CARRICK-on-SHANNON, a market-town and post-town,
(formerly a parliamentary borough), chiefly in the
parish of KILTOGHART, barony of LEITRIM, and county of LEITRIM,
in the province of CONNAUGHT, but partly in the parish
of KILLUKEN, barony of BOYLE, county of ROSCOMMON,
27 miles (S. E. by S.) from Sligo, and 77 (W. N. W) from
Dublin; containing 1870 inhabitants. This town is situated
on the mail coach road from Dublin to Sligo, and on
the north-eastern bank of the Shannon, over which is a
bridge to a small suburb in the county of Roscommon,
the tolls of which were granted, in 1684, to Sir George
St. George, on condition of his keeping it in repair: the
present structure, consisting of eleven arches, was built
in 1718. It contains 321 houses, and is badly paved
and not lighted- A small trade is carried on in coarse
linen, druggets, frieze, and coarse flannel; and it is the
chief market for grain and provisions in Leitrim, but is
principally supplied from Roscommon. Great quantities
of butter are sent to the Dublin and Newry markets,
and a considerable quantity of yarn is sold. The market
is on Thursday; and fairs are held on Jan. 18th, March
20th, May 12th, June 6th, Aug. 11th, Sept. 14th, Oct.
22nd, Nov. 21st, and Dec. 16th, and are the principal
fairs in Leitrim for cattle. An enclosed market-place,
with considerable accommodation, was erected by Mr.
St. George, who is the owner in fee of the site of the
town, but it is not much frequented. Great facilities
N n 2
For trade are afforded by the, which has lately
been rendered navigable up to Lough Allen, by which
this town is placed on one of the most important lines
of communication in the island. A constabulary police
force has been stationed here; and there are infantry
barracks, which are unoccupied, although this is the
only military station in the county.
This place was incorporated by Jas. I., in 1613,
under the title of "The Provost, Free Burgesses, and
Commonalty of the Borough of Carrigdrumruske; "and
the corporation was composed of a provost, 12 free burgesses,
and an indefinite number of freemen. The provost
was elected on the 24th of June by the provost
and burgesses, and was sworn in on the 29th of September.
The free burgesses were elected by the provost
and burgesses; no freemen have existed for a very long
period, and the only officer appointed by the corporation
was the weighmaster, who receives a compensation
under the butter act, 10th of Geo. IV., c. 41. The borough
sent two members to the Irish parliament,
elected under the charter by the provost and free burgesses.
On the abolition of its franchise, at the time of
the Union, the £15,000 awarded as compensation was
given to the Earl of Leitrim. No provost has been
elected since 1826, and the corporation is virtually extinct.
Under the charter a court of record was. established,
but it has not been held for many years; and
there is no manor court within, the borough, but a petty
session is held every alternate Monday. This town being
the capital of the county of Leitrim, the assizes are held
here, as also the quarter sessions for the southern
division of the county in January and July. The
county court-house, bridewell, and gaol are situated
in the town; the gaol is built in a polygonal form,
having 10 wards with separate sleeping-cells for each
prisoner, and a good tread-mill: the prisoners are
taught reading and writing by the master and matron.
The parish church of Kiltoghart, which, prior to 1698,
was at a distance, was removed in that year by act
of parliament into the town, and was erected on a
plot of ground given by Sir George St. George, Bart.:
it was rebuilt in 1829, by a loan of £2000 from the late
Board of First Fruits, and is a handsome structure
with a spire and a clock, which was given by C. Manners
St. George, Esq.: this gentleman also presented, in
1837, a fine painting of the Nativity, by Plagemann.
The R. C. chapel occupies a site given, with a plot of
ground in the rear, in 1807, by Mr. St. George, who
expended a considerable sum in finishing the interior,
and built a gallery at his own expense. There are also
places of worship for Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists,
and parochial schools. The county infirmary situated
here is a good building, erected in 1800: attached to
it is a dispensary. The number of infirmary patients
is about 300, and of dispensary patients about 4000, annually.
A loan fund has also been established, with a
capital amounting to £2000. See KILLUKEN and KILTOGHART.