LURGANBOY, a village, in the parish of KILLASNET,
half-barony of ROSSCLOGHER, county of LEITRIM,
and province of CONNAUGHT, 1¼ mile ("W. by N.) from
Manorhamilton, on the road to Sligo; containing 240
inhabitants. This place is most romantically situated
in a rich and highly improved tract of country watered
by the small river Boonid, which has its winding
course through ancient woods and flourishing plantations,
with which the surrounding district is embellished.
The scenery is singularly picturesque and pleasing,
and the view of the distant mountains by which it
is encompassed is strikingly beautiful. The nearest of
the group, at a short distance to the south-east of the
village, is that of Benbo, which has an elevation of 1403
feet above the level of the sea, and is of very peculiar
conformation. The higher portion is of fine granite
flanked with stratifications of micaceous quartz; and
having at the base hornblende rock, hornblende and
mica slate, with a profusion of garnets, sienite with,
green hornblende, and serpentine and green steatite
2 T 2
thickly studded with garnets, which are also found in a
stream at the base of the mountain. On the western
side, some of the rocks are much decomposed, and red,
yellow, blueish white, and black clays are found in great
variety; a stream called the Red Stone River, which
flows through the vicinity, is tinged with the dyes of
these several clays. The western base is also traversed
by a metallic vein containing copper pyrites, formerly
wrought on a small scale, and sulphuret of lead; manganese
is also found here, and both sandstone and
limestone are abundant. The village contains 45 houses,
of which only eight are roofed with slate and the remainder
thatched. Nearly in the centre is a neat
market-house; and fairs, which are the best in the
county for cattle, are held on the 15th of May, and on
the 21st of every other month in the year.