DRUMKEERAN, or DRUMCHEERAN

DRUMKEERAN, or DRUMCHEERAN, a parish, in the barony of LURG, county of FERMANAGH, and province of ULSTER, ¼ of a mile (N.) from Kesh, on the road from Enniskillen, by Pettigo, to Donegal; containing 8522 inhabitants. This parish is bounded on the south-west by Lough Erne, and on the southeast by the river Ederny, which falls into the lough a little below the town of Kesh. It comprises, including islands, according to the Ordnance survey, 27,159 statute acres, of which 3498 are part of Lower Lough Erne; the land generally is of inferior quality and principally in pasture; but the system of agriculture is improving: there is no waste land, but a large extent of bog, which partly supplies the town of Enniskillen with fuel. There is abundance of limestone for agricultural purposes, and some good quarries of freestone for building.

The gentlemen's seats are Clonelly, the residence of F. W. Barton, Esq., and Drumrush, of the Rev. J. Delap. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Clogher, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £415. The glebe-house is a large and handsome residence; the glebe comprises 270 acres. The church, a plain building with a tower, was formerly a chapel belonging to Vaughan's endowed school, the governors of which presented it to the parishioners, on the separation of Drumkeeran from the parish of Magheraculmony: the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have lately granted £105 for its repair.

In the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a union or district, called Blackbog, comprising also parts of the parishes of Magheraculmony and Templecarne, and containing three chapels, situated respectively at Edendycrummin, Blackbog, and Banna. There is a place of worship for Presbyterians, in connection with the Synod of Ulster, of the third class; also two places of worship for Wesleyan Methodists.

The late George Vaughan, Esq., bequeathed, in 1758, an estate now producing £1000 per ann., for the foundation and endowment of a school for boarding, clothing, and educating Protestant children, under the direction of 13 trustees: there are 60 boys and 24 girls at present in the school, who, when of age, are apprenticed with a fee to the master, and a premium is given to each on the expiration of his indenture, on producing a certificate of good conduct. There is also a parochial school: a large school-house has been built in the Elizabethan style by the Rev. Mr. West, who as a landlord has done much for the improvement of husbandry; and about 450 children are taught in nine private schools. There are several raths, and some chalybeate and sulphureous springs, one of which issues from a rock in the centre of the river.