PASSAGE (EAST)

PASSAGE (EAST), a small maritime town, in that part of the parish of KILL-ST.-NICHOLAS which is within the county of the city of WATERFORD, in the province of MUNSTER, 6 miles (E.) from Waterford, to which it has a penny post; containing 306 inhabitants. When Perkin Warbeck abandoned the siege of Waterford, in 1497, he embarked at this place for Cork. A fort here, which commanded the passage up the harbour, was taken in 1649 by a party of Cromwell's army, on commencing the siege of Waterford: the serious inconvenience this produced to the besieged caused Ferral, the governor, to attempt the recovery thereof, but his forces were repulsed by a large body of Cromwell's army. In 1663, the Duke of Ormonde was make governor of the port and town of Passage for life.

The town is situated on a narrow piece of low land between the river Suir and a lofty precipitous hill which overlooks it: the streets are confined and the houses poor and neglected, affording outward evidence of the declining circumstances of the place. It is a constabulary police station, and fairs are held on May 6th, June 12th, Sept. 8th, and Nov. 12th. The parish church stands on the summit of a hill. A block-house, mounted with several great guns, commonly under the command of the governor of Duncannon Fort, about a league distant, on the Wexford side of the river, formerly stood where the old pier or mole now is. The river here affords commodious shelter and anchorage to vessels of large burden, which may, without difficulty, unload at the quay. Passage is partly within the liberties of the county of the city of Waterford. Here is a R. C. chapel, situated in part of the parish of Crook; also a school in connection with the Hibernian Society.