KILCLOONY, a parish, in the barony of CLONMACNOON, county of GALWAY, and province of CONNAUGHT, on the river Suck and the road from Dublin to Galway city ; containing, with part of the post-town of Ballinasloe, 7280 inhabitants.
The English army encamped here for three days previously to the celebrated battle of Aughrim; during which this was the scene of much sanguinary conflict, the memory of which is perpetuated in the names of several places m its immediate vicinity. The bridge over the small stream which separates the parish from Aughrim is still called the bridge of ‘Millea Chean,’ or "The Thousand Heads," from the numbers that fell there ; and there are two other passes where much carnage took place before the Irish outposts were driven across the stream and morass upon their main army, of which one is called ‘Barna Chaugh,’ or “The Gap of Grief," and another ‘Craugh,’ or "The Place of Sorrowing."
The parish, which is close on the confines of county Roscommon, comprises 6981 statute acres, of which 5246 are applotted under the tithe act, and about 1736 are waste and bog. The Grand Canal from Dublin terminates at the town of Ballinasloe.
The principal seats are Garbally Park, the residence of the Earl of Clancarty ; Macknee, of Archdeacon Trench ; Cahir, of J. Dillon, Esq. ; Kelly's Grove, of W. Kelly, Esq. ; Persse Park, of S. Masters, Esq., J. P. ; Nutley, of N. Ash, Esq. ; Grange, of C. Stanford, Esq. ; and the Cottage, of M. Colahan, Esq.
The parish is in the diocese of Clonfert ; the rectory is partly appropriate to the see and to the deanery, and partly united with the vicarage, which forms a portion of the union of Creagh. The tithes amount to £125. 17s. 7¾d. The church is in Ballinasloe, a plain cruciform structure with a lofty octagonal spire.
In the Roman Catholic divisions it forms part of the union or district of Ballinasloe; the chapel there is a neat edifice, built by subscription.
There are two places of worship for Wesleyan Methodists.
About 210 children
are taught in a public school; and there are six private schools, in which
are about 150 children. A chalybeate spa, issuing from the bog at Poolboy,
has been enclosed by the Earl of Clancarty, who has built a handsome
room over it.
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