Tully / Coghlanstown

TULLY, or COGHLANSTOWN, a parish, partly in the barony of KILCULLEN, but chiefly in that of EAST-OPHALY, county of KILDARE, and province of LEINSTER, l½ mile (S.) from Kildare, on the road to Castle-Dermot; containing 1065 inhabitants. It comprises about 1600 statute acres, as rated for the county cess, and nearly 4800 acres of bog, adjoining the Curragh of Kildare. A fair is held on Dec. 21st, and there is a grist-mill within the limits of the parish. Tully House is the residence of Wm. Dunne, Esq. A commandery of Knights Hospitallers existed here from an early period, and was richly endowed; several chapters of the order were held here, and it continued to flourish until the Reformation.

It is now held with the bishoprick of Kildare, as part of the corps thereof: the possessions consist of upwards of 20 townships or places yielding tithes to the bishop, in some cases the whole, and in others two thirds: the tithes amount to £323. 17. 3. Under the provisions of the Church Temporalities act the proceeds of this parish will, on the next avoidance of the bishoprick, become vested in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. In the R. C. divisions it forms part of the union or district of Kildare and Rathangan. Some remains of the ancient religious house and its chapel still exist. General Sarsfield, who served under Jas. II., lived in this parish. On taking down the house, several spoons and curious bottles were found.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.