KILRUSH, a parish, in the barony of SCARAWALSH,
county of WEXFORD, and province of LEINSTER, adjoining
the post-town of Newtownbarry, and containing
2731 inhabitants. This parish comprises 11,036 statute
acres of land generally fertile; but with the exception of
some pebble limestone, manure is scarce, and limestone
is brought from the county of Carlow. It is watered
by the river Slaney, over which are two stone bridges,
one connecting it with Newtownbarry, and the other
crossing the river at Clohamon. The principal seats
are Ballynapark, that of G. Browne, Esq.; Clohamon
Lodge, of N. Browne, Esq.; Ballyrankin, of Major
Devereux; and Newlands, of the Rev. W. Hore, all
pleasantly situated on the banks of the Slaney. Part
of the demesne of Woodfield, the beautiful seat of Lord
Farnham, is also in this parish. Clohamon is a neat
and thriving village of recent origin, and the population
is chiefly employed in the large flour and cotton-mills
of Mr. William Lewis, from the latter of which are produced
on an average about 200 pieces weekly. The
living is a rectory, in the diocese of Ferns, forming the
corps of the prebend of Kilrush in Ferns cathedral, and
in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to
£694. 3.1. The church is a small plain edifice, and has
recently been repaired by a grant of £262 from the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners. In the R. C. divisions it
is the head of a union or district, including this parish
and that part of Carnew which is in the county of Wexford,
and containing chapels at Kilrush and Askamore;
the former is a neat modern building, attached to which
are a residence for the priest and a school. About 150
children are educated in two public schools, to one of
which the rector contributes £10, and to the other
Grogan Morgan, Esq., £2, annually.