KILLOSCULLY

KILLOSCULLY, a parish, in the barony of OWNEY and ARRA, county of TIPPERARY, and province of MUNSTER, 3 miles (E. N. E.) from Newport, on the road from Dudley to Limerick; containing 2993 inhabitants. It comprises 7340 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act; the surface is very mountainous, including the Keeper mountain, the loftiest of the range, the base and sides of which afford tolerably good pasturage, and within the last few years the lower part has been planted. To the south-east of it rises the river Newport, which passes northward through the vale of Glencolloo to Kilvolane, in its course giving motion to several mills. There are other mountains also in the parish, affording tolerable pasturage. The lands have been lately much improved by draining; and a large drain has been constructed by Lord Bloomfield, in order to get access to a fine bed of marl, which affords a valuable manure. There are several bogs, in which has been found timber of large growth, lying horizontally at a depth of from 10 to 20 feet below the surface. On Lord Bloomfield's property is an extensive quarry, from which the stone for building several houses on the estate has been raised; a vein of copper ore has also been discovered, but has not yet been worked; and slates of good quality for roofing have been quarried, but not to any great extent.

The only seat at present is Green Hall, the residence of H. White, Esq.; but Lord Bloomfield is building a handsome lodge, in the Elizabethan style, which commands many fine views, and has laid out an extensive nursery, from which considerable plantations have been made on the surrounding mountains. The parish is in the diocese of Cashel, and is a rectory and vicarage, forming part of the union of Kilnerath, or St. John's, Newport: the tithes amount to £323. 1. 6. The church, a neat edifice, for the erection of which the late Board of First Fruits gave £900, and to which Lord Bloomfield also contributed, was built in 1829, near the Keeper mountain.

In the R. C. divisions it forms part of the union or district of Ballinahinch, and has a neat chapel with a school-house adjoining. A school-house, in which 20 children are taught, has been lately built on the townland of Drumban, by Lord Bloomfield, and is supported by his lordship: and there are two private schools, in which are about 140 children. In the marl-pits have been found the fossil remains of the elk, or moose deer, of very large dimensions, some of which have been preserved entire, and are to be seen at Laughton House.