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MARYBOROUGH
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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868
In 1868, the parish of Maryborough contained the following places:"MARYBOROUGH, a post and market town in the parish of Borris, in the barony of East Maryborough, Queen's County, province of Leinster, Ireland, 14 miles W. of Athy, and 50 W. of Dublin. It is a station on the Great Southern and Western railway. It is situated on a small affluent of the river Barrow, and on the Great Western road from Limerick. It is an ancient place, and the chief town of the county, consisting of one principal street, with a market-place, and several diverging thoroughfares. It contains the parish church, Roman Catholic chapel, Methodist chapel, convent, which maintains a large and excellent charity school, National school, court-house, bridewell, infantry barracks, district lunatic asylum, county gaol, dispensary, which is in the Mountmellick Poor-law Union, and two principal hotels, &c. The Leinster Express is published in the town once a week. Maryborough was formerly a borough, returning two members to the Irish parliament, and is yet an improving place, presenting a generally cheerful appearance. Its cotton trade has declined, but it enjoys a very fair share of miscellaneous traffic. It is an assize town and chief police station. This town was founded at the time Leix was constituted a shire, during the reign of Philip and Mary, and was named in honour of that sovereign Maryborough. In the vicinity are several corn-mills. The neighbouring residences are Shane Castle, and Rathleague, 2 miles distant, the seat of Lord Congleton. Some remains of the ancient castle, which was captured in 1641 and 1650, also ruins of the old church, exist. About 3 miles from the town is the Dun Mall, or Dunamare, a curious mass of rock, generally supposed to be the vestiges of an ancient and stupendous fortification. Thursday is market day. Fairs are held on let January, 24th February, 25th March, 12th May, 5th July, 4th September, 23rd October, and 4th December."
[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018