GRAIG,
or GRAIGNAMANAGH, a market and post-town, and a parish, in the
barony of GOWRAN, county of KILKENNY. and province of
LEINSTER, 6 miles s from Goresbridge (to which it has
a sub-post-office), and 58 (S. S. W.) from Dublin, on the road
from Carlow to New Ross; containing 4745 inhabitants,
of which number, 2130 are in the town.
William
Marshal, the elder, Earl of Pembroke, founded an abbey here
for Cistertian monks in 1212, the abbot of which was a lord of parliament
until the Reformation, when it was granted to Sir E. Butler,
and is now the property of Viscount Clifden : there are considerable
remains of the building.
The town
contains 417 houses, and is improving in appearance ; it has a handsome
bridge over the river Barrow, on which river it has between 40
and 50 boats of about 40 tons' burden each. Markets are held on Monday
and Thursday in a. market-house built by Lord Clifden ; and fairs
on Jan. 27th, March 4th, April 7th, May 11th, June 11th, Oct. 28th,
and Nov. 10th. In or near the town are a brewery and malthouse, and
a four and three grist-mills. Petty sessions and a manorial court are
held occasionally, and it is a constabulary police station, and has
a dispensary. The parish comprises 11,879 statute acres : there is a
considerable quantity of mountain land, including Brandon Hill,
and Lord Clifden has planted 300 or 400 acres. Brandon dale,
the residence of D. Burtchaell, Esq., commands fine views of
the river Barrow and the Blackstairs mountains.
The living
is a rectory, in the diocese of Leighlin, and in the patronage
of the-Bishop : the tithes amount to £440. The church is a plain
edifice.
In the
Roman Catholic divisions it is the head of a union or district,
comprising this parish, Ullard, and Powerstown, and has
two chapels, of which that at Graig is a very commodious building.
There
are two national schools, in which about 500 children are educated.
Towards the erection of one of these Lord Clifden gave £50
and subscribes £10. 10s. annually for its support, and it is further
aided by an annual donation from D. Burtchaell, Esq. There are some
remains of a castle near the river.
