Clashmore

CLASHMORE, a post-town and parish, in the barony of DECIES-WITHIN-DRUM, county of Waterford and province of Munster, 12 miles (S. W.) from Dungarvan; containing 3772 inhabitants, of which number, 387 are in the town. Glaismhor abbey was founded here, according to Archdall, by Caunchear, at the command of St. Mochuda of Lismore, who died in the year 655; it subsisted till the general suppression, when its possessions were granted to Sir Walter Raleigh. The town is situated on the mail coach road from Waterford through Youghal to Cork (to each of which a sub-post-office has been lately established), and near the navigable river Blackwater, from which a navigable pill runs up within half a mile of the town, and in its course receives the waters of the Greague rivulet; it is navigable for lighters of 20 tons' burden, and might be greatly improved at a trifling expense. Over the river Blackwater is a handsome and very long wooden bridge, which leads towards Youghal, The total number of houses, in 1831, was 50. A distillery is carried on, producing nearly 20,000 gallons of whiskey annually; and there is a large boulting-mill. Fairs are held on Feb. 8th, May 20th, Aug. 20th, and Dec. 16th. A constabulary police force is stationed here; and petty sessions are held every alternate week.

The small village of Ballinamultiua, in this parish, is about half a mile to the north-east of the town, on the road to Dungarvan, and contains the handsome residence of F. Kennedy, Esq. The parish is bounded on the west by the river Blackwater, and comprises 7068 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act; the lands near the river are fertile, but towards the east are mountainous and of inferior quality. About one-half of the parish is under tillage, and the remainder in pasture. Clashmore House, the seat of R. Power, Esq., is pleasantly situated in a fine demesne, near the confluence of the Greague stream with the Blackwater; the grounds are embellished with some remarkably fine trees; and near the mansion is a well of excellent water, called St Mochuda's well.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Lismore, partly impropriate in the Duke of Devonshire, and partly constituting the corps of the prebend of Clashmore in the cathedral of Lismore, to which the vicarage, with cure of souls, is united, and in the patronage of the Archbishop of Cashel. The tithes amount to £705. 2. 8., of which £382. 16. 8. is payable to the impropriator, and £222. 6. to the prebendary. The church is a neat modern edifice with a spire. The glebe-house, the residence of the prehendary, is pleasantly situated; the glebe comprises 10 acres, subject to a rent of £3 per acre. In the R. C. divisions this parish is the head of a union or district, including also the parish of Kinsalebeg, in each of which is a chapel; that of Clashmore is a neat and commodious edifice, recently erected. A school-house was built by the Kildare- Place Society, but it is not now used as such.  There are two pay schools, in which are about 220 children, and a dispensary.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.