FINVOY,
a parish, in the barony of KILCONWAY, county of ANTRIM,
and province of ULSTER, 5 miles (S. W.) from Ballymoney,
on the road from Ballymoney to Kilrea; containing 6093
inhabitants.
This parish,
which is bounded on the west by the river Bann, and on the east
by the Mainwater, comprises, according to the Ordnance survey,
16,474 ¼ statute acres, of which about one-third is bog and barren
heath, and the remainder, with the exception of about 90 acres in the
river Bann and a small lough of about 5 acres, is good land; about 3187
acres are applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £2281 per
ann. The surface is varied: the parish is divided into three portions
by two bogs which intersect it, and parallel with which are two mountainous
ridges, one called the Craigs, and the other Killymorris. The system
of agriculture has, within the last few years, been greatly improved;
there are some quarries of basalt, which is raised for building and
for mending the roads; and coal and iron stone are supposed to exist
in several parts, but neither has yet been worked. Bricks are manufactured,
for which there is plenty of clay along the banks of the Bann.
The principal
gentlemen's seats are Moore Lodge, that of G. Moore, Esq,;
and Cullytrummin, of Sampson Moore, Esq.
In the
small village of Dunloy there is a good inn. Fairs are held there
on the 15th of Feb., May, Aug., and Nov.; and it is a constabulary police
station. In its immediate vicinity is the hill of Dunloy, which,
according to the Ordnance survey, has an elevation of 707 feet above
the level of the sea at low water. The river Bann is not navigable up
to this parish, the approach being obstructed by the falls of Portna.
The living
is a rectory and perpetnal curacy, in the diocese
of Connor ; the rectory forms part of the union and corps of
the pre-bend of Rasharkin, in the
cathedral of Connor; the perpetnal curacy, which was instituted in 1808,
is in the patronage of the Prebendary. The tithes amount to £450,
of which £300 is payable to the rector, and £150 to the
perpetual curate. There is neither glebe- house nor glebe. The present
church was erected on the site of the original structure, by aid of
a gift of £200 and a loan of £400 from the late Board of
First Fruits, in 1810; and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have lately
granted :£129 for its repair.
In the
R. C. divisions the parish is united to that of Rasharkin
; the chapel is situated at Killymorris.
There
is a place of worship for Presbyterians inconnection with the Synod
of Ulster, of the second class. About 380 children are taught m four
public schools, of which the parochial school was founded m 1822 ; and
there are four private schools, in which are about 200 children, and
eight Sunday schools.
There
are several forts, artificial caverns, and druidical remains m various
parts of the parish; among the latter is a cromlech of hard black stone,
between the upright pillars of which is an entrance to a chamber underneath,
which communicates with two other chambers, the whole within a circle
of 45 feet m diameter. This interesting relic is situated beyond the
summit of the Craig; and at the distance of a furlong from it
is a square fort, enclosmg an area of 9000 square feet, surrounded with
a deep trench. Within 300 yards of the fort are three erect tapering
pillars, supposed to be monumental memorials of certain chiefs slam
and buried on the spot. The view from Craig rocks embraces that
side of Lough Neagh which is towards the river Bann, and the mountains
of Derry m the distance. At Lischeahan is a mineral spring, the
water of which has the taste and smell of gunpowder.
