description from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837

KILMORE, a parish, and the seat of a diocese, partly in the barony of CLONMAHON but chiefly in that of UPPER LOUGHTEE, county of CAVAN, and province of ULSTER. 3¼ miles (S.W.) from Cavan town, on the road to Killesandra; containing, with part of the market-town of Ballinagh , 7161 inhabitants.

This parish, which derives its name, signifying the Great Church; from the abbey of Cella Magna, founded here at an early period by St. Columba, comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 16,886 statute acres, of which 2154 are in Lough Oughter, and 14,114 are applotted under the tithe act. The soil is various, and the land in some parts under profitable cultivation ; there are some quarries of good building stone, and gold and silver have been found in some parts.

The principal seats are Lismore Castle, that of Major Nesbitt ; the Rocks, of J. C. Tatlow, Esq. ; Castle Corby, of J. Whit-thorne, Esq. ; Belleville, of Capt.. A. Fleming ; Bingfield, of H. T. Kilbee, Esq. ; Drumheel, of R. Bell, Esq. ; Lisnamandra, of G. L'Estrange, Esq. ; Drumcorbin, of G. T. B. Booth, Esq. ; Tully, of Major R. Stafford ; and Hermitage, of R. Stephens, Esq.

The living of Kilmore is a vicarage, united by royal authority, at an unknown date, to the vicarage of Ballintemple, and the rectory and vicarage of Keadue together forming the union and the corps of the deanery of Kilmore, in the Diocese of Kilmore and in the patronage of the Crown ; the rector is impropriate in the Marquess of Westmeath. The tithes amount to £350, of which £127. 17s. 4d., is payable to the impropriator, and the remainder to the vicar the aggregate tithes of the benefice are £843. 10s. 6d The glebe comprises 270½ acres of profitable land, and 26¾ of bog; there is also, in the parish of Ballintemple a glebe of 103½ acres, besides which are 436 ½ acres of profitable land and 47 acres of bog belonging to the deanery, though not in any of the parishes within the union.

The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church ; there are two chapels, situated respectively at Ballinagh and Drumcor, the latter built in 1809, at an expense of £150.

About 350 children are taught in six public schools, of which two are parochial, and three are supported by Lord Farnham ; there are seven private schools, in which are about 330 children, and three Sunday schools. In the church-yard are interred the remains of the venerable Bishop Bedell whose death was occasioned on accelerated by the severities he endured while in the hands of the insurgents in 1641. In such esteem was this exemplary prelate held, even by those who had hastened his decease, that they attended his funeral obsequies with the most unbounded demonstrations of respect and sorrow. In the same vault was also interred Bishop Cumberland. On Trinity island are the remains of an abbey ; and on a small island in Killekeen lake are the ruins of the Castle of Cloughoughter, in which Bishop Bedell was confined.

Back to Top - From Ireland Home page - Cavan page - Lewis Cavan Index - Main Lewis Index (all counties) -

County Cavan Roman Catholic (R.C.) records available on microfilm

Irish Genealogy Research Service

Indices on CD ROM
Irish Flax Growers List - Tithe Applotment books - Griffiths Valuation

URL http://www.from-ireland.net

©Dr. Jane Lyons 2001-2004