| SCARIFF, a post-town, in the parish of TOMGRANEY, barony of TULLA, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, 8 miles (N. W. by N.) from Killaloe, and 94? (W. by S.) from Dublin, on the road from Killaloe to Williamstown and Portumna ; containing 761 inhabitants. It is situated on the river Scariff, which flows into the picturesque bay of the same name, opening into Lough Derg on the Shannon, and might be easily made navigable from the bay to Lough Grady, about a mile above the town : the river is here crossed by a bridge of three arches. This is a pleasing little town, occupying an ascent from the river, and consisting chiefly of one main street : in 1831 it contained 120 houses, some of which are neatly built. An excellent new and level road, which has been lately constructed between Killaloe and Williamstown, chiefly along the shores of Lough Derg, passes through the town. Here are extensive oil and flour-mills, and a considerable number of coarse hats are manufactured in the immediate vicinity. Fairs are held monthly. A smelting furnace for iron was formerly in full work here. In the R. C. divisions it gives name to a union or district, comprising the north-eastern part of the parish of Tomgraney, and the entire parish of Moynoe, and containing the chapels of Scariff and Knock O'Grady. During the disturbances, in 1831, an encampment was formed on Shene hill, in the vicinity, which was occupied for two months by a party of the military. |
| TOMGRANEY, or TOMGRENEI, a parish, in the barony of TULLA, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER ; containing, with the post-town of Scariff, and the village of Tomgraney, 5568 inhabitants, of which number, 400 are in the village. An abbey was founded here in the earliest age of Christianity in Ireland, and flourished for many centuries: in 886 and 994 it was plundered. The church and steeple were rebuilt in 964 by the venerable Cormac O'Killeen, abbot of this house as well as that of Roscommon, and both abbot and bishop of Clonmacnois. In 1027 the steeple is said to have been again rebuilt by the great Brien Boroimhe, but in 1084 the abbey was reduced to ashes by O'Rourke of Breffny, who was, however, overtaken and slain by the men of this county. In 1164 it was again destroyed, and after being rebuilt was plundered about the year 1170. The only ancient ecclesiastical building now existing is the parish church, which is in the Norman style of architecture. The parish is situated on the river and bay of Scariff, opening into Lough Derg on the Shannon, and on the new line of road from Killaloe to Portumna, constructed chiefly along the shores of the lough. It comprises 7779 statute acres ; the land is in general excellent, and the soil in the vicinity of Scariff consists of limestone shale ; limestone and granite abound, and there is a considerable portion of reclaimable bog: the state of agriculture has been much improved. Great facility of communication with Dublin and Limerick is afforded by the vessels of the Inland Steam Navigation Company, which ply daily between those places. Fairs are held at the village on March 17th, May 17th, June 2nd, and Oct. 10th ; and petty sessions on alternate Fridays: a court for the manor of Raheens is also held there once a fortnight. The seats are Raheens, that of the Rev. Thos. B. Brady, abounding with fine timber and well stocked with deer ; Drewsborough House, of Fras. Drew, Esq. ; Ballyvannon House, of Lord Dunboyne ; and Shannon View, of M. Reddan, Esq. ; all commanding most interesting views of Lough Derg and the surrounding scenery. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Killaloe, held from time immemorial with one-third part of the rectory of Kilballyhone, together constituting the corps of the prebend of Tomgraney, in the patronage of the Rev. Thos. B. Brady, the present incumbent. The tithes amount to £415.7. 8-., and, including the portion of Kilballyhone, to £498. 9. 3, The glebe comprises 11a. 2r. 23p.; the glebe-house was built in 1814, when the late Board of First Fruits gave £100 and lent £1500 for its erection. The ancient church, a small building without a tower, has been lately repaired and improved, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners having granted £124 for that purpose. In the R. C. divisions the south-western portion of the parish forms the head of the district of Tomgraney, which also includes the parish of Kilnoe ; and the north-eastern portion forms the head of the district of Scariff, which also comprises the parish of Moynoe. In the former district are the chapels of Tomgraney and Bodike, and in the latter, those of Scariff and Knock-O'Grady: the chapel of Bodike is in the parish of Kilnoe, and the three others are in this parish. About 90 children are educated in two private schools. At Tomgraney are the remains of an old castle, and nearly in the centre of the village rises a singularly shaped rock. Leadore exists in the vicinity, but it has not been worked ; and at Ballymalone is a chalybeate spring. |
