MOTHELL, a parish, in the barony of FASSADINING, county of KILKENNY, and province of LEINSTER, 4 miles (S. by W.) from Castlecomer, on the road to Kilkenny, and on the river Dinin; containing 2427 inhabitants. The parish comprises 6622 statute acres, of which 6572 are applotted under the tithe act. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Ossory, episcopally united, from time immemorial, to the rectories of Kilmodumoge and Kilderry, and in the patronage of the Bishop; the tithes amount to £369. 4. 7½, and of the benefice to £686. 18. 7½. The glebe-house was built by a gift of £100, and a loan of £550, from the late Board of First Fruits, in 1807; the glebe comprises 34 acres. The church was built by aid of a gift of £500, in 1792, from the same Board, which also granted a loan of £200 for it, in 1814, and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £345 for repairs. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Muckalee, and has a chapel at Lisnafunchin. About 100 children are taught in the parochial school at Coolcullen, which, is aided by an annual donation from the rector, who has also given an acre of land. There are five private schools, in which about 240 children are educated; and a Sunday school. The celebrated cave of Dunmore is in this parish: the entrance to it is on the slope of a gentle hill to the south of the church. It consists of several subterranean apartments, the first being of large dimensions and irregular shape, and fifty feet high: a narrow passage thence diverges into another large room, from which winding passages lead into others. The whole is in the limestone rock, the bold and mysterious masses of which, darkly shewn by the torches of the visiter, are adorned by a countless variety of stalactites formed by the water that constantly percolates through the roof. A stream of water runs through the cavern, near which many skulls and bones enveloped in calcareous spar have been found. In the vicinity are the ruins of a castle and a church; also of a very large rath, encompassed by three ramparts.