DONAGHCLONEY, a parish

DONAGHCLONEY, a parish, in the barony of LOWER IVEAGH, county of Down, and province of ULSTER, 2 ½ miles (S. by E.) from Lurgan, on the road to Banbridge; containing 5657 inhabitants. It comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 6698 statute acres, of which 6384 are very fertile and principally under tillage: there is also a considerable tract of valuable bog. Waringstown House, the residence of the Rev. Holt Waring, is a spacious and handsome mansion, erected in 1667 by William Waring, Esq., and situated in an extensive and richly planted demesne embellished with stately timber. During the war of 1688, a party of the Irish adherents of James II. took possession of this house, which they garrisoned and retained till the arrival of Duke Schomberg, in the following year, when they were driven out by that general, who slept here for two nights. There are several other seats, of which the principal are the Demesne, the residence of J. Brown, Esq.; Tullycarn, of H. Magill, Esq.; and Donaghcloney, of J. Brown, Esq.; and also several residences of merchants and manufacturers.

The manufacture of linens, lawns, cambrics, diapers, sheetings, and other articles is carried on to a great extent. The weaving of diapers, on its introduction into Ireland, was first established in this parish by the spirited exertions of Samuel Waring, Esq., who brought over a colony from England, and with his own hands made the first spinning wheel and reel on improved principles, from drawings which he had procured while travelling in Holland, and similar wheels are now universally used throughout Ireland. There is a very extensive bleach-green at Donaghcloney, in which 8000 pieces are annually finished; and there is scarcely a house in the parish that is not, in some way, connected with this manufacture.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Dromore, formerly united by charter of James I. to the rectories of Segoe and Moyntaghs, and part of the rectories of Magherally and Tullylish, together constituting the union of Donaghcloney and the corps of the archdeaconry of Dromore: but on the resignation of the Hon. and Rev. Pierce Meade, in 1832, the union was dissolved; Segoe alone became the corps of the archdeaconry, and this parish was constituted a separate and distinct benefice, in the patronage of the Bishop. The tithes amount to £261. 6.: there is neither glebe-house nor glebe. The church, situated in the neat village of Waringstown, near the mansion, is a very respectable edifice with a curious oak roof, and has been lately much enlarged at the joint expense of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and the proprietor of the estate: it was originally built at the expense of Wm. Waring, Esq., who presented it to the parish, about the year 1680. Divine service is also performed in four school-houses in the parish, every Sunday evening and every alternate Thursday.

In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Tullylish. There is a place of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Seceding Synod, of the first class. The parochial school is aided by an annual donation from the rector, and there are four other schools; in these together about 200 boys and 140 girls receive instruction: there are also five pay schools, in which are about 130 boys and 60 girls. The extensive cemetery of the parish is situated on the shore of the river Lagan; but there is not a vestige of the ancient church. A large bell was found in the bed of the river, and is now in the tower of Waringstown church; engraved upon it, in rude characters, is the inscription, "I belong to Donaghcloney."—See WARINGSTOWN.

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