MARY'S (ST.)

MARY'S (ST.) or LADY'S ISLAND, a parish, in the barony of FORTH, county of WEXFORD, and province of LEINSTER, 5 a mile (S.) from Broadway, on the road to Carnsore Point; containing 239 inhabitants. On the subdivision of the territories acquired by Strongbow, it became the property of Rodolph, son of Milo de Lamporte (ancestor of the Lamberts of this county), who built a strong castle on the peninsula in Lough Tay, or Lady's Island lake, which is traditionally said to have been the object of several hostile attacks. Cromwell, immediately after his landing in the bay of Rosslare, in 1649, sent a party to reduce it, to which it at once surrendered. On this occasion a convent of Augustinian friars, which had been founded about 200 years before, was plundered, and the fraternity refusing to bear arms against their country, put to the sword. The remains of the fortress, of which all that was destructible by fire was consumed, consist principally of a square tower, supposed from its materials to be of more recent date than the original castle, which was built of compact rude granite from a small island in the lake.

In the village, which consists of a few neat and comfortable cottages, fairs are held on Aug. 15th and Sept. 8th. The lake abounds with a variety of wild fowl, and was formerly frequented by a species of bittern, called the Proud Stork. It is an impropriate cure, in the diocese of Ferns, forming part of the union of St. Iberius: the rectory is impropriate in L. V. W. Richards, Esq., to whom the tithes, amounting to £30. 15. 4 ½., are entirely payable, and who allows £2 per annum for the clerical duties.

In the R. C. divisions it is part of the union or district of Lady's Island, comprising also the parishes of St. Iberius, Carne, St. Margaret's, and Tacumshane, and containing the chapels of Lady's Island and Faithe; the former is a large cruciform structure, rebuilt in 1807, and adjoining it, is a national school, in which about 70 children are educated; the latter is in the parish of Tacumshane.