INNISMAGRATH, or ENNISMAGRATH, a parish,
in the barony of DROMAHAIRE, county of LEITRIM,
and province of CONNAUGHT, 5¼ miles (S. E.) from
Dromahaire, on the road from Carrick-on-Shannon to
Manor-Hamilton; containing 7979 inhabitants. This
parish comprises 23,013 statute acres, principally under
tillage, and includes much mountain bog. Here are
coal and iron mines, which are not worked, also limestone
and freestone. It is situated on Lough Allen, and
is almost surrounded by bleak mountains, but has some
pleasing views, especially where the Shannon enters the
lake at its north-western extremity. The principal seats
are Strand Hill, the residence of J. Fawcet, Esq., and
Corry Lodge, of F. N. Cullen, Esq., both on the shore of
Lough Allen. It is a vicarage, in the diocese of Kilmore,
and in the patronage of the Bishop, to whom the rectory
is appropriate. The tithes amount to £248. 2. 10½, of
which £20 is payable to the bishop, and the remainder
to the vicar. The glebe-house was built by aid of a gift
of £100 and a loan of £750 from the late Board of First
Fruits, in 1815; the glebe comprises 541 acres of profitable
land. The church is a neat building, erected by
aid of a loan of £923 from the late Board, in 1830, and
recently repaired by a grant of £127 from the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners. The R. C. parish is co-extensive
with that of the Established Church, and has a
chapel near Drumkerrin and a newly erected one at
Termon. The parochial school, in which are about 70
children, is aided by the incumbent; and there are
12 private schools, in which about 800 children are educated.
On the small island of Inch are the ruins of a
church, said to have been built by St. Beoy, to whom
many springs in the neighbourhood are dedicated, at
which his festival is celebrated on March 8th. This
island has long been a favourite burial-place, and the
parish was formerly called the "Parish of the Island."
On the western border of Lough Allen stood the abbeys
of Conagh and Tarmon, the latter of which was occupied
by nuns until they were expelled by Cromwell's
soldiers. Crystals and petrifactions abound in the mountains,
in which there are extensive caverns, and among
which are cataracts 200 feet high. Near Gubacowan
is a strong chalybeate spring, called Cavan Spa.