Durrow or Castle-Durrow Civil Parish, County Laois, Ireland

DURROW, or CASTLE-DURROW, a market and post-town, and a parish, partly in the barony of UPPER OSSORY, QUEEN'S county, but chiefly in that of GALMOY, county of KILKENNY, and province of LEINSTER, 12 miles (S. by E.) from Maryborough (Portlaoise), and 54 (S. W.) from Dublin, on the road from Athy (county Kildare) to Cashel (County Tipperary) ; containing 2911 inhabitants, of which number, 1298 are in the town.

This parish comprises 6843 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act ; three-fourths of the land are arable and pasture, about 1000 acres woodland, and 300 bog. The town, which is on the bank of the river Erkin, contains 236 houses forming a square, many of which are well-built and slated, It is included in the county of Kilkenny for civil purposes, but is completely surrounded by Queen's county, of which it formed a part until the Earl of Ormonde, by act of parliament, procured its annexation to Kilkenny. Malt is made here, and there is a large boulting-mill. The market is held on Friday in the market-house ; and fairs are held on the second Thursday (O. S.) in May, Aug., and Nov., and Feb. 2nd, March 4th, April 16th, July 3rd, and Oct. 8th. It is a constabulary police station, and has a dispensary. Petty sessions are held on alternate Fridays.

Adjoining the town is Castle-Durrow, a large ancient mansion belonging to Viscount Ashbrook, from which he takes the title of Baron. Here are also Donmore, the residence of the Staples family ; Moyne, of R. Hamilton Stubber, Esq. ; and Castlewood, of R. Lawrenson, Esq.

The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Ossory, and in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of St. Canice's, Kilkenny ; the rectory is appropriate to the economy estate of the cathedral. The tithes amount to £360, of which £240 is payable to the lessee under the economy estate, and £120 to the vicar. There is a glebe-house, with a glebe of more than 18 acres. A cattle show was established here, in 1801, by the Midland Farming Society. The church is a large building, with a tower and spire, and has recently been repaired by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, at art expense of £738.

In the Roman Catholic divisions part of the parish is in the union or district of Ballyragget, and the remainder with Aghamacart forms the district of Durrow, in which is a chapel.

The Wesleyan Methodists have a meeting-house in the town.

The parochial school is aided by Lord Ashbrook and the incumbent, and an infants' school is supported by an annual donation of £52 from Mrs. Walker. About 70 children are educated in these schools, about 180 in four private schools, and there is also a Sunday school. At Callohill, on the estate of Lord Carbery, are the ruins of a castle. A monastery once existed at Durrow, but its history is unknown ; and at Ballynasleigh was a large altar, or cromlech, which was destroyed in a search for money, also another cromlech and some enclosures and pits.

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