KILMOGANNY

KILMOGANNY, a parish, in the barony of KELLS, county of KILKENNY, and province of LEINSTER, 5 miles (S. W.) from Knocktopher, on the road from Kilkenny to Carrick-on-Suir; containing 2107 inhabitants, of which number, 514 are in the village. During the parliamentary war a party of Cromwell's troops had a skirmish here with the Walsh party, of Castlehall, which they defeated, and seized the estate. William III. passed a night at Rossenarre, on his way to Limerick.

The parish comprises 7381 statute acres, including about 500 acres of woodland and a large tract of mountain; it contains slate, limestone, freestone, and flagstone; also a mill. A patent for two fairs exists, but they are not much frequented. Rossenarre, the residence of W. Morris Reade, Esq., is an elegant seat in a demesne of about 600 acres, about 200 of which are planted. The village contains about 100 houses, which are generally handsome and well built; it is a constabulary police station, and has petty sessions and a dispensary: near it is a large nursery of forest trees.

The living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Ossory, and in the patronage of the Incumbent of Knocktopher.

The tithes amount to £300. There is a glebe-house, for the erection of which the late Board of First Fruits, in 1819, gave £450 and lent £50: the glebe comprises 5 acres. The church, which is a handsome structure, was built in 1830 by a loan of £750 from the same Board.

In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Donamagan, and has a chapel. There is a public school of about 50 children, supported by W. M. Reade, Esq., also two private schools of about 150 children, and two Sunday schools. There are remains of castellated residences of the Walsh family at Castlehill, Clone, and Kerehill; also some chalybeate springs.