COOLSTUFFE, a parish

COOLSTUFFE, a parish, in the barony of SHELMALIER, county of WEXFORD, and province of LEINSTER, 1 ½ mile (E.) from Taghmon; containing 577 inhabitants. This parish is situated on the high road from Wexford, through Taghmon, to New Ross; and contains 3320 statute acres, of which nearly one-half is in pasture, and the remainder under an improving system of tillage. It is a rectory, in the diocese of Ferns, and forms the corps of the prebend of Coolstuffe in the cathedral of Ferns, in the gift of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £200. The glebe-house was erected in 1806, by aid of a gift of £100 from the late Board of First Fruits; and there is a glebe of 4 ½ acres of good land. There is no church; the inhabitants resort to that of the adjoining parish of Taghmon, of which the incumbent of this parish is curate. In the R. C. divisions the parish is chiefly within the union or district of Taghmon, and partly in that of Glyn. A parochial school-house was erected in 1829, on the glebe, by the present incumbent, who contributes £5 per ann. towards the support of the school. A school, chiefly for females, is patronised by the Hon. Mrs. Hoare, who provides the school-house, and allows £2 per annum to the mistress. At Sygansaggard are the remains of an old castle, consisting of a square tower of considerable strength, said to have been built by the Hearne family, but of which no particulars are recorded.