KILFLYN, a parish, in the barony of CLANMAURICE, county of KERRY, and province of MUNSTER, 6 miles (N. N. E.) from Tralee, on the upper road to Listowel; containing 1072 inhabitants, of which number, 222 are in the village.
It comprises 6481 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, of which upwards of one half consists of coarse mountain pasture; the remainder, with the exception of about 270 acres of bog, is good arable land. A vein of limestone extends into this parish from Kilfeighney, but at too great a depth to be properly worked : coal is also supposed to exist. A patent for fairs on May 11th and 12th July 8th and 9th, Oct. 6th and 8th, and Nov. 5th and 6th, granted by Chas. II., has been lately revived by T. Ponsonby, Esq., whose seat, Crotto House, is situated in an extensive and finely wooded demesne, which extends into the parish of Kiltoomy. Crotto Cottage is the residence of the Rev. J. Alton. From the bridge over the small river Shannow, Glenballema, which here presents the form of an amphitheatre, has a highly picturesque effect.
The living is
a vicarage, in the diocese of Ardfert and Aghadoe,
united about 1750 to those of Kiltoomy, Killaghin,
Kilshinane, Ballinacourty,
Minard, and Stradbally, together constituting the union of Kilfyn,
in the patronage of the Earl of Cork. The tithes amount to £84.
18s. 5½d., payable in equal portions to the impropriator and the vicar;
and the tithes of the entire union to £549. 16s. 9d. The church, a plain
structure, was erected in 1812, for which purpose £800 was given by
the late
Board of First Fruits ; and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have lately granted
£217 for its repair and the erection of a tower. The glebe house was
built in 1818, for which a gift of £450 and a loan of £250 were
made by the late Board. There are also a church and a glebe-house, with a
glebe of 14 acres, at Ballinacourty, which now generally gives name
to the union.
In the Roman
Catholic divisions this parish forms part of the union or district
of Abbeydorney : the chapel is a small building.
About 200 children are educated in a private school. There are some vestiges
of the old church; and at Kill is a holy well, still frequented by the peasantry
for devotional purposes.
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