KILMACOW,
a parish, in the barony of IVERK, county of KILKENNY,
and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (N. N. W.) from Waterford
city, on the road to Thomastown ; containing 1923 inhabitants,
of which number, 176 are in the village.
It comprises
4389 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at
£2671 per annum, and has some good limestone quarries. The village
contains 31 houses, and is a constabulary police station ; petty sessions
are held in it every alternate week.
The living
is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese
of Ossory, and in the gift of the Bishop : the tithes amount
to £360. The glebe-house was erected by aid of a loan of £675
and a gift of £100 from the late Board of First Fruits; the glebe
comprises 11a. 22p. The church is a neat edifice with a handsome spire,
for rebuilding which the late Board lent £850, in 1818.
In the
Roman Catholic divisions. this parish is the head of a union
or district, comprising the parishes of Kilmacow, Dunkit,
Gaulskill, Ullid, Kilbeacon,
and part of Killaghy, and containing
chapels at Kilmacow, Mullinavat, and Hill.
The parochial
school was built on land given by Mr. Roche; about 80 children
are educated in it, and about 190 in three private schools.
There
are some fine ruins of Grandison, or Graney, castle, consisting
of the remains of the keep, the great halls and of three circular towers,
on the margin of the river Suir. It is supposed to have been
erected by Pierce Butler, eighth Earl of Ormonde, and lord-deputy
of Ireland in 1521. During the parliamentary war it was held by Col.
Butler for Chas. I., but was finally surrendered to Col. Axtel,
Cromwell's governor of Kilkenny city
, and was afterwards allowed to fall into decay.
