CULLEN, a parish

CULLEN, a parish, in the barony of DUHALLOW, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 3 ½ miles (N.) from Millstreet; containing 4385 inhabitants. It is situated on the Government new line of road from Killarney to Mallow (which will be of great benefit to the district in general), and on the north bank of the river Blackwater, and contains 13,409 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £8478 per ann. The land, generally coarse, is occasionally good and under tillage; agriculture is gradually improving; there is a large portion of bog. Near Churchhill a culm mine has been worked for the last six years, which employs about 30 persons: brownstone, adapted for building, is found in the parish.

The principal residences are Keale House, that of J. Leader, Jun., Esq.; Stake Hill, of Leonard Leader, Esq.; Church Hill, of Daniel McCartie, Esq.; Rathroe, of Denis McCarthy, Esq.; Derrigh, of Denis McCartie, Esq.; Knocknagehy, of J. Philpot, Esq.; Flintfield, of Denis O'Connell, Esq., M.D.; and Duaregill Castle, formerly belonging to the O'Keefes, the property and occasional residence of Dr. Justice, of Mallow.

The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Ardfert and Aghadoe, united since the year 1670, with those of Kilmeen and Droumtariffe; the rectory is partly appropriate to the deanery, and partly impropriate in the Earl of Donoughmore. The tithes amount to £328. 17. 4., of which £48. 17. 4. is payable to the lessee of the dean (being the rectorial tithes of 3162 acres), £130 to the lessee of the impropriator (being the rectorial tithes of 10,249 acres), and £150 to the vicar (being the vicarial tithes of the whole). The old church is in ruins; that of the union, and the glebe-house, are in Droumtariffe. In the R. C. divisions the parish is partly in the union or district of Droumtariffe, but chiefly in that of Millstreet: the chapel at Cullen is a modern slated building.

There are four hedge schools, in which are about 230 children At Droumsicane, on the bank of the river Blackwater, are the picturesque ruins of an extensive square fortification, flanked by a round tower at each angle, the property of Sir Broderick Chinnery, Bart.: it had formerly a lofty square tower in the centre. Tradition says that at some remote period a battle was fought at Knockonard; and near Keale have been found spurs, spears, bronze battle-axes, and other relics. An ancient crescent of pure gold, weighing nearly 2 ½ oz., and valued at £9 British, was found near Knocknagehy in 1834. Adjoining the ruins of the church is a holy well, dedicated to St. Laserian, where a patron is held annually on July 24th.