KILPIPE

KILPIPE, a parish, partly in the barony of GOREY, county of WEXFORD, but chiefly in that of BALLINACOR, county of WICKLOW, and province of LEINSTER, 9 miles (S. W. by S.) from Rathdrum, on the road to Clonegal; containing 3377 inhabitants. It comprises 1960 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. The surface is varied, and part of the Croghan mountain is within its limits; the system of agriculture is greatly improved; there is an extensive bog near the river Derry, and some small turbaries near the mountain. Wingfield is the residence of H. Brownrigg, Esq.; in the grounds is an ancient rath. There are also several handsome and substantial farm-houses, including those of R. and W. Dowse, Esqrs., and others.

The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Ferns, episcopally united in 1782 to the vicarage of Killinor, and in the patronage of the Representatives of Mrs. Hatten; the rectory is impropriate in Sir R. Steele, Bart, the tithes amount to £378. 9. 2 ¾., of which £230. 15. 4 ¾. is payable to the impropriator, and £147. 13. 10. to the vicar; and the tithes of the entire . benefice, to £203. 1. 6 ½. The glebe-house, situated in the parish of Killinor, is a neat residence, towards the erection of which the late Board of First Fruits gave £350 and a loan of £180, in 1819; the glebe comprises 17a. 3r. 20p. The church, a neat building, was repaired and enlarged by a loan of £100, in 1817, from the same Board, and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £183 for its further repair.

In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Killavany. About 80 children are taught in the school of Carraghlean, which is supported by the trustees of Erasmus Smith's charity under the patronage of Earl Fitzwilliam, who has endowed it with two acres of land and built the school-house, a good stone building, at a cost of £150; there is also a private school, in which are 130 children. There are some remains of the old church, the burial-ground of which is still used; and at Kilcashel are also the ruins of a church.