FRANKFORD, or KILCORMUCK, a market-town and
post-town, in the parish and barony of BALLYBOY,
KING'S county, and province of LEINSTER, 9½ miles
(S. W.) from Tullamore, and 59 (S. W.) from Dublin,
on the Silver river, and on the road from Tullamore to
Parsonstown; containing 204 houses and 1112 inhabitants.
A considerable corn market is held every Saturday;
and fairs on May 28th and Nov. 8th. It is a
constabulaiy police station, and has petty sessions
on Saturdays. It gives name to the R. C. union or
district, of which Ballyboy is the head, and contains
the chapel. Here is a meeting-house tinder the Home
Mission Society, and a dispensary. A monastery
for Carmelites, or White Friars, was founded at this
place by Odo, son of Nellan O'Molloy, dynast of the
circumjacent territory of Fircal, or Fearcall; the founder
died in 1454, and was buried before the high altar. On
the suppression of monasteries, this house and its
dependencies were granted to Robert Leycester, Esq.,
from whose family it passed by marriage to the
Magawleys, whose seat, Ternora, is in the vicinity. The
present name of the town seems to be derived from the
family of Frank, of whom James Frank, Esq., founded
here a charter school, opened in 1753, for upwards of
forty children. Near the town is Broghill castle, formerly
the chief seat of the O'Molloys, and once held by
the sept of O'Connor: it was taken, in 1538, by Lord
Leonard Gray. The estate now belongs to the Fitzsimon
family. See BAILYBOY.