KILMORE

KILMORE, a parish, in the barony of BARGY, county of WEXFORD, and province of LEINSTER, 9 ½ miles (S. S. W.) from Wexford; containing 1796 inhabitants. This place is situated on the eastern shore of the lough formed by the burrow of Ballyteigue, a long narrow sand bank extending from Ballyteigue for nearly four Irish miles, to the entrance of the lake at its western extremity: the burrow abounds with rabbits, and the lake with a variety of wild fowl. The parish corn-prises 3331 statute acres, which are partly good grazing land, but principally under tillage; the soil is fertile, and the system of agriculture has been much improved; with the exception of the burrow, there is neither bog nor waste land. Limestone exists on the lands of Ballycross, but has not yet been quarried; an abundance of sea manure, or tag weed, procured at spring tides and after storms, affording an excellent dressing for the lands. Good building stone is found on the townland of Sarcilla.

The seats are Ballycross, that of J. Rowe, Esq.; Ballyharty, of S. Green, Esq.; Ballyseskin, of H. Archer, Esq.; and Ballyteigue, of J. Young, Esq.

At Crossfarnogue Point is a small pier, where coal is occasionally landed; and more than 100 boats, averaging four men each, all of which rendezvous here, are engaged in the herring, lobster, and cod fisheries off this coast. The construction of a good pier at this point, which might be accomplished at an expense of about £1500, would afford protection to the numerous fishing vessels frequenting the place, and enable the fishermen to render more effectual assistance to vessels in distress. The stearn-boat Water Witch was wrecked off this place in 1833, and several lives were lost. The present pier is small and of very rude construction, having been built by the fishermen themselves, about 25 years since. The tide at this point rises from 11 to 12 feet at high water of springs, and 6 feet at neap tides. A coast-guard station, one of the six forming the district of Wexford, has been established at the point. The parish is in the diocese of Ferns; the rectory is impropriate in John Rowe, Esq., of Ballycross, and the vicarage forms part of the union of Tomhaggard.

The tithes amount to £453. 2. 8 ½., of which £337. 7. 8 ½. is payable to the impropriator, and £115. 15. to the vicar.

In the R. C. divisions it is the head of a union or district, comprising also the parishes of Mulrankin, Tomhaggard, and Kilturk, in each of which, except the last, there is a chapel; that of Kilmore is a spacious building, erected in 1803, adjoining which a house for the priest has been lately built. There are two schools under the New Board of Education, chiefly supported by the proceeds of an annual charity sermon and a public dinner: a parochial school-house also has been recently erected. Near Crossfarnogue Point, where was formerly a telegraph, are the remains of Ballyteigue castle, formerly belonging to the Whitty family, and now incorporated with the modern mansion of J. Young, Esq.