A dispensary for the poor is open three days in the week.