DROMOD

DROMOD, a parish, in the barony of IVERAGH, county of KERRY, and province of MUNSTER, 7 miles (S. by E.) from Cahirciveen, on the river Inny, near its influx into Ballinaskelligs bay; containing 4600 inhabitants. It comprises about 270 "reduced acres," as applotted under the tithe act, consisting chiefly of mountain pasture, waste, and bog, with patches of arable land intermixed, and is principally the property of the Marquess of Lansdowne and the Provost and Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin. An abundance of sea-weed and sand is procured in Ballinaskelligs bay, and carried up the vale of the Inny for manure; and building stone is found in several places. Lough Currane, an extensive sheet of water about seven miles in circumference, contains several islands, and abounds with brown and white trout and salmon of superior quality. A considerable quantity of the latter is annually sent to London from the fish preserve at Waterville, the residence of James Butler, Esq., near the western extremity of the lake, at its outlet into the bay, and where salmon are sometimes kept for three months in the highest state of perfection. The lake is bounded on the south and east by ranges of lofty mountains, which are said to have been formerly covered with wood. At Kannagh is the seat of the Rev. George Hickson. At the village of Waterville are stations of the constabulary police and coast-guard, and petty sessions for the district are held there.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Ardfert and Aghadoe, episcopally united, previously to any existing record, to the rectory of Prior, and in the patronage of the Crown: the tithes amount to £226, and of the union to £346.19.9. The church is in ruins, but divine service is performed on Sundays in the parochial school-house.

The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church: the chapel is at Mastergiehy. Nearly 160 children are taught in the parochial and another school; the former is aided by the incumbent; the latter has a large school-house, with residences for the master and mistress, erected partly by a bequest of the late General Count O'Connell, but chiefly at the expense of J. O'Connell, Esq., by whom it is principally supported. There is a private school, in which are 50 children.

Among the islands in the lake of Currane is one called Church island, on which are the ruins of an ancient church with a fine Norman arch at the entrance, said to be dedicated to St. Finian: there are also vestiges of some other buildings, and it is supposed that there were originally seven churches on the island, similar to those of Inniscattery in the Shannon and Inniscalthra in Lough Derg. Over the river Inny was formerly a foot-bridge, consisting of a single arch of about 24 feet span and only a yard wide, which from its peculiar form was called the bow bridge: it was approached at each end by steps. There is no tradition as to the period of its erection, but about a century since the high-sheriff of the county held his court on it. At Waterville is a chalybeate spring, somewhat similar in its properties to that of Harrogate.