BALLYSUMAGHAN, a parish

BALLYSUMAGHAN, a parish, in the barony of TIRAGHRILL, county of SLIGO, and province of CONNAUGHT, 4 miles (E. by S.) from Collooney; containing 1815 inhabitants. This parish is situated on the road from Sligo to Drumsna, by way of Ballyfarnon, on the confines of the county; and comprises 2829 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. The soil is principally a good deep loam, but the state of agriculture, though much improved within the last twenty years, is still very low; there is not much waste land, but a large tract of bog affording a good supply of fuel. There are several quarries of stone, principally limestone of a very fine description, used for building and for burning into lime. The gentlemen's seats are Castle Neynoe, that of Colonel W. B. Neynoe, and Doomalla, of Owen Phibbs, Esq. The French army, after the battle of Collooney, passed close to this place, and encamped the same night within a quarter of a mile from it. It is a vicarage, in the diocese of Elphin, and forms part of the union of Boyle; the rectory is partly impropriate in Viscount Lorton, and partly appropriate to the prebend of Kilmacallane in the cathedral church of Elphin. The tithes amount to £73. 16. 11., of which one-half is payable to the prebendary.

The church is a neat building, erected about six years since on a site in the demesne of Castle Neynoe, given by Colonel Neynoe; and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have lately granted £181 for its repair: it is resorted to by the inhabitants of Ballysumaghan, Kilross, and Ballynakill, three of the parishes which form the union. Near to it is the glebe, but there is no glebe-house at present. In the R. C. divisions it is included in the union or district of Sowey. There is a school in the village of Castle Neynoe, and another at Bloomfield, in which about 100 boys and 90 girls are taught. A Sunday school is held in the church, and it is in contemplation to establish a parochial school: there is also a hedge school, in which are about 40 boys and 30 girls. Within the parish are several Danish forts; and in the burial-ground of Culticloghan are the remains of an old church. Numerous fossils are found in the limestone quarries.