DONQUIN

DONQUIN, or DUNQUIN, a parish, in the barony of CORKAGUINEY, county of KERRY, and province of MUNSTER, 7 miles (W. S. W.) from Dingle; containing, with the Blasquet or Ferriter's islands, 1363 inhabitants. This parish is situated at the south-western extremity of the peninsula of Dingle, and terminates in the promontory called Dunmore Head, the most westerly point of Ireland. The latter is called in Irish Tig Vourney Geerane, or " Mary Geerane's House," in like manner as the extreme point of North Britain is called " John O'Groat's." Dunmore Head is in N. Lat. 52° 8' 30" and in W. Lon. 10° 27' 30": it lies about 5 Irish miles (W. by N.) from the entrance of Ventry harbour, and 3 ½ miles (W. ¼ S.) from the west end of the island called the Great Blasquet.

The parish contains 4937 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, of which nearly one half consists of coarse rocky mountain pasture, interspersed with patches of bog; the remainder is in tillage: sea-weed is extensively used for manure, and the state of agriculture is gradually improving. At Clohua is a small harbour for fishing boats employed during the season in taking mackerel, scad, and turbot; and at Ballyikeen is a station of the coast-guard. It is in the diocese of Ardfert and Aghadoe; the rectory is impropriate in Lord Ventry, and the vicarage forms part of the union of Marhyn. The tithes amount to £75, payable in moieties to the impropriator and the vicar: , divine service is performed every Sunday at the coastguard station. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Keel, or Terreter. A school has been recently built at Ballyikeen. On the rocky coast of this parish are often found the beautiful crystals called Kerry stones. The ruins of the church still remain in the burial-ground, where the Prince of Ascule was interred after the wreck of part of the Spanish Armada off this coast.—See BLASQUET ISLANDS.