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Clonlea or Clonleeigh Civil Parish, County Clare, Ireland

CLONLEA, or CLONLEIGH, a parish, in the barony of TULLAGH, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, 4½ miles (N.) from Six-mile-bridge ; containing 3105 inhabitants.

It comprises, exclusively of a large quantity of mountain and bog, 5355 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act : the surface is partly occupied by lakes. The land is mostly in tillage, and some improvements have been made in the system of agriculture, from the judicious example of D. Wilson, Esq., and T. Studdert, Esq., the former of whom has planted to the extent of nearly 50 Irish acres within a few years. Limestone is abundant, and is extensively used for manure, there being 60 limekilns within this district. Two fairs are held annually at Enagh, and three at Kilkishen. A new road is in progress from Tulla to Limerick, through Kilkishen and by the Glonagruss mountain.

The principal seats are Belvoir, the residence of D. Wilson, Esq. ; Glenwood, of Basil Davoren, Esq. ; Mount Baley of H. Baley, Esq. ; and Sion Ville, the property of T. Studdert, Esq.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Killaloe ; the rectory, with those of Kifinaghty, Kilseily, Killurane, Killokennedy, Kinloe, Feacle, and the half rectory of Ogonilloe, constitutes the union of Omullod, in the patronage of the Earl of Egremont ; the vicarage is in the patronage of the Bishop, who has the plough-land of Clonlea as part of his mensal. The tithes amount to £171. 18s. 1½d. The glebe-house was erected by aid of a gift of £450, and a loan of £100, in 1815, from the late Board of First Fruits. The glebe comprises 10 ¼ acres, subject to a rent of £3 late currency per acre. The church at Kilkishen is a small neat structure, with a square tower, built by a gift of £800, in 1811, from the late Board of First Fruits, and repaired in 1834, by a grant from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.

In the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a union or district, called Kilkishen, comprising the parishes of Clonlea and Killuran : there are three chapels, situated respectively at Kilkishen, at Oatfield, and at Callaghan’s Mills in the parish of Killuran.

A new school-house has lately been erected at Belvoir, to which is attached a model farm ; the cost of the building was £190, of which £76 was paid by D. Wilson, Esq., and the remainder by the National Board. There are also five other schools in the parish, one of which at Kilkishen is under the patronage of the parish priest.

At Scart is a chalybeate spring. On the south-west bank of Clonlea lake are the ruins of the old parish church and the burial-ground. The old ruin of Stackpoole, formerly the seat of a family of that name, is beautifully situated in this parish, overlooking the lakes of Pollagh and Mount Cashel; it is now the property of the Earl of Limerick, on whom it confers the title of Baron of Foxford.

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