AUGHNACLOY, a market-town and post-town, in the
parish of CARRENTEEL, barony of DUNGANNON, county
of TYRONE, and province of ULSTER, 16 miles (S.E.)
from Omagh, and 75½ (N. N. W.) from Dublin; containing
1742 inhabitants. This place, which is on the confines
of the county of Monaghan, is situated on the river
Blackwater, and on the mail coach road from Dublin to
Londonderry. The town was built by Acheson Moore,
Esq., who also erected the parish church, and it is now
the property of R. Montgomery Moore, Esq., his descendant:
it consists of one principal street of considerable
length, from which three smaller streets branch off,
and contains 365 houses, of which the greater number
are thatched buildings, although there are several good
houses of brick roofed with slate, and in the immediate
neighbourhood are several gentlemen's seats, which are
described in the articles on their respective parishes.
The market is on Wednesday, and is very well attended;
and fairs for live stock are held on the first Wednesday
in every month. There is a convenient market-house.
A constabulary police station has been established here;
and petty sessions are held every alternate Monday.
The church, a spacious and handsome edifice, was
erected in 1736. There are a R. C. chapel, and places
of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the
Synod of Ulster, and for Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists.
The parochial school is supported by the
archdeacon, and there are three other schools. At Garvey,
one mile distant, is a very valuable mineral spring,
which has been found efficacious in dyspeptic and cutaneous
diseases; it is enclosed within a large building,
and near it is a house affording excellent accommodation
to those who frequent it for the benefit of their health.
Dr. Thomas Campbell, author of Strictures on the History
of Ireland, was a native of this place.