CARLINGFORD

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

"CARLINGFORD, a parish and market town in the barony of Lower Dundalk, in the county of Louth, province of Leinster, Ireland, 9 miles to the N.E. of Dundalk, 10 miles S. of Newry, and 75 miles to the N. of Dublin. The parish, which is very extensive, comprising an area of near 20,000 acres, is situated in a hilly country on the S.W. shore of Carlingford Lough, and includes the villages of Rathcor and Whitetown. The climate and scenery are magnificent, which causes it to be resorted to in summer as a watering-place. The land lets from £2 to £3 per acre, and is most productive in oats, barley, and potatoes. A castle was erected on this spot early in the 13th century, probably by the De Courcys, around which the town gradually grew up, and became, from its position on the border of the pale, a place of some importance. A monastery of the Dominican order was founded here by Richard de Burgo about 1300. In the middle of the following century an Act was passed for establishing a mint in the town. In 1642 the town was partly burnt by the insurgents under Sir Phelim O'Nial, and it was again damaged in a similar manner by the followers of James II. in 1689. Carlingford was raised to the rank of a market town by Edward III. in 1358. It was recognised as a borough at a still earlier time, and before the Union returned two members to the Irish parliament. The town contains about 1,600 inhabitants, and seems neither to have increased nor diminished as to its original proportions. The corporation is virtually extinct. The inhabitants carry on a small coasting trade, and are employed in the fishery in the bay, which yields oysters of excellent quality. At present neither factories nor railways exist in the parish, but there are two railway bills this session before parliament; one to connect the point of Greenore with Dundalk, the other to connect Greenore with Newry; both are likely to be completed, as Greenore is the nearest point to Liverpool, and has fine anchorage in 60 feet of water close up to the land, with no obstructions. Large docks are projected, and it is thought this will become a first-rate depot for merchandise of all kinds. Limestone is abundant in the parish, and there are quarries near the town. Carlingford bay, or lough, is about 8 miles long and from 2 to 4 broad, and forms a fine and safe haven, though the entrance is obstructed by a bar, shoals, and sunken rocks. At its head is the mouth of the Newry river, up which the tide runs as far as Newry. There are several lighthouses and coastguard stations on the coast of the bay. Of the two lighthouses at the entrance of the lough, one is a fixed light built upon a rock in the sea at Cranfield Point, on the county of Down side, called the Bar Lighthouse, where signals are exhibited to signify the state of the tide, when vessels may safely cross the bar; the other is a revolving light at Greenore Point, on the mainland, in the county of Louth and parish of Carlingford. North of the bay are the Mourne mountains, and there is much striking and picturesque scenery along the coast. Carlingford Mountain rises to the height of 1,935 feet above the level of the sea, and being immediately W. of the town causes an early sunset. Carlingford has chief police and coastguard stations, and petty sessions are held fortnightly. There are three churches, one in the town and one at each end of the parish, ministered to by the vicar and two curates. There are four Roman Catholic chapels, and one very small Presbyterian meeting-house in the town; the congregation of this last has been nearly absorbed in the Protestant churches, but the minister receives £75 per annum from the Regium Donum fund. The primate is the rector, and presents to the vicarage. The rectorial tithes have been long alienated by a Primate Robinson, by Act of Parliament, for the endowment of the observatory at Armagh. The vicar's income is only £228 per annum, with a good glebe house and 8 acres of land, subject to a rent of £10 per annum. There are five National schools in the parish, under the control of the Roman priests, and four Scriptural schools under the care of the Protestant vicar. The ruins of the castle, usually called King John's Castle, stand close by the bay and by a very narrow pass between the mountain& and the sea. The walls are in some parts 11 feet thick. At the opposite end of the town are the picturesque remains of a monastery, now covered with ivy, and consisting chiefly of the walls and tower of the church. There are some other remains of ancient buildings. In the neighbourhood are several seats; the principal are, Nootka Lodge, The Grange, Monksland House; Castle-view, &c. Carlingford gives the title of viscount to the Earl of Tyrconnel. The Marquis of Anglesea formerly possessed the manor, with a property of about £5,000 per annum. This was all sold a few years since in the Encumbered Estates Court to different purchasers in various lots: Lord Claremont purchased the town lot, with the royalties and anchorage of the lough. The market is on Saturday. Fairs are held on the first Saturday of each month and on the 29th September."

"RATHCOR, a village in the parish of Carlingford, barony of Lower Dundalk, county Louth, province of Leinster, Ireland, 3½ miles S. of Carlingford, on Dundalk Bay."

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