Aghancon

AGHANCON, a parish, chiefly in the barony of BALLYBRIT, KING'S county, and province of LEINSTER, but partly in the barony of CLONLISK, 3½ miles (N.) from Roscrea, on the road from Parsonstown to Mountrath; containing 1378 inhabitants. It comprises 3000 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act: the land is mostly poor, and the state of agriculture is not much improved 5 there is some bog, and gritstone used for building is found. The principal seats are Leap Castle, the residence of H. Darby, Esq.; and Summer Hill, of F. Freeman, Esq.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Killaloe, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £150. The church is a neat edifice in good repair: it was built in 1786, at the joint expense of Dr. Pery, then Bishop of Limerick, and Jonathan Darby, Esq., with the aid of a gift of £390 from the late Board of First Fruits. The glebe-house was built by the late incumbent, and has been much improved and enlarged at the expense of the Rev. R. M. Kennedy, the present incumbent; the glebe comprises 15 acres. The parochial school, in which 22 boys and 17 girls are at present taught, is supported by Mr. Darby; the school-house is a good slated building near the church. There are also two private pay schools, in which are about 50 boys and 30 girls.

The ruins of Ballybrit castle yet exist; and on the townland of Garryhill is a mineral spring.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.