Extracts from Slater's Directory of Ireland 1881

Carlow 1881 - Carlow, Graigue, & Neighbourhoods

CARLOW is an assize town, parliamentary borough, and the capital of the county bearing the same name, fifty miles s. by w. from Dublin, felicitously seated on the noble river Barrow, and on the main road from Dublin to Waterford and Cork, and also to Kilkenny. Catherlough seems to have been its baptismal name, “the city on the lake” and albeit though not strictly on a lake now, its position is, at a spot where a picturesque weir widens the river into a! considerable expanse ; the river is crossed by a stone bridge connecting the suburb GRAIGUE with the town, and Queen's county with that of Carlow Graigue being locally in the former. On the Graigue side of the river considerable business is carried on. Here are the offices and stores of the Barrow Navigation Company, the extensive timber yard of Mr. Edward Clarke, and a large flour mill.

There is also a constabulary station, Roman Catholic Church, and National schools. Carlow is a station on the Dublin, Carlow and Kilkenny branch of the Great Southern and Western railway and it thus forms an important link in the communication between Dublin and the south and west. It is expected that in consequence of these facilities for conveyance, the town will receive an impetus to its trade and general prosperity, which has been on the decline for several years past.

The Barrow is navigable to New Ross, and also to Athy, giving facilities for the transit of goods downward to Waterford, and upwards by the medium of the Grand Canal to Dublin. There is a smaller river named the Burrin or Barren, which passes across the town. The aspect of the town is cleanly, stirring, and respectable indeed, in descending from the higher levels in the environs, the lofty spire of the Protestant Episcopal Church on the one hand, and the noble tower of the Roman Catholic cathedral on the other, give Carlow an appearance of grandeur. It is well paved and lighted with gas.

The richness of the soil around may be estimated by the number and magnitude of the corn mills in Carlow and its vicinity. The trade in butter is very extensive, large quantities being forwarded to Dublin and Waterford for shipment. There is time.

There is also a large coal trade carried on in this town, several collieries being close at hand, Messrs. J. Lalor & Son, of'. Burrin street, have the principal depot for Jarrow coal, a, local anthracite better known by the name of the "Kilkenny coal”, which is largely exported by them for malting, and milling, being better adapted for that purpose than the coal exported from South Wales. There are several hotels which afford excellent accommodation to private families and commercial gentlemen. There is a branch of the Bank of Ireland, and one of the National Bank established here. The town supports two newspapers, the Carlow Sentinel and the Carlow Independent, both published on Saturday’s, and enjoying a fair circulation. There is now no municipal government, the government of the town being in the hands of the local magistracy who hold petty sessions every Monday in the court house, wherein the Quarter' sessions Land assizes are also held. The borough sends to parliament as its representative, Charles Dawson of Dublin.

This town is the head quarters of the constabulary district, and the residence of the county inspector. Before noticing the public buildings of Carlow, it will be just but a just compliment to its interesting but scanty remains to say a word or two about the castle, reduced to a fragment about seventy years ago, by a medical vandal, who, in order to adapt it to the purposes of a lunatic asylum (having obtained a lease of it), he deemed gunpowder an appropriate material to enlarge the windows and diminish the thickness of the walls; the issue was, that the largest portion of the gigantic ruin was prostrated at its base a result more in character for a Cromwell than a physician. The castle was built about the year 1179 or 1180, by Hugh de Lacy, then the lord-deputy of Ireland and the grantee of Meath. In 1397, during the reign of the second Richard, the castle was surprised by one of the Kavanaghs, Donald M'Art, self-styled King of Leinster, and he retained it some time

In 1642, a detachment of the Duke of Ormond’s army rescued 500 imprisoned Englishmen from it, almost dead from starvation; and in 1650, it submitted without a struggle to Cromwell and the Parliamentary forces

Carlow suffered by a furious attack of the insurgents in the deplorable year 1798; eighty houses were burned, but the assailants were afterwards repulsed with great carnage.

Prominent among the public institutions is the Carlow District Asylum for the lunatic poor of the counties Carlow and Kildare It was erected in 1831, and is a handsome stone building, very pleasantly situated, and capable of containing more than two hundred and fifty patients. Two new wings were added, and opened in 1874 which afford extra accommodation for one hundred patients making the number as stated above; It, previous to the addition, only having room for one hundred and fifty patients

The addition of these wings, gives the building a magnificent appearance. It is under the superintendence of directors appointed by the lord lieutenant and the Privy Council. There is also an infirmary, a fever hospital, and a dispensary. The court house is a beautiful stone edifice, in form hexagonal, with an elegant portico, supported by Ionic columns, entered by a lofty flight of stone steps. The Bridewell is well arranged, cleanly, and freely ventilated, and the inmates are occupied in various trades. Contiguous to the above are the cavalry and infantry barracks, m winch is a military hospital; they cover a large area, and are very commodious. Messrs. J. Lalor & Son are proprietors of a large and spacious hall, situated in Burrin-street, called the Commercial Hall and Auction Mart, which may be let for public meetings, etc.

There are two convents in the town, in that of the Presentation several hundred female children are instructed; the Sisterhood of Mercy devote themselves to the visitation of the sick. The munificence of Henry Bruen, Esq. Oak Park supports a Protestant house of industry for poor females. There are several public scholastic establishments, the most conspicuous being Saint Patrick's College, founded in the year 1793 (the first Catholic college opened after the relaxation of the Penal Laws). There is no endowment. It trains about 190 scholars, between and 28 years of age, some for the priesthood, and some for lay life; the latter are, however, kept entirely apart from the former! The languages taught are Hebrew, Greek, Latin, French, Ital German, and occasionally Spanish. Lay scholars pay from ' thirty guineas to fifty pounds per annum. The new university to which this college is affiliated holds examination at Carlow college for degrees in art.

The Protestant Episcopal Church, in Church Street has a graceful spire; one hundred and ninety-five feet high the huge gilt cross at the summit was a gift from the ladies of Carlow. There is also another Protestant church in Athy road. The Roman Catholic cathedral is a noble edifice, with an octagonal tower and lantern 150ft. high • it is in the later English style, with chapels in the trail' steps, and the interior is enriched by a statute of Dr. Doyle from the chisel of Hogan, which is greatly admired. The edifice was completed in 1834, and cost £18,000. There is a large Roman Catholic Church, on the Graigue side of the river; and the Presbyterians, Society of Friends, and, Methodists, have their respective places of worship. 'The market days are Monday and Thursday, Fairs: March 26th, May 4th, November 8th, and the fourth Wednesday in each month in addition to the three already named. Fairs in Graigue, Queen's county: January 6th, February 18th, April 1st, and October 6th. Population in 1861 was 7,421, and in 1871, it was 6,526.

POST OFFICE Burrin Street, CARLOW, Richard Tennant, Post Master.—Letters from Dublin, Athy, Kildare, Kilkenny Bagnalstown, North of Ireland, England and Scotland arrive at half past eleven night, and Dublin Day Mail at a quarter past eleven be forenoon, and from England, North of Ireland, Athy, Kilkenny, Bagnalstown, and Waterford, at a quarter to four afternoon; and are despatched to Waterford, Kilkenny, Bagnalstown, and Tullow at fifteen Minutes past ten mornings, and to Dublin, Kingstown, Holyhead, Athy, and the North at a quarter-past three afternoon and to the South of Ireland, at ten minutes to seven evening, and to all parts at ten night. Money Order and Telegraph Office and Savings Bank.