Topographical Dictionary of Ireland
by Samuel Lewis 1837
Dunleckney
DUNLECKNEY, a parish, in the barony of IDRONE EAST, county of CARLOW,
and province of LEINSTER, on the road from Carlow to Burris; containing,
with the post-town of Bagenalstown, 4217 inhabitants. This place, which
is situated on the river Barrow, was anciently the seat of the
Kavanaghs, Kings of Leinster; and in 1300 a preceptory of Knights
Templars was founded here, which continued only till 1308, when it was
suppressed. It was also the residence of the Bagenal family from the
16th to the 18th century, and is at present the property of Walter
Newton, Esq. In 1545, a battle took place at Ballynakill, near Garry
hill, in this parish, between the Kavanaghs of the latter place and
those of Polmonty, in which, after 100 on each side were slain, the
former were victorious and secured possession of the territory which was
the object of their contention.
The parish comprises 7751 statute acres,
as applotted under the tithe act; the land is good and the system of
agriculture in an improved state. Limestone abounds and is quarried for
agricultural purposes, and there are quarries of fine granite, which is
used for building : the Barrow is navigable to Waterford. The principal
seats are Dunleckney, that of W. Newton, Esq.; Bagenalstown House, of
Miss Newton; Garry Hill House, of Viscount Duncannon; the Lodge, of Mrs.
Weld; Rathwade House, of B. B. Norton, Esq.; Lodge Mills, of S.
Crosthwaite, Esq.; and Clonburrin, of W. B. Cooke, Esq. The manufacture
of starch is carried on, and there is an extensive malting concern in
the parish belonging to Mr. Crosthwaite; fairs and petty sessions are
held at Bagenalstown.
The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of
Leighlin, united in 1795 to that of Agha, and in the patronage of A.
Weldon, Esq., who is impropriator of the rectory. The tithes amount to
£830. 15. 4 1/2., of which £553. 16. 11. is payable to the impropriator,
and £276. 18. 5 1/2. to the vicar; and the vicarial tithes of the union,
to £415. 7. 8 1/4. The glebe-house is a neat residence; the glebe
comprises 10 acres. The church is a small edifice, and has been recently
repaired. In the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a union or
district called Bagenalstown, comprising also part of the parishes of
Agha, Fenagh, and Slyguff. The chapel, a handsome edifice lately erected
at an expense of £2000, is situated at Bagenalstown; and there are
chapels also at Newtown and Ballinkillen, and places of worship for
Wesleyan Methodists and Walkerites.
The parochial school-house, a neat
building in the Grecian style, is in Bagenalstown, where also is a
handsome court-house in the same style, lately erected at the expense of
Philip Bagenal, Esq., in which quarter sessions are held at the usual
periods. Besides the parochial school, there are two private schools in
the town. The side walls and gables of the old parish church are still
remaining in the churchyard; the interior was lighted by narrow
lancet-shaped windows. At Ballymoon are the ruins of the castle of the
preceptory of the Knights Templars; the walls, which are 8 feet in
thickness and 30 in height, enclose a square of 130 feet, flanked by
four square towers, and having a gateway entrance on the west side.
- Source: Library Ireland
- Image source:
CroppyBoy1798
The townland is situated to the north of the modern town of Muine
Bheag, founded by Walter Bagenal in 1790 and known locally as
Bagenalstown. This is one of the few Irish towns to be laid out on the
street/avenue system, quite common in North America and Australia as
most colonial towns date from 1800.
The Bagenal family owned large estates not only in this townland but
farther afield also.
The area surveyed in the summer/autumn of 2003 stretched from the
Barrow to slightly beyond the railway bridge. The survey found evidence
of a small community living close to the river from the 5th century BC
to the 7th c AD. All of the buildings found were simple huts (round and
sometimes oval in plan] with a clay/wattle wall and roof of thatch. Only
one example of a building with a dry-stone wall was found. Possible
reasons for choosing this location is a) proximity to the Barrow for
fishing and transport and b) a stream once flowed from farther north
past the settlement and into the Barrow. This stream is no longer
visible but can be traced underground, beneath the present Mc Grath Park
and pitch & putt grounds. Another discovery was that the river was at
various times in the 1st millennium much higher than present highest
levels. The low lying areas adjoining the present canal i.e. the malting
plant, Bagenalstown House, lower end of The Parade and the roadway
between, was underwater for long periods.
- Dunleckney Malt house complex,
c.1868,
comprising group of multiple-bay multiple-storey (up
to five-storey) rubble stone built buildings with
granite ashlar quoins and brick dressings to
openings.
-
Source:
www.buildingsofireland.ie
|
|
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- Entrance door to Malt-house
|
- The following is a list of the men who were working in the
Malt house according to the 1911 census of ireland.
- All are listed as born in Carlow except Mr Thomas Byrne who
was born in Queens Co (Laois).
|
Surname |
Forename |
Age |
|
Surname |
Forename |
Age |
|
Nolan |
Edward |
60 |
|
Lacey |
Walter |
50 |
|
Kealy |
Patrick |
28 |
|
Byrne |
Thomas |
30 |
|
Doyle |
Patrick |
29 |
|
Doyle |
Edward |
50 |
|
McNally |
Patrick |
30 |
|
Fitzgerald |
James |
35 |
|
Fitzgerald |
John |
40 |
|
Keogh |
John |
57 |
|
Nolan |
Thomas |
33 |
|
Bolger |
Michael |
36 |
|
Pluck |
Michael |
22 |
|
Rourke |
Michael |
29 |
|
Murphy |
Matthew |
23 |
|
Pluck |
Andrew |
29 |
|
Maher |
Patrick |
28 |
|
Lakes |
Thomas |
41 |
|
Ammond |
Patrick |
46 |
|
Ward |
Matthew |
34 |
|
Brien |
Martin |
35 |
|
Maher |
Thomas |
44 |
|
McNally |
John |
39 |
|
Byrne |
John |
45 |
|
Foley |
Patrick |
52 |
|
|
|
|
The area between the tennis courts and the McGrath Park is at present
occupied by a mound of earth with trees planted around the periphery.
The present feature probably dates from the early 19th c. In the 4th
century however this was the site of a double ringed fort or rath. On
examination it proved to have two timber pallisades around a raised
central platform.
Beyond the pallisades was a high bank with water filled ditches on
either side. Access to the fort was by two offset bridges spanning the
water filled ditches. Inside the rath were two oval buildings, one large
and one small. The fort was used for defensive purposes for about
200-300 years after its construction.
This would suggest the home of a local chieftain or person of
wealth/influence. The construction of the rath required the demolition
of several existing huts. Plus ca change!
Website Source:
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