AHOGHILL,
a parish, partly in the barony of LOWER ANTRIM, partly in that
of KILCONWAY, partly in that of UPPER TOOME, but chiefly
in the barony of LOWER TOOME, county of ANTRIM,
and province of ULSTER, 4 miles (E.S.E.) from Portglenone;
containing 14,920 inhabitants, of which number, 421 are in the village.
The district
around this place appears, from the numerous remains of forts and the
great number of tumuli and human bones found, to have been the scene
of much early warfare. During the war of 1688, the ford of the river
Bann at Portglenone was regarded as a very important pass
between the counties of Antrim and Derry; and Sir I. Magill and
Capt. Edmonston were, in 1689, despatched to defend it against
the Irish army on their march towards the Bann, in order to enter the
county of Derry. In 1760, when the French under Thurot made a descent
on Carrickfergus, the inhabitants
of this place rose in a body for the defence of the country: a well-appointed
force marched to Belfast city, numerous
parties proceeded to Carrickfergus, while others patroled the country
nightly, and these irregular levies had a powerful effect in repelling
the invaders.
About
the year 1771, an organised system of outrage pervaded the whole of
this parish, in common with other parts of the county: the persons who
thus combined, called themselves" Steel Men;' or "Hearts
of Steel;' and executed their revenge by houghing cattle and perpetrating
other outrages; they attacked the house of Paul M'Larnon, Esq.,
who, in defending himself, was shot. In 1778, a corps was raised by
John Dickey, Esq, of Cullybackey,
and called the Cullybackey Volunteers; a similar corps was embodied
the following year by T. Hill, Esq., of Drumra, called the Portglenone
Volunteers, to which was afterwards added a second corps by ???
Simpson, Esq. ; and a corps, called the Ahoghill Vollunteers,
was raised by Alexander M'Manus, of Mount Davies.
The parish,
anciently called Maghrahoghill, of which the derivation is unknown,
is bounded by the river Bann, which flows out of Lough Neagh
in a direction from south to north, and is intersected by the river
Maine, which flows into that lough in a direction from north
to south. It was formerly more extensive than at present, having included
Portglenone, which, in 1825, was, together with 21 townlands, severed
from it and formed into a distinct parish. According to the Ordnance
survey, including Portglenone, it comprises 35,419 statute acres, of
which 14,954 are applotted under the tithe act, and 145 3/4 are covered
with water. The system of agriculture is in a very indifferent state;
there is a considerable quantity of waste land, with some extensive
bogs, which might be drained. The surface is hilly, and many of the
eminences being planted, render the valley through which the Maine flows
beautiful and interesting. The village is neatly built, and the neighbourhood,
is enlivened with several gentlemen's seats.
The castle
of Galgorm, a seat of the Earl of Mountcashel, is a handsome
square embattled edifice, erected in the 17th century by the celebrated
Dr. Colville; the rooms are wainscoted with Irish oak from the
woods of Largy and Grange. The other principal seats in
the parish and neighbourhood are Mount Davies, the residence
of Alex. M'Manus, Esq.; Low Park, of J. Dickey, Esq.;
Ballybollan, the property of Ambrose O'Rourke, Esq.; Lisnafillen,
of W. Gihon, Esq., of Ballymena; Fenaghy, the residence
of S. Cuningham, Esq.; Leighnmore, the property of J,
Dickey, Esq.; and Drumona, built by Alex. Brown, Esq.
The linen
trade appears to have been introduced here by the ancestor of John
Dickey, Esq., of Low Park, and now in its several branches affords
employment to the greater number of the inhabitants. There are several
bleach-greens on the river Maine : and a good monthly market is held
in the village, for the sale of linens, on the Friday before Ballymony
market. Fairs for cattle and pigs are held on June 4th, Aug. 26th,Oct.
12th, and Dec. 5th. The manorial court of Fortescue, anciently
Straboy, has jurisdiction extending to debts not exceeding £5
late currency; and the manorial court of Cashel is held monthly
at Portglenone, for the recovery of debts to the same amount.
Two courts leet are held annually; and petty sessions are held every
alternate Friday.
The living
is a rectory, in the diocese of Connor,
and in the patronage of the Crown: the tithes amount to £1015:7:8.
The church is an ancient edifice; the walls have within the last few
years been raised and covered with a new roof. The glebe-house was built
by a gift of £100 and a loan of £1500 from the late Board
of First Fruits, in 1815; the glebe comprises 138 1/2 acres.
In the
Roman Catholic divisions this is the head of a union or district,
comprising also Portglenone, and
containing three chapels, one about half a mile from the village, another
at Aughnahoy, and a third at Portglenone.
There
are places of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod
of Ulster at Ahoghill and Cullybackey, both of the third
class: in the former are also two places of worship for Seceders of
the Ahoghill Presbytery, each of the second class, and in the
latter is one for Covenanters; there is also a place of worship for
Independents, and a Moravian meeting-house at Gracehill.
There
are 15 schools in different parts of the parish, in which are about
400 boys and 330 girls; and there are also 12 private schools, in which
are about 300 boys and 150 girls; and 16 Sunday schools. John Guy,
in 1813, bequeathed £12 per ann. to the Moravian establishment,
which sum is now, by the death of his adopted heir, augmented to £45
per annum.
There
are some remains of Rory Oge Mac Quillan's castle of Straboy,
and some tumuli at Moyessit.
