TEMPLEBOY

TEMPLEBOY, a parish, in the barony of TYRERAGH, county of SLIGO, and province of CONNAUGHT, 3 miles (E.) from Dromore-West, on the mail coach road to Ballina; containing 3787 inhabitants. This parish, which is situated at the entrance of the bay of Sligo, and includes within its limits the point or headland of Aughris, comprises 13,388 ¼ statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. A large portion is mountainous, and there is a considerable tract of bog; the land is generally of good quality and principally under tillage, but the system of agriculture is not improved. There are quarries of stone of good quality for building, and also of slate.

The principal seats are Sea View House, the residence of W. H. Hillas, Esq.; Cork Hill, of Captain Moore; Grange, of J. Black, Esq.; and Donahantra, of V. Jones, Esq. The entrance of the bay of Sligo, from the headland of Aughris to the point of Rinoran, is about five miles wide; and the shores of the parish, which are bold and rocky, are curiously indented with natural caverns excavated by the action of the waves. One of these, called Seals' Hole, from the number of seals which frequent it, is nearly half a mile in length, rising in some parts more than 15 feet above the water, which rushes into it with great violence. The cavern called Khoran-dhun., or "the iron chest," extends to a considerable distance under the cliff, and is frequently visited by strangers; a small landing-place has been made near it by the coast-guard, enabling small fishing boats from the Donegal coast to land in safety. At Pullendiva is a coast-guard station, one of the five that constitute the district of Sligo. A manorial court is held at Sea View House. It is a vicarage, in the diocese of Killala, forming part of the union of Kilmacshalgan; the rectory is impropriate in R. W. Hillas, Esq., of Dublin.

The tithes amount to £560, of which £350 is payable to the impropriator, and the remainder to the vicar.

The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church. There are five private schools, in which are about 300 children. A priory of Augustine canons was founded in 1280, at Akeras, otherwise Kilmantine, by the family of Mac Donald, the prior of which was, in 1544, consecrated Bishop of Elphin. In a field near Grange a gold signet ring, weighing nearly an ounce, was dug up by a labourer, some years since, and is now in the possession of Mr. Thomas Hillas, late of Sea View House.