CHAPTER I.

 Making a total of 135,733 acres in the whole county, or about 346 English square miles. The baronies are further divided into parishes (all in the diocese of Leighlin), of which the civil distribution is as follows :

Observations. — The ecclesiastical parish of Ballycrogue appears to be only a townland in Ballynacarrig parish, forming part of the union of Staplestown. Kernanstown, for baronial purposes, is considered a separate parish; but according to the ecclesiastical divisions, it appertains to Carlow parish, excepting the bog of Kernanstown, which belongs to Urglin parish. The remainder of Painstown parish is in the barony of Kilkea and Moone, county Kildare. The town of Carlow is in the parish of that name.

The ecclesiastical parish of Aghade is only now known to exist as a townland in Ardristin parish, which is in Rathvilly barony, but for civil purposes is considered to be in Killerig parish. — The remainder of Clody alias Cloydah parish is in the barony of Idrone West. Thuroagurna is called in the ecclesiastical returns, Tullowmaghymah.

Observations. — The remainder of Barragh parish is in the Barony of Saint Mullins. A part of Newtownbarry, formerly called Bunclody village, is in Barragh parish. The remainder of the village is in Newtownbarry parish, in the county of Wexford. — The village of Myshall is in the parish of that name. Three town- lands of this parish are in the barony of Idrone East, and are included in Fenagh parish. The village of Ballon is in the parish of that name. The parish of Pubbledrum, according to the ecclesiastical arrangements, is considered as belonging to the parish of Barragh. Bendenstown is called in the ecclesiastical returns Gilbertstown.

III. IDRONE EAST BARONY

Observations. — A part of the town of Bagenalstown is in Dunleckny parish. The remainder of Ballyellen parish is in Saint Mullens barony. The remainder of Fenagh parish is in the half barony of Shillelagh, county of Wicklow.

Observations. — The town of Rathvilly is in the parish of that same. The townland of Ladytown, though surrounded by this parish, belongs to the parish of Baltinglass, in the barony of Upper Talbotstown and county of Wicklow. The ecclesiastical parish of Straboe appears only to be a townland in Rathmore parish, according to the civil divisions of the county. Tankardstown and Tullowphelim parish appear to constitute the ecclesiastical parish of Tullow. The town of Tullow is in the parish of Tullowphelim. The town of Hacketstown is in the parish of that name; the remainder of the parish is in the barony of Ballynacor and county of Wicklow. The townland of Ballyshane in Clonmore parish, is, according to the ecclesiastical divisions, considered to belong to Crycum parish, in the county of Wicklow. In Haroldstown is the village of Coolmanagh.

Benkery is not noticed" in the ecclesiastical returns ; one half of it pays title to the incumbent of Ballynacarrig parish, and the other to the incumbent of Urglin parish ; this parish, though situated in the centre of Carlow barony, is designated in the old county map belonging to Rathvilly barony.

Observations. — In this part of Moyacomb parish is the village of Clonegal. The remainder of the parish, which, in the ecclesiastical returns, is called Clonegal, from the church being situated, in that town, is in the counties of Wexford and Wicklow. Kildavin village is in Barragh parish. The remainder of Saint Mullins parish, containing four townlands, is in the barony of Bantry, county Wexford. Tinnehinch village is in Saint Mullins parish.

The remainder of Ballyellen parish is in Idrone East barony. The remainder of Ullard parish is in the barony of Gowran, and county of Kilkenny, The ecclesiastical divisions of the diocese of Leighlin (including the entire county of Carlow) are as follows. Subjoined to each parish is an initial indicative of its denomination, and figures specify the number of livings.

Returns under Pop. Act.— I cannot here avoid noticing a list of parishes given in "The Traveller's new Guide through Ireland," than which nothing can be more incorrect.

The towns and villages of the county are : Carlow, Tullow, Hacketstown, Leighlin-bridge, Bagenalstown, Borris, Clonegal, Myshall, Nurney, Rathvilly, Fenagh, Ballon, Palatinetown, Kildavin, Old Leighlin, Coolmanagh, Tinnehinch, and St. Mullins.

The principal rivers are the Barrow and Slaney. The former, styled by the ancients Bergus, Brigus, or Bargus, rises in the Slieve-bloom chain of hills, in the Queen's county, and passing through Portarlington, Monastereven, Athy, Carlow, Leighlin-bridge, and Graiguenemanagh, forms a junction with the Nora near New Ross. It is navigable for a distance of forty-three miles, commencing at Monastereven. To dilate on the beauties or advantages of this noble river were needless. More than three centuries since, it was thus noticed by SPENSER:

The first the gentle Shure, that making way,

By sweet Clonmel, adorns rich Waterford;

The next, the stubborn Newre, whose waters,

By fair Kilkenny, and Ross-pont bound,

The third the goodly Barrow.

The Slaney is the Modonus of Ptolomy the geographer, and was also formerly called the Slane or Urrin; its name of Slane or Slaney being derived, according to Keating, from Slany, king of Leinster.

It enters the county two miles north of Rathvilly, and leaves it at Newtownbarry, after a course of about seventeen miles.

The Slaney is navigable from Enniscorthy to Wexford, a distance of thirteen miles. There is no lake in this district.

In general appearance, the county rather inclines to the level and pleasing, than to the mountainous or romantic; a course of elevated ground, however, runs through part of its centre, while Mount Leinster and the Black Stairs, the southern boundaries of the county, are mountains of considerable height. The western division has a hill called the ridge of Old Leighlin.

The county of Carlow forms what was anciently the territories of the Hy Cabanagh and Hy Drone, being the northern part of the principality of Hy Kinselagh. When the district became shire ground, the old denominations fell into desuetude, together with the divisions indicated by them. The population of the country was stated in 1795 to be 44,000 ; in 1814, it was 69,566 ; in 1821, it amounted to 78,952; while by the return of 1831, the number of persons had increased to 81,649.

("Spelling are as seen in the book")

Geographical Sketch of the County of Carlow',

PREVIOUSLY to entering upon a detail of the history and antiquities of the county, it will be advisable to state its situation, boundaries, extent and divisions. No great space will be required for this purpose.

The county of Carlow, formerly termed Catherlogh, is situate in the kingdom of Ireland, and province of Leinster. It is twenty- ix Irish miles in length, from north to south, and twenty-three in breadth from east to west. It is bounded on the north and northwest by the Queen's county and the county of Kildare, on the west by the county of Kilkenny, and on the east and south east by the counties of Wicklow and Wexford. The number of baronies in the county is six, viz: Carlow, Forth, Idrone East, Idrone West, Rathvilly and Saint Mullins. The quantity of acres in each, according to a survey made in 1789, is as follows :

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CHAPTER II

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