FERMOY

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

"FERMOY, a parish, post and market town, in-the barony of Condons and Clongibbons, county Cork, province of Munster, Ireland. Fermoy railway is a branch line from Mallow, on the Dublin and Cork railway. The parish lies along the right bank of the river Blackwater, and is diversified by scenery of extreme beauty and luxuriance. The soil is generally of excellent quality.

The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Cloyne, value £97. The church, situated in the town, is a handsome building, erected in 1808, chiefly by means of a loan from the late Board of First Fruits, and lately enlarged. There is a memorial window in the chancel, put up by the late Lady Abercromby to her husband, the late Sir Robert Abercromby. The Roman Catholic chapel is a plain, large building. Here are Wesleyan and Presbyterian chapels, a Sunday and day schools. The town stands on the Blackwater, across which a new stone bridge is in course of erection, the old one being insufficient for the increased traffic. The road from Dublin to Cork through Clonmell passes through it. It is a chief military and police station. It has barrack room for 2,700 troops, court-house, two nunneries, two banks, two military hospitals, mills, brewery, and a collegiate school. General sessions are held twice a year, and petty sessions every fortnight. The Fermoy Poor-law Union has 22 electoral divisions in the county of Cork, with 29 guardians. The union workhouse is close to the town, but is in the parish of Clondulane. Here are a fever hospital and a dispensary. Fermoy was a mere cluster of huts scarcely deserving the name of a village as late as 1796, when the estate was purchased by J. Anderson, Esq., who used every exertion to convert it into a prosperous town. It was selected by the government as an eligible post for the military, and the extensive barracks which crown the neighbouring hill were built in 1801 and 1805. The property subsequently passed into the hands of Sir Robert Abercrombie. Numerous elegant seats are to be seen around the town. The site of the Cistercian abbey, alleged to have been founded in 1770 by the Roche family, was granted to Sir Richard Grenville by Queen Elizabeth. In 1690 the Irish, under James II., attacked the garrison. The Roche family take the title of baron from this place. Saturday is market day. Fairs are held every month."

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