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Finvoy

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Finvoy is a civil parish, and also a hamlet in Knockans townland within the civil parish.
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FINVOY, a parish, in the barony of KILCONWAY, county of ANTRIM, and province of ULSTER, 5 miles (S, W.) from Ballymoney, on the road from Ballymoney to Kilrea; containing 6093 inhabitants. This parish, which is bounded on the west by the river Bann, and on the east by the Mainwater, comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 16,474¼ statute acres, of which about one-third is bog and barren heath, and the remainder, with the exception of about 90 acres in the river Bann and a small lough of about 5 acres, is good land; about 3187 acres are applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £2281 per ann. The surface is varied: the parish is divided into three portions by two bogs which intersect it, and parallel with which are two mountainous ridges, one called the Craigs, and the other Killymorris.

The system of agriculture has, within the last few years, been greatly improved; there are some quarries of basalt, which is raised for building and for mending the roads and coal and iron stone are supposed to exist in several parts, but neither has yet been worked. Bricks are manufactured, for which there is plenty of clay along the banks of the Bann. The principal gentlemen's seats are Moore Lodge, that of G. Moore, Esq.; and Cullytrummin, of Sampson Moore, Esq.

In the small village of Dunloy there is a good inn. Fairs are held there on the 15th of Feb., May, Aug., and Nov.; and it is a constabulary police station. In its immediate vicinity is the hill of Dunloy, which, according to the Ordnance survey, has an elevation of 707 feet above the level of the sea at low water. The river Bann is not navigable up to this parish, the approach being obstructed by the falls of Portna. The living is a rectory and perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Connor; the rectory forms part of' the union and corps of the prebend of Rasharkin, in the cathedral of Connor; the perpetual curacy, which was instituted in 1808, is in the patronage of the Prebendary. The tithes amount to £450, of which £300 is payable to the rector, and £150 to the perpetual curate. There is neither glebehouse nor glebe. The present church was erected on the site of the original structure, by aid of a gift of £200 and a loan of £400 from the late Board of First Fruits, in 1810; and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have lately granted £129 for its repair. In the R. C. divisions the parish is united to that of Rasharkin; the chapel is situated at Killymorris. There is a place of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster, of the second class. About 380 children are taught in four public schools, of which the parochial school was founded in 1822; and there are four private schools, in which are about 200 children, and eight Sunday schools. There are several forts, artificial caverns, and druidical remains in various parts of the parish; among the latter is a cromlech of hard black stone, between the upright pillars of which is an entrance to a chamber underneath, which communicates with two other chambers, the whole within a circle of 45 feet in diameter. This interesting relic is situated beyond the summit of the Craig; and at the distance of a furlong from it is a square fort, enclosing an area of 9000 square feet, surrounded with a deep trench.

Within 300 yards of the fort are three erect tapering pillars, supposed to be monumental memorials of certain chiefs slain and buried on the spot. The view from the Craig rocks embraces that side of Lough Neagh which is towards the river Bann, and the mountains of Derry in the distance. At Lischeahan is a mineral spring, the water of which has the taste and smell of gunpowder.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.

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Description & Travel

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Gazetteers

The transcription of the section for this parish from the National Gazetteer (1868), provided by Colin Hinson.

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Maps

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