KILBARRON

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

"KILBARRON, a parish in the barony of Tirhugh, county Donegal, province of Ulster, Ireland, containing the greater part of Ballyshannon, its post town. The parish is over 6 miles long by 3 broad. The surface lies along the margin of the river Erne, and is traversed by the road from Enniskillen to Ballyshannon. It consists of good soil, with some mountain and waste land. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Raphoe, value £407. The church was built in 1745, and serves as a landmark to vessels making for the harbour. There are two Methodist meeting-houses, a Presbyterian church, and a Roman Catholic chapel, united to that of Castle Ard. There are seven Sunday and several daily schools in the parish. Laputa and Camlin may be mentioned among numerous seats. This parish was the site of a church founded by St. Columb. It was a seat of the O'Clerys, remains of whose castle may yet be seen. Sand, whinstone, and coal occur in this parish. The river Abbey abounds with fish. Seals, dog-fish, and sometimes whales visit the coat. Numerous Danish raths are observed."

"BALLYSHANNON, a market town and seaport in the parishes of Kilbarron and Inishmacsaint and barony of Tirhugh, in the county of Donegal, province of Ulster, Ireland, 11 miles to the S. of Donegal, and 129 miles from Dublin. It is seated at the mouth of the river Erne, which enters Donegal Bay, and is crossed by a bridge of fourteen arches uniting the two parts of the town. The O'Donnells had a fortress here at an early period, which was besieged but not taken by the English in 1597. The Earl of Clanricarde took the castle in 1652. James I. granted the town a charter of incorporation and the elective franchise, and it returned two members to the IRish parliament till the Union. Owing to its position, the town has a thriving trade, exporting grain and salmon, and importing timber, coal, iron, salt, &c. The river is rich in salmon, and the neighbouring country in minerals. A fall of 16 feet suddenly stops the navigation of the river below the bridge. The port is subordinate to Sligo. There is a large distillery and a brewery. The town contains, according to the census of 1861, 668 inhabited houses, with a population of 3,183, of whom only 486 belong to the Established Church, 2,565 are Roman Catholics, 80 Presbyterians, and 52 of other denominations; thus showing that more than four-fifths of the inhabitants are attached to the Roman Catholic Church. The town has a market and court-house, custom-house, and dispensary. It is a chief police station, and petty sessions are held fortnightly. The places of worship are the parish church of Kilbarron which stands on a hill near the town, and chapels for the Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, and Wesleyans. Ballyshannon is the seat of a Poor-law Union, and the Union house is in the town. Here are also small barracks. A weekly newspaper, called the Ballyshannon Herald, is published here. Tuesday and Saturday are the market days. Fairs are held monthly throughout the year."

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