TUOSIST, or KILMACALOGUE, a parish, in the
barony of GLANEROUGH, county of KERRY, and province
of MUNSTER, 12 miles (S. W.) from Kenmare, on
the bay of that name; containing 6376 inhabitants.
This parish is considered to be one of the wildest and
most irreclaimable districts in the county: it is separated
on the south-east from the county of Cork by a
range of lofty and almost impassable mountains, and
extends for about nine miles along the southern shore
of the great estuary, or bay of Kenmare, an inlet of
which, called Ardgroom Harbour, forms its boundary
on the south-west. The ancient castle of Ardea, now in
ruins, occupies a bold and romantic situation on a lofty
cliff overlooking the bay; it was once the seat of the
O'Sullivans, some of whose descendants still exist in
this district. In 1602 a Spanish ship landed supplies of
money and ammunition at this castle, which encouraged
some of the native Irish to assemble in the mountains,
but they were soon dispersed by Lord Barry, Sir G.
Thornton, and Sir C. Wilmot. According to ancient
computation the parish, which is entirely the property
of the Marquess of Lansdowne, comprises 97½ gneeves,
or upwards of 40,000 statute acres, consisting chiefly of
rocky mountain and bog; in the hollows among the
mountains are several lakes, some of which are extremely
picturesque, and near the bay is one of considerable
size called Lough Cloney. The principal residence
is Deireen, that of Peter McSweeny, Esq. There is a
considerable domestic manufacture of coarse flannel,
which is chiefly sold in the town of Kenmare; and
several of the inhabitants are occasionally employed in
the fishery of the bay: at Ardea is a good salmon fishery.
The small bay or harbour of Kilmacalogue affords shelter
for vessels of considerable size. Off the coast is a small
island called Dinis, the property of H. A. Herbert, Esq.,
of Muckross, on which is a cottage with a neat plantation,
and immediately adjoining is a fine oyster bed.
On this island are vestiges of a small chapel, supposed
to have formerly belonged to the abbey of Muckross;
and it is traditionally stated that an establishment
existed here for supplying the monks with oysters, the
shells of which had accumulated to such an extent, as
to have been lately used as manure: a considerable
quantity of sea-weed is collected on its shores, and used
for the same purpose. The parish is in the diocese of
Ardfert and Aghadoe, and is a rectory, forming part of
the union of Kenmare: the tithes amount to £226.13.7¾.
British, exclusive of £15. 6. 11½. late currency, payable
to the Archdeacon of Aghadoe. There is a glebe of four
acres; and another of the same extent belonging to the
archdeacon. In the R. C. divisions it forms the head
of a union or district, called Lochurt, or Carks, comprising
also that part of the parish of Kenmare lying on
the south side of the river, and containing the chapels
of Daurus and Deireen. At Ardea is a house for the
priest, built by the Marquess of Lansdowne, who has
also, in conjunction with the National Board, lately
erected school-houses at Carks and Cloney, previously
to which about 120 children were educated in three
private schools. The ruins of the old church still exist
in the burial-ground near the harbour of Kilmacalogue 5
and at Lochurt are the remains of a druidical circle.
In the vicinity of Ardea is the small Lough Quinlan, in
which are some remarkable little floating islands.