Portglenone

PORTGLENONE, a market-town and post-town, and district parish, in the barony of LOWER-TOOME, county of ANTRIM, and province of ULSTER, 32¾ miles (N. W.) from Belfast, and 104 (N.) from Dublin, on the road from Ballymena to Castle-Dawson; containing 6860 inhabitants, of which number, 773 are in the town. This place is situated on the river Bann, which is navigable to Lough Neagh; the fords, which are now superseded by a bridge, were regarded as one of the most important passes between the counties of Antrim and Londonderry, on the confines of which it is situated. The town consists principally of one long street, and contains 148 houses, of which several are neatly built; the inhabitants carry on a small trade on the river by lighters, which bring up timber and slates, and at the bridge there is a considerable eel fishery; the weaving of linen is also carried on in the town and neighbourhood, and large quantities are exposed for sale in the linen market, which is held on the first Friday in every month. Fairs, chiefly for cattle and pigs, are held on the first Tuesday in every month. A constabulary police force is stationed here; petty sessions are held on alternate Wednesdays; and the manorial court of Cashel is held monthly, for the recovery of debts not exceeding £5 late currency.

The parish was instituted in 1825, by separating 21 townlands from the parish of Ahoghill, with which its acreable extent is returned in the Ordnance survey; that part which is on the Londonderry side of the Bann is called Glenone; on the other, Portglenone. Portglenone House, the residence of the Rev. Archdeacon Alexander, occupiesthe site of an ancient castle of the O'Nials; and Mount Davies, the present residence of Alex. Mc Manus, Esq., was originally built by Col. Davies, about the year 1700, and rebuilt in 1758 by the late Alex.

McManus, Esq. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Connor, and in the patronage of the Incumbent of Ahoghill; the curate's stipend is £92. 6. 7½., of which £69. 4. 7½. is payable by the Incumbent of Ahoghill, and £23. 2. from the augmentation funds in the hands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The church, a neat plain edifice, was built as a chapel of ease to the mother church of Ahoghill, prior to 1739, by the late Bishop Hutchinson, who was interred under the chancel. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union of Ahoghill: the chapel is situated at Aughnahoy, about a mile from the town. There are places of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster, of the third class, and with the Seceding Synod, of the second class, and for Wesleyan Methodists. About 600 children are taught in ten public schools, of which one is supported by the trustees of Erasmus Smith's charity, who pay the master £32 per ann.; seven are under the London Hibernian Society, and two under the National Board. There are also three private schools, in which are about 70 children; and eight Sunday schools PORTLAW, a post-town, partly in the parish of CLONEGAM, and partly in that of GUILCAGH, barony of UPPERTHIRD, county of WATERFORD, and province of MUNSTER, 9 miles (W.) from Waterford (to which it has a sub-post-office), and 83¾ (S. W.) from Dublin; containing, in 1837, 3250 inhabitants. This place, which is situated on the small river Clodagh, is altogether of modern origin; within the last 10 or 12 years there was scarcely a cabin to be seen on that spot which is now the site of a handsome and flourishing town. It is solely indebted for its growth and prosperity to the residence of Messrs. Malcolmson and sons, who introduced the cotton manufacture, and erected buildings for carrying it on upon a very extensive scale. The town is situated on the confines of Curraghmore Park, the princely seat of the Marquess of Waterford, from which it is separated only by the Clodagh, a deep and rapid stream, on the margin of which the mills are erected: the total number of houses is 465, of which many are handsome and well built, and the remainder neat cottages roofed with slate. The manufactory is a very spacious and lofty building, with a flat roof, on which is a reservoir for water, 260 feet in length and 40 feet in breadth; it is fitted up with the most improved machinery, propelled by three large water-wheels, and three steamengines, the united power of which is estimated at more than that of 300 horses. These extensive works afford constant employment to considerably more than 1000 persons; the amount of capital expended weekly is not less than £600. Connected with them are numerous trades to which they furnish employment; and in all the various departments upon which they have an influence, it is calculated that more than 4000 persons are procuring a comfortable subsistence. The cottons, when manufactured, are bleached on the premises, and are chiefly sold in the home markets, though large quantities are sometimes sent to America. The health, education, and morals of this newly created colony have been strictly attended to by its patrons; a dispensary for the benefit of the working people has been established under the care of a resident surgeon within the walls of the concern; a school, in which from 80 to 100 children are educated, has also been established there; and the formation of a temperance society has been so successful that its members are nearly 500 in number: meetings of the society are held once every fortnight in a spacious apartment fitted up for its accommodation. The fairs of Clonegam are now held here on Easter-Monday, May 28th, and Aug. 26th; there is a constabulary police station, and petty sessions are held generally once a month. There is also a R. C. chapel.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.