KILLARE

"KILLARE, a parish in the barony of Rathconrath, county Westmeath, province of Leinster, Ireland, containing part of the town of Ballymore, its post town. The parish is 5 miles long by 3 broad, and includes part of Lough Sunderlin. The roads from Mullingar to Athlone, and fron Longford to Kilbeggan, pass through the parish. The living is an impropriate curacy in the diocese of Meath joined to Ballymore, in the patronage of the crown. The Roman Catholic chapel is united to that of Ballymore. There are four day-schools. Killare House is the principal residence. This parish is supposed to be the Laberus of Ptolemy, and near this spot is the ancient hill of Usenach. There are some church ruins, said to be those of a monastery founded in the 6th century, and dedicated to SS. Aidan and Brigid. There are likewise vestiges of a castle erected by Sir Hugh de Lacy in 1181, and subsequently possessed by the Geoghegans and Shaens."

"KILLARE, a parish; in the barony of RATHCONRATH, county of [West]MEATH, and province of LEINSTER, on the road from Mullingar to Athlone; containing, with part of the post-town of Ballymore, 3849 inhabitants. This place is supposed by Camden to have been the Laberus of Ptolemy, and is distinguished by a lofty and isolated hill, which bounds it on the north-west, called Knock- Usneach, and said to have been celebrated for the ancient provincial assemblies of the native Irish. A religious house was founded here at a very early period, and subsequently became the head of a small see, of which St. Aid is said to have been bishop in 588; of this establishment, and also of a castle founded by the family of the Geoghegans, there are still some slight remains. The parish comprises 6950 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act; the land is principally under tillage; the system of agriculture is improving, and there is a small portion of bog. The principal seat is Mosstown, the handsome residence of Theobald Featherston-H, Esq. Fairs and petty sessions are held at Ballymore. It is an impropriate curacy, in the diocese of Meath, annexed to the perpetual curacy of Ballymore, or St. Owen's of Loughseudy. The rectory is impropriate in Mrs. F. C. Reade: the tithes amount to £260. There is neither church, glebe-house, nor glebe. In the R. C. divisions it is also part of the union or district of Ballymore. There are four private schools, in which about 170 children are taught. In the village, which consists only of a few cabins, are the ruins of the old parish church, with a burial-ground; and opposite to it is a remarkably high mound, at the base of which is another ruin of very great antiquity, with a well dedicated to St. Bridget. In the centre of the parish is Clare Hill, on the summit of which are the remains of a castle and fortifications, said to have belonged to the family of De Lacy. Near Mosstown are the remains of the ancient castle of Killenbrack; and within that demesne, on a small mound, is a burial-place of the Judge family, of King's county."

"UPPER CLONARALYNAGH, (and Lower Clonaralynagh) two hamlets in the parish of Killare, barony of Rathcornath, in the county of Westmeath, province of Leinster, Ireland, 2 miles from Ballymore."

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