PORTRANE

PORTRANE, PORTRAHAN, or PORTRAVEN (anciently called Portraehern), a parish, in the barony of NETHERCROSS, county of DUBLIN, and province of LEINSTER, 4 ¼ miles (N. E.) from Swords; containing 725 inhabitants. It comprises a great variety of substrata, including red sandstone, conglomerate, limestone, greenstone in rugged rocks, on the north side of the promontory; and grauwacke-slate, clay-slate, greenstone-slate, and a great variety of conglomerates, and minor minerals, on the coast, all curiously intermingled. The coast is remarkably grand and bold, and the sea has worked its way into the rocks, so as to form several excavations of large extent, in one of which is a curious well of fresh water, called Clink. Portrane House, the property and residence of George Evans, Esq., M.P., is a spacious brick building nearly in the centre of a fine demesne of 420 acres, well stocked with deer, and commanding extensive and splendid views; some of the best land in the county is within this beautiful demesne, and its large plantations are more thriving than is usual in situations so much exposed to the sea blasts. It is a vicarage, in the diocese of Dublin, forming part of the union of Dona-bate; the rectory is impropriate in G. Evans, Esq., and W. Ward, Esq,, who pay a small rent.

The tithes amount to £137. 7. 7., of which £107. 3. 9. is payable to the impropriators, and £30. 3. 10. to the vicar.

In the R. C. divisions the parish forms a portion of the union or district of Donabate: the chapel is in the form of a T, and was erected, about 12 years since, on land given for that purpose by the late Lord Trimleston; it has a burial-ground attached, and there is a residence for the priest. About 120 children are educated in two public schools, of which one for boys is supported by G. Evans, Esq., by whom the school-house, a neat rustic building, situated in a garden of about an acre in extent, was erected, and who gives the master a lodging and half an acre of land for a garden; the other school, for girls, is supported by Mrs. Evans, who built the school-house, with apartments for the mistress; at a proper age the children are taught embroidery, and several very elegant dresses and aprons have been worked here, one of which was for her Majesty Queen Dowager Adelaide: these schools are conducted on the Lancasterian system, and are open to all religious sects. Remains of the old castle exist, consisting of a small square tower, long since deserted as a habitation: the last occupant was Lady Acheson.