BALLYLONGFORD, a town

BALLYLONGFORD, a town, in the parish of AGHAVALLIN, barony of IRAGHTICONNOR, county of KERRY, and province of MUNSTER, 4 miles (W. by S.) from Tarbert; containing 1300 inhabitants. This town is situated on the road from Tarbert to Ballybunnian, at the head of an estuary or creek of the river Shannon, and contains about 300 houses. Its position is favourable for the export trade, the creek forming a port for lighters which carry corn and turf to Limerick; the trade in turf is very considerable from the vast supply afforded by the extensive tracts of bog in the vicinity, forming part of the possessions of Trinity College, Dublin. The harbour has 16 feet of water at high tides, and is capable of being made one of the best on the Shannon; but that of Tarbert being considered to possess superior advantages, is more likely to be improved. A fair or market is held every alternate Thursday, chiefly for pigs and cattle. This place has a penny post dependent on Tarbert. Petty sessions are held every Monday, and, once in three weeks, a baronial court for the manor of Carrig-a-foile; and here is a station of the constabulary police. There are several gentlemen's seats in the vicinity, enumerated in the article on Aghavallin, which see. The parochial church is situated about ¼of a mile to the north of the town, but having been condemned by the provincial architect as unworthy of repair, it is expected that a new church will be shortly built by the Ecclesiastical Board, at an estimated expense of about £650. The R. C. chapel in the town is a spacious slated building with two galleries, erected in 1806 at an expense of £2000; and near it a large building for a school has been lately erected, at a cost of £350. Here is also a dispensary. In the vicinity of the town, but in Kilnaughten parish, are the extensive and picturesque ruins of Lislaghtin abbey.