Foyran

FAVORAN, or FOYRAN, a parish, in the barony of DEMIFORE, county of WESTMEATH, and province of LEINSTER, 5 miles (N.) from Castle-Pollard; containing 1897 inhabitants. This parish, which is bounded on the north by Lough Sheelin, and on the west by the river Inny, which separates it from the county of Longford, contains 4187 statute acres, as rated for the county cess. The surface is mountainous towards the south; in other parts the soil is fertile, and principally tinder tillage, except in the lower situations towards the north, where there are large quantities of bog. Limestone abounds, but the state of agriculture is rather backward. The gentlemen's seats are Clare Island, the handsome residence of Capt. A. Walker, beautifully situated on the shore of Lough Sheelin; and Williamstown, of J. Lahy, Esq. Fairs are held at the village of Finae.

It is a curacy, in the diocese of Meath, forming part of the union of Rathgraff, or Castle-Pollard; the rectory is appropriate to the vicars choral of Christ- Church cathedral, Dublin: the tithes amount to £156. 1. 11., the whole payable to the vicars choral, who allow the curate a small stipend for discharging the clerical duties. Application has been made to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for aid in the erection of a church, and Lord Longford has guaranteed to advance the whole amount required by the Commissioners to be subscribed. In the R. C. divisions it is part of the union or district of Castle-Pollard, and has a chapel at Tullystown. About 180 children are educated in two private schools. There are the remains of an ancient church; at Togher are those of a castle; and near Finae is a breastwork, the vicinity of which was anciently the scene of several battles. See FINAE.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.