KILGLASS

KILGLASS, a parish, partly in the barony of ABBEYSHRUEL, partly in that of MOYDOW, but chiefly in the barony of ARDAGH, county of LONGFORD, and province of LEINSTER, 4 ¼ miles (S. W.) from Edgeworthstown, on the road from Ardagh to Ballinacarrig; containing, with the parish of Ahara, 4354 inhabitants. It comprises 5253 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, besides about 100 acres of heathy mountain and a considerable quantity of bog; there is some good limestone. Slyan is the seat of J. Black, Esq. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Ardagh, united by act of council, in 1737, to the vicarages of Rathrea and Ahara, forming the union of Kilglass, in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £192. 18. 8 ¾., and the gross value of the benefice, including tithe and glebe, is £486. 6. 6 ¾. per annum.

The church, which is a plain building with a square tower, was erected in 1814, for which the late Board of First Fruits granted a loan of £368. The glebe-house was built by aid of a gift of £350 and a loan of £450 from the same Board: the glebe comprises 49 acres, valued at £90. 9. 2.; and there is a glebe of 37 acres at Ahara, valued at £59. 19. 2. per annum. The R. C. union is co-extensive with that of the Established Church, and is called the union or district of Lagan, in which are two chapels, that of Kilglass at Lagan, and that of Rathrea at Ballycloghan. About 180 children are educated in two public schools, which are partly supported by the Countess Dowager of Rosse and the rector, and about 160 in two private schools; there is also a Sunday school. Lagan is a small village at the extremity of the parish, in which a patron is held on Sept. 8th. St. Echea, sister of St. Mell, is said to have been abbess of a nunnery here in the 5th century.