Clomanto,
or CLOGHMANTAGH, a parish, in the barony of CRANAGH, county
of KILKENNY, and province of LEINSTER, 3 1/2 miles (W)
from Freshford, on the road from
Kilkenny city to Thurles
(Co. Tipperary); containing 889 inhabitants.
It comprises
3597 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at
£2413 per annum; about 480 acres are mountain and woodland, and
the remainder arable and pasture, The system of agriculture is very
much improved; and there is abundance of limestone, which is quarried
for building, but chiefly for burning into lime, which is the chief
manure.
The principal
seats are Woodsgift, the residence of Sir R. B. St. George,
Bart., adjoining the demesne of which are temporary loughs, called
Loghans, formed by springs which burst forth at the commencement of
the wet season, but discontinue in the spring; and Balief Castle,
the handsome residence of R. St. George Esq, in the demesne of
which are the remains of the ancient castle a round tower in a good
state of preservation.
The Clomanto
flour-mills, capable of manufacturing about 12,000 barrels annually,
are impelled by a small river that intersects the parish; and attached
to them is a large starch-manufactory, both belonging to Mr. W. Lyster.
The living
consists of a rectory and vicarage united, and a perpetual curacy, in
the diocese of Ossory;
the rectory and vicarage form part of the union of Freshford
and of the corps of the prebend of Aghoure in the cathedral of
St Canice, Kilkenny; the perpetual curacy was instituted by act
of council, in 1828, by detaching five townlands from this parish, and
uniting them with the parishes of Urlingford and Tubrid
and portions of the parishes of Burnchurch
and Tubrid, together forming the perpetual curacy of Clomanto,
which is in the patronage of the incumbents of the several parishes
out of which it was formed, each of whom contributes to the curate's
stipend. The tithes amount to £184:12:5. The old parish church
is in ruins, and there is neither glebe-house nor glebe. A church has
been recently erected for the district curacy; it is a handsome edifice,
situated on the verge of the parish.
In the
Roman Catholic divisions the parish is partly in the union or district
of Urlingford, and partly in that of Freshford. There are
two pay schools, in which are about 100 children.
The remains
of the old castle of Clomanto consist of a square tower in good preservation;
both it and Balief castle belonged anciently to the Shortall
family. On the summit of Clomanto hill is circular mound of stones,
87 paces in circumference, enclosed by a circular barrier of stones,
including several acres, approaching nearest to the mound on the east.
Part of this circle has been destroyed; the name 'Cloghman-Ta,'
signifying in the Irish language the "stone of God," is sufficiently
indicative of the use to which this place was applied
