KILNERATH

KILNERATH, or NEWPORT (St. JOHN'S), a parish, in the barony of OWNEY and ARRA, county of TIPPERARY, and province of MUNSTER, 2 miles (E.) from Newport, on the upper road to Nenagh; containing 2749 inhabitants. It comprises 5147 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £4180 per annum; with the exception of an extensive tract of bog, affording excellent fuel, the land is in general of good quality and in an improved state of cultivation. The scenery is of very interesting character; the banks of the river are bold and rocky, presenting some very striking features, and masses of rock lying in its channel give an artificial rapidity to its course.

The principal seats are Castle Waller, that of R. Waller, Esq., pleasingly situated in a tastefully embellished demesne; Oakhampton, the property of Lord Bloomfield, and residence of S. W. Philips, Esq.; and Rockvale, the property of the Rev. M. Moore. At Rockvale are considerable flour-mills.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Cashel, united by act of council to the rectories and vicarages of Kilcomenty, Killoscully, and Kilvolane, together constituting the union of Kilnerath, or St. John's Newport, in the patronage of the Archbishop: the tithes amount to £300, and of the entire benefice to £1407. 16. 10 ½. There is a glebe-house, and the glebe of the union comprises 8 ½ acres. The principal church of the union is at Newport; there is also a church in the parish of Killoscully.

In the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of two unions or districts, one called Newport, comprising also parts of the parishes of Kilvolane and Kilcomenty, in each of which is a chapel; and the other called Ballynahinch, comprising also Killoscully, in which latter parish is a chapel. The chapel at Ballynahinch, to which a school-house is attached, was built on ground given by Lord Dunally. About 400 children are taught in four private schools. There are some remains of the old church, and also of the chapel of Kilpatrick; near which is a chalybeate spring, not much used.