Castlemore / Ballymaging

CASTLEMORE, a parish, in the barony of Costello, county of Mayo, and province of Connaught, 2 miles (N. W.) from Ballaghadireen; containing 3094 inhabitants. This parish, which is situated on the new line of mail coach road from Ballaghadireen to Ballina, is four miles in length, and comprises 8342 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. About 27S0 acres are bog and waste land; and of the remainder, the greater portion is under tillage. The land is cold, and unproductive; the system of agriculture is very backward.

The principal seats are Castlemore, the residence of J. Plunkett, Esq.; and Brooklawn, of the Rt. Rev. Dr. M Nicholas, R. C. Bishop of Achonry. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Achonry, episcopally united to those of Kilcoleman and Kilmovee, forming the union of Castlemore, in the patronage of the Bishop; the rectory is impropriate in Lord Dillon. The tithes amount to £150, of which one-half is payable to the impropriator, and the remainder to the vicar; and the gross tithes of the benefice amount to £270. 4. 5.

The church of the union is at Ballaghadireen. There is a glebe-house: the glebe of the union comprises 20 acres. In the R. C. divisions this parish forms part of the union or district of Kilcoleman; the chapel is in the town of Ballaghadireen. There are two national schools, situated respectively at Brusna and Aughalustra, the former of which is endowed with four acres of land given by Lord Dillon: about 100 boys and 100 girls are instructed in these schools; and there is also a pay school, in which are about 50 boys and 30 girls.

Transcription from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.