DUNEANE

DUNEANE, a parish, in the barony of UPPER TOOME, county of ANTRIM, and province of ULSTER, 6 miles (W. N. W.) from Randalstown, on the road from Belfast to Londonderry; containing 6812 inhabitants. This parish is bounded on the west by Lough Beg and the river Bann, and on the south by Lough Neagh, in which, at the distance of half a mile from the shore, is a group called the Three Islands, which are within its limits. It comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 13,128 statute acres, of which 1628 ¼ are in Lough Neagh, 415 ¾ in Lough Beg, and 29 ½ in the river Bann. About two-thirds of the land are in a state of good cultivation, one-tenth is bog, and the remainder waste: the soil is fertile and the system of agriculture greatly improved. Basaltic stone is quarried in large quantities for building and for repairing the roads. The principal seats are Reymond Lodge, that of Earl O'Neill; Moneyglass, of J. Hill, Esq.; St. Helena, of — Reford, Esq.; and Brecart, of Capt. O'Neill. The weaving of calico and union cloths, and also of fine linen, is carried on extensively.

The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Connor, united from time immemorial to the rectory of Cranfield, and in the patronage of the Marquess of Donegal; the rectory is impropriate in W. Cranston, Esq., of Belfast. The vicarial tithes, as returned by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1831, amounted to £240, and of the whole union to £270; there is neither glebe nor glebe-house. The church is a small plain edifice, nearly in the centre of the union. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church; there are chapels at Moneyglass and Cargin, the former built in 1826. There is also a place of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster, of the third class. About 840 children are taught in nine public schools, of which the parochial school is aided by donations from the vicar; and there are eight Sunday schools. There are some remains of a circular camp, called Ballydonnelly fort, similar to the Giant's Ring in the county of Down.