KELLS,
a parish, in the barony of LOWER ANTRIM, county of ANTRIM,
and province of ULSTER, 5½ miles (N.) from Antrim
town on the road from Ballymena to Randalstown;
the population is included in the return for the parish of Connor
into which this place (which in the civil divisions is not recognized
as a parish) is generally considered to have merged.
In the
early part of the ninth century, a cell existed here on the site of
which a priory was erected, some time before the arrival of the English,
by O'Brien Carrog, who dedicated it to the Blessed Virgin; and
it existed till 1442, when it was surrendered, with all its possessions.
The village has a neat appearance ; it is a constabulary police station,
and has a penny-post to Antrim. Fairs are held on Jan. 10th, March 1st,
June 10th, and Sept. 12th.
The parish
is in the diocese of Connor, and
is wholly impropriate in the Earl of Mountcashel, who allows
the incumbent of the adjoining parish of Connor £3 per annum for
discharging the clerical duties.
