Castleconor

CASTLE-CONNOR, a parish, in the barony of TYRERAGH, county of SLIGO, and province of CONNAUGHT, 4 miles (N. by E.) from Ballina; containing 4507 inhabitants.

This place derives its name from an ancient castle, of which the ruins are still visible; and is situated on the river Moy and on the road from Ballina to Sligo. The parish comprises 16,223 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act; the greater portion is under an improving system of tillage, and there are some large stock farms; there is a considerable extent of bog, and abundance of limestone is quarried for agricultural and other purposes. The principal seats are Moyview, that of the Hon. Col. Wingfield; Cottlestown, of S. Kirkwood, Esq.; Knockroe House, of G. Ruttledge, Esq.; Seaville, of P. I. Howly, Esq.; and Kinnaird, of J. Paget, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Killala, united by act of council, in 1806, to the vicarage of Kilglass; the rectory, formerly appropriate to the see, is now sequestrated in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The tithes amount to £476. 6. 1., one-half of which is payable to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and the other to the vicar.

The church was built by aid of a gift of £900 from the late Board of First Fruits, in 1818. The glebe-house was built in 1820, by aid of a gift of £100 and a loan of £675 from the same Board: the glebe of the union comprises 50 acres. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church; the chapel is at Castletown. A school is supported at Doorneen; and there are three pay schools, in which are about 240 children. Here is also a dispensary. There are some remains of the old castle on the bank of the Moy, and of the old church of Kilvanley with a burial-ground.

There are also some Danish raths.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.