The Borough of Dungarvan

By charter of James I. the parish of St. Mary, and that of Nugent within the ancient liberties, were erected into the Borough of Dungarvan: the corporation consisted of a sovereign and twelve brethren or free burgesses, with a recorder, town-clerk, and three serjeants-at-mace, of whom one was also water-bailiff; and the borough was invested with powers and privileges nearly equal to those of any city or borough in the kingdom, which were exercised for a considerable time, till the corporation at length fell into decay. The bounds of the manor, though irregular and even uncertain, comprise an area of about 10,000 statute acres and a population of 11,858, including nearly the whole of the parish of Dungarvan East and West, together with Kilrush, and the townland of Ballyharraghan in the parish of Ringagonagh; the townlands of Knockampoor, Canty, and Ballymullalla, though entirely detached from the rest of the manor, form also part of it, while several lands much nearer the town and some wholly surrounded by the manor do not belong to it.

A seneschal is appointed by the Duke of Devonshire, with power to hold a court every three weeks, for the recovery of small debts. Previously to the Union, the borough returned two members to the Irish parliament, and since that period has sent one member to the Imperial parliament. The elective franchise, vested by the charter of James I. in the sovereign and burgesses, has, since the corporation fell into disuse, been exercised by the inhabitants of the town occupying houses of the yearly rent of £5, and by the freeholders of the manor, the seneschal being the returning officer. The commissioners appointed to settle the boundaries of boroughs proposed a boundary closely encircling the town, and also to raise the household qualification to £10: but a select committee subsequently determined that, as all £5 householders throughout the manor were then entitled to vote, the limits of the franchise should be so far restricted only as to exclude some of its widely detached portions, and to include some small portions of land locally within its limits, though not previously forming any part of it.

The total number of electors registered up to 1835 was 620, of whom 30 were freeholders above £10, 300 forty-shilling freeholders, and 200 £10 and 90 £5 householders; about 120 are supposed to have since died. The, quarter sessions of the peace for the western division of the county are held here in January, April, and October; and petty sessions are held every Thursday. It is now under the consideration of the privy council to make Dungarvan the assize town, as being in the centre of the county. The county sessions-house is a neat and well arranged building, at the entrance into the town from the bridge; and attached to it is a bridewell, containing ten cells, two day-rooms, and two airing-yards.