Tullaghorton

TULLAGHORTON, a parish, in the barony of IFFA and OFFA-WEST, county of TIPPERARY, and province of MUNSTER, on the mail coach road from Clonmel to Cork, and on the river Tar; containing, with part of the post-town of Clogheen, 1965 inhabitants. This parish contains 2905 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, mostly under tillage. Here is abundance of limestone, used for manure and building; and peat is cut on the mountain, much of which is reclaimable. A silver mine was worked for a short time, about 40 years since, on the townland of Castle-Grace, but it was discontinued, though the ore was considered valuable. An extensive flour-mill, employing from 30 to 40 persons, the erection of which is supposed to have cost POUNDS 6000, has lately been built at Castle-Grace by Sam. Grubb, Esq., of Clogheen. A manorial court is held in the parish by the seneschal of the Earl of GlengalL lord of the manor. Parson's Green was the residence of the late Rev. Dr. Tuckey; and Ballyboy is that of R. Croker, Esq. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Lismore; the rectory forms the corps of the prebend of Lismore, with which the vicarage is held, and is in the patronage of the Bishop. The tithes amount to POUNDS 358. 9. 3.; the glebe, close to the site of the old church, comprises 3r. 6p., and is annexed to the vicarage. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Ballylooby, or Whitechurch, and contains a chapel. There are two private schools, in which about 190 children are taught. Here is a holy well, to which pilgrims resort once a year. The ruins of a castle, denominated Castle-Grace, consist at present of two towers on the east side, comprising an area of about 40 yards square -, it was erected as a strong position to check the inroads of the Desmonds by Raymond le Gros, who came over with Strongbow, and received a grant of this property, with other possessions, from King John: it passed to the Butler family, and is now the property of the Earl of GlengalL At Ballyboy are slight remains, indicating that it was once of considerable strength, of another old castle formerly belonging to the Desmonds.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.