descriptions from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837

for Civil Registration BMD reference extracts or just to see surnames found in this parish go to

Loughrea BMD's - Tuam BMD's

1840's Corrafaireen & Monivea Site Centered Town Map at Past Homes.com & others

MONIVAE, or ABBERT, a market-town and parish, in the barony of TYAQUIN, county of GALWAY, and province of CONNAUGHT, 7½ miles (N.) from Craughwell, to which it has a penny post, on the road from Galway City to Castle-Blakeney, and on the river Tyaquin ; containing 5117 inhabitants.

The parish comprises 15,357 statute. acres, as applotted under the tithe act : one-third of the land is good, the remainder being of indifferent quality ; there are 1000 acres of waste, and 2500 of bog (on the estate of Tyaquin alone) all reclaimable. It is a constabulary police station, and petty sessions are held at irregular intervals. The market is held on Thursday ; and fairs are held on May l0th and Oct. 12th.

The principal seats are Tyaquin, the residence of Edmond Burke, Esq. ; Monivae Castle, of Robt. French, Esq. ; Rye Hill, of Mrs. Riddington ; Abbert, of J. H. Blakeney, Esq. ; Bellville, of T. Mahon, Esq. ; Bengarra, of J. Bodkin, Esq. ; and Currandoo, of M. Dowdall, Esq.

The living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Tuam, and in the patronage of the incumbent of Athenry : the income of the perpetual curate is £92. 6s. 1½d., derived from £60 paid by the rector of Athenry, and £32. 6s. 1½d., from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The church is a neat edifice, built in 1761, towards which the late Board of First Fruits gave £268.

In the Roman Catholic divisions the parish is partly in the union or district of Athenry, and partly in that of Abbeyknockmoy ; in each portion there is a chapel, one of which is on the Tyaquin estate.

About 70 children are educated in the parochial school, which is aided by the perpetual curate ; and about 100 in two private schools. A national school-house has just been completed ; and here is a dispensary.

In the demesne of Tyaquin are the ruins of an old castle ; and an inscription on a stone in the old chapel purports that it covers the a remains of Hobbert Burke, Earl of Ulster, Lord of Connaught, Viscount Galway and Baron Tyaquin. Here is a chalybeate spa, on the properties of which Dr. Macartney wrote a treatise.

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