Ballymackey Civil Parish, Tipperary County, IRELAND

BALLYMACKEY a parish, in the barony of UPPER ORMOND, county of TIPPERARY, and province of MUNSTER, 5 miles E. from Nenagh; containing 3066 inhabitants.

This parish is situated on the mail coach road from Dublin to Limerick, and is intersected by the river Olitrin. There are about 2000 acres of bog, and of the remainder the greater portion is under tillage; the system of agriculture is much improved, and there is abundance of limestone in the parish.

Castle Willington, the seat of J. Willington, Esq., which takes its name from a lofty and very perfect square tower near the mansion, is situated in a well-planted demesne watered by the river Olitrin. Woodville, the residence of Humphrey Minchin, Esq., and Besborough, of T. Sadlier, jun., Esq., are both pleasantly situated in grounds tastefully laid out and kept in fine order: Mount Pleasant, the residence of Captain Jackson, is a handsome mansion pleasantly situated; as is also Donnybrook, the property of W. Poe, Esq., but at present in the occupation of a tenant. There are several other gentlemen's residences in the parish, of which the principal are Lissanisca, that of R. Smithwick, Esq.; Shanbally, of P. Smithwick, Esq.; Hermitage, of W. Jackson, Esq.; Elmhill, of W. Middleton, Esq.; Camira, of the Rev. P. Bolton; and Falleen, of G. Riall, Esq. here is a constabulary police station.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Killaloe; the vicarage is episcopally united to the entire rectory of Templedowney or Toomavara, constituting the union of Ballymackey, and the corps of the chancellorship of Killaloe, with which are held episcopally the rectory of this parish and the rectory and vicarage of Ballygibbon, in the patronage of the Bishop. The tithes amount to £424 12s 3 ¾ d, and of the union to £609 4 s. 7 ½ d. The church is a neat modern edifice, erected by aid of a loan of £1000 from the late Board of First Fruits, in 1815. The glebe-house, one mile and a half distant from the church, was built by aid of a gift of £300 and a loan of £500 from the same Board, in 1814: the glebe comprises 15a.0r.5p.

In the Roman Catholic divisions this parish forms part of the union or district of Toomavara or Aghnameadle, and contains a chapel.

A parochial school of 20 boys and 20 girls is supported by an endowment of £6 per annum and an annual donation from the rector; and there are seven pay schools, in which are about 200 children; also a dispensary.

1830's-40's Maps of Tipperary

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