DURROW, or CASTLE-DURROW, a parish and market-town and post-town,
chiefly in the barony of Galmoy, county of Kilkenny, and
province of Leinster, but partly in the barony of Upper-Ossory,
Queen's county, 12 miles (S. by E.) from Maryborough, and 54 (s. w.)
from Dublin, on the road from Athy to Cashel; containing
2911 inhabitants, of which number, 1298 are in
the town. This parish comprises 6843 statute acres, as
applotted under the tithe act; three-fourths of the land
are arable and pasture, about 1000 acres woodland, and
300 bog. The town, which is on the bank of the river
Erkn, contains 236 houses forming a square, many
of which are well-built and slated. It is included
in the county of Kilkenny for civil purposes, but is
completely surrounded by Queen's county, of which it
formed a part until the Earl of Ormonde, by act of
parliament, procured its annexation to Kilkenny. Malt
is made here, and there is a large boulting-mill. The
market is held on Friday in the market-house; and
fairs are held on the second Thursday (O. S.) in May,
Aug., and Nov., and Feb. 2nd, March 4th, April 16th,
July 3rd, and Oct. 8th. It is a constabulary police
station, and has a dispensary. Potty sessions are held
on alternate Fridays. Adjoining the town is Castle-
Durrow, a large ancient mansion belonging to Viscount
Ashbrook, from which he takes the title of Baron. Here
are also Donmore, the residence of the Staples family;
Moyne, of R. Hamilton Stubber, Esq.; and Castlewood,
of R. Lawrenson, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in
the diocese of Ossory, and in the gift of the Dean
and Chapter of St. Canicc's, Kilkenny; the rectory is
appropriate to the economy estate oi' the cathedral.
The tithes amount to £360, of which £240 is payable
to the lessee under the economy estate, and £120 to the
vicar. There is a glebe-house, with a globe of more than
18 acres. A cattle show was established here, in 1801,
by the Midland Farming Society. The church is a large
building, with a tower and spire, and has recently been
repaired by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, at an expense
of $6738. In the R. C. divisions part of the
parish is in the union or district of Ballyragget, and
the remainder with Aghamaeart forms the district of
Durrow, in which is a chapel. The Wesleyan Methodists
have a meeting-house in the town. The parochial school
is aided by Lord Ashbrook and the incumbent, and an
infants' school is supported by an annual donation of
£52 from Mrs. Walker. About 70 children are educated
in these schools, about 180 in four private schools, and
there is also a Sunday school. At Callohill, on the
estate of Lord Carbery, are the ruing of a castle, A
monastery once existed at Durrow, but its history is
unknown; and at Ballynaslcigh was a large altar, or
cromlech, which was destroyed in a search for money,
also another cromlech and some enclosures and pits.