All Lewis entries for Lurgan

BALLYJAMESDUFF

BALLYJAMESDUFF, a market and post-town, and a district parish, in the barony of CASTLERAHAN, county of CAVAN, and province of ULSTER, 8- miles (S. E.) from Cavan, and 44- miles (N. W. by W.) from Dublin; containing 3227 inhabitants, of which number, 863 are in the town. The town is situated on the old mail coach road from Virginia to Cavan, and consists of five streets, containing together 150 houses. The market is on Tuesday, and is amply supplied; and fairs are held on Feb. 4th, March 8th, April 16th, May 7th, June 10th, July 17th, Aug. 15th, Sept. 2nd, Oct. 26th, Nov. 29th, and Dec. 23rd. Here is a constabulary police station, and petty sessions are held. The parish was created in 1831, by disuniting nine townlands from the parish of Castleraghan five from that of Denn, two from Lurgan, and four from the parish of Kildrumferton. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Kilmore, and in the patronage of the several Incumbents of the above parishes, who present in rotation: the stipend of the perpetual curate is £80 per annum, towards which £30 is contributed by the incumbent of Castleraghan, £20 by the incumbent of Kildrumferton, and £15 each by the incumbents of Denn and Lurgan. The church is a plain edifice, erected in 1834 by aid of a grant of £900 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and subscriptions amounting to £200. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Castleraghan and Munterconnaught; the chapel is a spacious building. There is a place of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster, and of the third class; also two for Wesleyan Methodists. A school at Remonan is supported by Lord Farnham, and another at Ballyjamesduff is aided by private subscriptions: about 140 boys and 150 girls are instructed in these schools; and there are three pay schools, situated respectively at Rawson, Lackenmore, and Lackenduff, in which are about 180 boys and 90 girls.

LURGAN

LURGAN, a parish, in the barony of CASTLERAHAN, county of CAVAN, and province of ULSTER, on the road from Kells to Cavan ; containing, with the post-town of Virginia (which is separately described), 6387 inhabitants. It comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 11,327- statute acres, including 922- acres of water, of which the greater portion is in Lough Ramor ; 8423 acres are applotted under the tithe act, and there is a large portion of bog and moor. In 1831, two townlands were separated from this parish to form part of the district parish, or perpetual cure, of Ballyjamesduff. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Kilmore, united by act of council to the rectory and vicarage of Munterconnaught, together constituting the union of Lurgan, in the patronage of the Bishop. The tithes amount to £233. 9., and the gross tithes of the benefice to £381. 9. : the glebe of the union, which comprises 999- acres, is valued at £694. 2. 6. per annum. The glebe-house, situated about two miles from the church, was erected about 1814, at an expense of £3276. 18. 5-., of which £1384. 12. 3-. was granted as a loan, and £92. 6. 1-. as a gift from the late Board of First Fruits. The church, in the town of Virginia, was erected in 1821, at a cost of £2492. 6. 1-., of which £1846. 3. 1. was a loan from the same Board, and the remainder was contributed by The parishioners ; having been accidentally burnt in the winter of 1830, it was repaired by subscriptions amounting to £900, contributed chiefly by the bishop and the parishioners. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms the head of a union or district, comprising also part of the parish of Loghan, in the diocese and county of Meath, and containing the chapels of Lurgan and Maghera. In the national schools at Whitegate, Caponagh, and Lattoon, and a school aided by subscriptions, about 360 children are educated ; and there are four private schools, containing about 290 children.

VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA, a market and post-town, in the parish of LURGAN, county of CAVAN, and province of ULSTER, l4- miles (S. E.) from Cavan, and 40- (N. W.) from Dublin ; containing 930 inhabitants. It was founded in pursuance of the plan for colonising Ulster in the reign of Jas. I., when 250 acres were allotted for the site of a town to be erected between Cavan and Kells, and called Virginia, which was to have been made a borough, but has never been incorporated. The patent was originally granted to Capt. Ridgway, but was assigned to Capt. Culme, who, in 1719, had a house and large bawn in a strong situation, and there were at that time in the town eight houses built of timber and occupied by English tenants and a minister, who kept a good school. Capt. Culme also held the lands of Lough Ramor, or the manor of Chichester, comprising 1000 acres. The town, which is pleasantly situated on Lough Ramor, consists of about 130 houses and, within the last few years, has been greatly improved by its noble proprietor, the Marquess of Headfort. The market is on Thursday, and fairs are held on Jan. 24th, March 7th, April 2nd, May 11th, July 9th, Aug. 22nd, Sept. 23rd, Nov. 21st, and Dec. 20th. Here is an extensive malting and brewing establishment, and a constabulary police station ; petty sessions are held once a fortnight, and a manorial court monthly, for the recovery of debts under 40s. The parochial church, situated in the town, is a new and handsome structure in the Gothic style, with a fine spire surmounted by a gilt cross. A church was built here by a loan of £2000 from the late Board of First Fruits in 1818, but soon after its completion a storm blew down the steeple. which falling on the roof completely destroyed it ; and on Christmas night, 1832, the church by which it was replaced was entirely consumed by an accidental fire. Adjoining the town, and on the north side of the lake, is Virginia Park, a cottage residence of the Marquess of Headfort. The scenery of this park is extremely diversified, and its walks and drives very beautiful : the plantations are a highly ornamental feature in the landscape. Lough Ramor contains several small islands, which have recently been planted by his lordship, who has established an annual boat race on the lough and gives as a prize a cup of the value of 30 guineas. Many curiously shaped brazen pots, supposed to be Danish, were discovered in the lake a few years since, some of which are in the possession of the Marquess at Headfort House, near Kells.