MAYNE

MAYNE, a parish, in the barony of DEMIFORE, county of WESTMEATH, and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (N. W.) from Castle-Pollard, on the road to Granard; containing 2366 inhabitants. A religious establishment is said to have been founded here by St. Fechan of Fore. The parish is bounded on the south by Lough Derveragh, and on the west by a vast tract of bog, through which the river Inny takes its course: it comprises 5669 ¼ statute acres of tolerably good land, which is chiefly under an improving system of tillage. The surface is finely varied; and there are quarries of both black and grey limestone. From the village of Coole, roads extend across the bog and river, by a float or ferry. Fairs are held at Coole on May 20th and Nov. 20th.

The principal seats are Pakenham Hall, the residence of the Earl of Longford; Coolure, of the Hon. Admiral Sir T. Pakenham; Turbotstown, of Gerald Dease, Esq.; Lakeview, of W. Smyth, Esq.; and Gaulstown, of Hubert De Bourgh, Esq. The parish is in the diocese of Meath; the rectory is impropriate in the Marquess of Westmeath; the vicarage forms part of the union of Rathgraff; and there is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the Vicar.

The tithes amount to £204. 18. 5 ½., of which £91. 1. 7. is paid to the impropriator, and the remainder to the vicar, out of which the latter pays £55. 7. 8. to the perpetual curate, who also receives £6. 6., the value of 3 acres of glebe, and £37 from the trustees of Primate Boulter's fund. The glebe-house was built in 1812, by aid of a gift of £450 and a loan of £50 from the late Board of First Fruits. The church is a neat building, in excellent repair, erected in 1806, by aid of a gift of £500 from the same Board.

In the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a union or district, also called Turbotstown, comprising this parish and that of Faughley, or Faughanstown, in each of which is a chapel. The parochial schools are aided by annual grants from the Pakenham family, and Lord Longford has given a house and an acre of land; a school at Turbotstown is chiefly supported by the Dease family: in these schools about 126 children are taught. There are also two private schools, in which are about 86 children; and a Sunday school. A small well in a bog is resorted to by great numbers of the peasantry: and there are remains of an old castle at Williamstown. On the lands of Mayne stand the ruins of the ancient church.