RAYMOCHY

RAYMOCHY, or RAY, a parish, in the barony of RAPHOE, county of DONEGAL, and province of ULSTER, 4 miles (E. by N.) from Letterkenny; containing 5756 inhabitants. This parish, also called Raghniohie, is situated on Lough Swilly, and comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 14,820 statute acres. The land is chiefly arable, and there is some bog and mountain: agriculture is much improving. Fairs are held at Manor-Cunningham, on the 6th of every second month, commencing in January, principally for cattle. Lough Swilly is navigable to the sea for vessels of 200 tons' burden. Leslie Hill is the seat of J. Beers, Esq.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Raphoe, and in the patronage of the Provost and Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin: the tithes amount to £650, and the glebe comprises 505 Cunningham acres, valued at £254. 13. 10. per ann. The glebe-house was built in 1775 by the then incumbent. The church is a plain building, erected in 1792 at a cost of £646, of which £554 was contributed by the landed proprietors, and £92 by parochial assessment; the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £167. 6. 4. for repairs.

In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Lagan, or All Saints; there is a chapel at Drimairghill. There are two Presbyterian meetinghouses in connection with the Synod of Ulster, and one for Seceders, all of the second class. About 240 childdren are educated in three public schools, of which the parochial school receives an annual donation from Colonel Robertson's fund; and another is endowed with a house and 20 acres of land by one of the family of Beers. There are also nine private schools, in which are about 270 children, and five Sunday schools.