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CASTLEMARTYR

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

In 1868, the parish of Castlemartyr contained the following places:

"CASTLEMARTYR, a parish and village in the barony of Imokilly, in the county of Cork, province of Munster, Ireland, 18 miles to the E. of Cork. The Cork, Youghal, and Queenstown direct line has a station at Mogeely, about a mile from the village. It is seated near the sea-coast, and was anciently a place of some importance. It had a castle which belonged to the Geraldines, and was called the Castle of Imokilly. After being rebuilt it was garrisoned by the English, and was called in the 16th century the Castle of Ballymartyr. It was the scene of several sieges, and has been in ruins since the end of the 17th century. Castlemartyr was formerly a borough, incorporated by charter of Charles II., and returned two members to the Irish parliament. It was disfranchised at the union. The privilege of a market was granted to the town, but it is disused. The village consists chiefly of one broad street, and contains some pleasant and well-built houses. There are a market-house, a police station, and a dispensary. The church of Ballyoughtera is in the village. The living is a union, in the patronage of the Bishop of Cloyne, comprising Ballyoughtera rectory and vicarage and Mogeely vicarage, forming together the corps of Caherultan prebend in the cathedral church of Cloyne. There are a parochial school, another under the National Board of Education, and an embroidery school, under the patronage of the Countess of Shannon. Next the village is Castlemartyr, the fine seat of the Earl of Shannon, the approach to which is by a magnificent avenue of elms, a mile long. The demesne is of great extent, and contains several lakes, or rather an extensive canal, the ruins of the ancient castle, now overgrown with ivy, and the ruins of two old churches. The hall was built by the Right Hon. Henry Boyle, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons. The Earl of Shannon takes the title of baron from this place. There are many other pleasant seats in the neighbourhood. Fairs are held on the 2nd May, the 19th July, the 2nd October, and the 19th December."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018