AFFANE, a parish

AFFANE, a parish, in the barony of DECIES-without-DRUM, county of WATERFORD, and province of MUNSTER, 4 miles (E. by S.) from Lismore, on the mail road from Waterford, through Youghal, to Cork; containing 1879 inhabitants.

This place, called anciently Arthmean, or Aghmean, was, in 1564, the scene of a battle between the Earls of Desmond and Ormonde, in which the Earl of Ormonde was defeated with the loss of 280 of his men.

It is chiefly distinguished as containing Dromana, which was for a long time the chief seat of the Fitz-geralds of the Decies, who were descendants of James, the seventh Earl of Desmond, and one of whom, in 1569, was created “Baron of Dromany and Viscount Desses,” which titles became extinct at his decease.

His nephew and second successor in the estate entertained at this place the celebrated Sir Walter Raleigh, who introduced here a fine species of cherry, which has continued to flourish in the neighbourhood to the present day, and is still in high estimation.

The old castle having been burnt down in a period of hostility, the present mansion was erected on its site, and is now the property of H. Villiers Stuart, Esq., a descendant of the original possessors.

The parish is bounded on the south-west by the river Blackwater, which is here navigable; it comprises 7530 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act; the land is in general fertile.

The mansion of Mr. Stuart overhangs the Blackwater, which winds round the base of a precipitous ascent clothed with thriving plantations, and with its hanging gardens presents a picturesque and interesting feature.

The other seats are Belleville Park, the residence of S. Poer, Esq., pleasantly situated amidst thriving plantations; Richmond, of Major Alcock; Mountrivers, of the Rev. G. Gumbleton, the vicar; Affane, of S. Power, Esq.; and Derriheen, of C. Maunsell, Esq.

Fairs are held on May 14th, Aug. 12th, and Nov. 22nd.

The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Lismore, to which the vicarage of Aglish was episcopally united in 1817, forming the union of Affane, in the patronage of the Duke of Devonshire, in whom the rectory is impropriate.

The tithes amount to £369. 4. 7., payable in moieties to the impropriator and the vicar; and the gross amount of tithe for the whole benefice is £344. 12. 3½. The church is a neat building, for the erection of which the late Board of First Fruits granted a loan of £500, in 1819. There is no glebe-house; the glebe contains only 2 roods and 20 perches.

In the R. C. divisions this parish is one of the two which form the union of Modeligo; the chapel is at Boharavaughera.

A school of 250 boys and 80 girls, at Carrageen, is aided by a legacy of £20 per annum from the late Mr. Magner.