ARDCANNY, a parish

ARDCANNY, a parish, in the barony of KENRY, county of LIMERICK, and province of MUNSTER, 10 miles (W. by S.) from Limerick; containing 1318 inhabitants. This parish is bounded on the north by the river Shannon, and on the east by the river Maigue, the banks of which are embellished with flourishing plantations and elegant seats. It comprises 3256 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act: the land is remarkably good, being based on a substratum of limestone; about one-fourth is under an excellent system of tillage, and the remainder is meadow, pasture, and demesne, except about 48 acres of woodland, 10 acres of bog, and a very small portion of waste.

Among the principal seats are Cartown, the residence of J. E. Langford, Esq.; Mellon, of M. Westropp, Esq.; Ballincarriga House, of — Dawson, Esq.; Rockfield, of E. Fitzgerald, Esq.; Shannon Grove, the old family mansion of the Earls of Charleville, and now the residence of Bolton Waller, Esq.; Mount Pleasant, the residence of Mrs. Hill; Ballystool, of E. Hewson, Esq., and Ballincarreg, of H. Hurst, Esq.; besides which there are many substantial houses. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Limerick, forming the corps of the prebend of Ardcanny in the cathedral of Limerick, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £300.

The church is a spacious edifice, built in 1738, but in a very dilapidated condition. The glebe-house was built in 1791, by aid of a gift of £100 from the late Board of First Fruits, and has been greatly improved by the late and present incumbents: the glebe contains 52 statute acres. In the R. C. divisions this parish forms part of the union or district of Kildeemo, or Kildimo. A male and female parochial school, for which a house was built by the rector, has been discontinued, and the building is now used as a court-house. There is a private school, in which are about 90 children. In the demesne of Rockfield is a very capacious and ancient fortress, constructed of large blocks of stone very ingeniously put together without mortar, and forming walls of great thickness: there are also numerous earthworks in the parish.