Clongeen

CLONGEEN, a parish, in the barony of SHELMALIER, county of WEXFORD, and province of LEINSTER, 4½ miles (S. W. by W.) from Taghmon; containing 1716 inhabitants. It is situated on the road from New Ross to Bannow, and comprises 5343 statute acres, chiefly under tillage; the system of agriculture is slowly im proving. Long Grage, the handsome residence of Cæsar Sutton, Esq., was the scene of a sharp action during the disturbances of 1798, which took place on the 20th of June between the insurgents and the forces under General (afterwards the celebrated Sir John) Moore, who fell at Corunna, and who on the preceding day had taken up a position in the demesne, in order to inter cept their retreat from Vinegar Hill by way of Clonmines.  Fairs are held at Rathgorey on Holy Thursday and Oct. 28th.

The living is an impropriate curacy, in the diocese of Ferns, and in the patronage of Francis Leigh, Esq., in whom the tithes, amounting to £200, are impropriate, and who contributes towards the per formance of the clerical duties of Clongeen and Kilcowanmore, both of which are at present annexed to the impropriate union of Tintern. There are no remains of the church. In the R. C. divisions this parish forms part of the union or district of Tintern: the chapel, situated in the village, is a neat building, with a house for the priest adjoining. A school for the children of Roman Catholics is supported by subscription; and there are two hedge schools in the parish. There is a dispensary in the village. A house called Abbey Braney, the property of Mr. Cliffe, of Bellevue, is said to occupy the site of a religious establishment, of which there are no particulars on record.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.