MONAGHAN, a parish and market-town, the chief town of the county, and formerly a
parliamentary borough, in the barony of MONAGHAN, and county of
MONAGHAN, and province of ULSTER, 12¼ miles, (W.
S. W.) from Armagh, and 60 (N. N. W.) from Dublin,
on the mail coach road to Londonderry; containing
11, 875 inhabitants, of which
number, 3848 are in the town. This place, till within
a comparatively modern period, was distinguished only
by a monastery, of which St. Moclodius, the son of
Aedh, was abbot; and which, according to the Annals
of the Four Masters, was plundered in 830 and again
in 931. It appears from the same authority to have
flourished for more than two centuries, and the names
of its abbots, deans, and archdeacons (among the former
of whom was Elias, the principal of all the monks of
Ireland, who died in Cologne in 1042) are regularly
preserved till the year 1161, after which date no further
mention of it occurs. Phelim Mac Mahon, in 1462,
founded on the site of the ancient abbey a monastery
for Conventual Franciscans, which at the dissolution
was granted to Edward Withe; but even at that time
no place deserving the name of a village had arisen near
the monastery, and the whole of this part of the country,
under its native chiefs, the Mac Mahons, still retained
the ancient customs. About the commencement of the
17th century, Sir Edward Blayney, who had been appointed
seneschal of the county, erected a small fort
here, which he garrisoned with one company of foot;
and on the approaching settlement of Ulster, when, the
Lord-Deputy came to this place to make some arrangements
respecting the forfeited lands, it was so destitute
of requisite habitations, that he was under the necessity
of pitching tents for his accommodation. On this
occasion the Lord-Deputy was attended by the Lord-
Chancellor and judges of assize, and by the attorneygeneral,
the celebrated Sir John Davies, who describes
the place as consisting only of a few scattered cabins,
occupied chiefly by the retired soldiers of Sir Edward
Blayney's garrison. Besides that fort, which was on
the north side of the village, he notices another in the
centre of it, which had been raised only 10 or 12 feet
above the ground, and was then lying in a neglected
state, although £1200 had been expended on it by the
king, as a means of retaining the native inhabitants of
the district in subjection. The Lord-Deputy divided
several neighbouring "ballibetaghs" among the soldiers
residing in the town; and as the fort at this time depended
on Newry for its supplies, which, from the
hostility of the intervening country, were frequently
precarious, he granted to Sir Edward Blayney a portion
of land on which he erected the fortress of Castle Blayney.
In 1611, Sir Edward obtained the grant of a
market and fair; and the town, which now began to
increase in population and extent, was, in 1613, made a
parliamentary borough, and the inhabitants were incorporated
by a charter of Jas. I., under the designation of
the "Provost, Free Burgesses, and Commonalty of the
Borough of Monaghan."
The town consists of one principal square in the
centre, called the Diamond, in which is the linen-hall,
and of another spacious opening in which is the markethouse,
and of three streets diverging from the principal
square in a triangular direction; the total number of
houses is about 580, of which many are well built,
and those in the environs are neat and handsome.
There are barracks for cavalry, a neat building adapted
for 3 officers and 54 non-commissioned officers and
privates, with stabling for 44 horses, and a small hospital.
A news-room is supported by subscription; and
a savings' bank has been established, in which, in 1835,
the deposits amounted to £22,016. 2. 5., belonging to
749 depositors. There is a large brewery in the town,
but no particular manufactures are carried on; the
chief trade is in agricultural produce and the sale of
linen, for which this place is one of the principal marts
in the county; the quantity of linen sold, in 1835, was
6641 pieces, of 25 yards each, and the average price per
piece, 18s. 9d. The market days are Monday, for linen
and for pigs, of which great numbers are slaughtered and
sold to dealers, who send the carcasses to Belfast, where
they are cured for exportation; on Tuesday for wheat,
bere, barley, and rye; on Wednesday for oats; and
on Saturday, for oats and potatoes: flax, yarn, butter,
and provisions of all kinds are also sold here in large
quantities. Fairs are held on the first Monday in every
month, and are amply supplied and numerously attended.
The market-house, a very commodious building,
was erected by the late Gen. Conyngham, afterwards
Lord Rossmore, whose arms are emblazoned over the
entrance. The Ulster canal, which is now in progress,
will pass through the northern part of the parish; a
branch of the river Blackwater also bounds the parish
on the north, running nearly parallel with the canal.
These facilities of water conveyance will contribute to
the benefit of the town, which is at present in a thriving
state, and is progressively increasing in importance.
The corporation, by the charter of Jas. I., consists
of a provost, 12 free burgesses, and an indefinite number
of freemen, assisted by a recorder, two serjeants-atmace,
and other officers. The provost is annually
chosen from the free burgesses on the festival of St.
John the Baptist, and sworn into office on that of St.
Michael; the burgesses are elected, as vacancies occur,
from the freemen by a majority of their own body, by
whom also freemen are admitted by favour only; the
recorder and serjeants-at-mace are chosen by the corporation
at large, but no recorder has been chosen since
1815, when the last, who was also the first serjeant-atmace,
died. The corporation continued to send two
members to the Irish parliament till the Union, when
the borough was disfranchised. The court of record,
ordained by the charter to be held every Monday, with
jurisdiction extending to five marks, has not been held
for the last 50 years. The assizes for the county are
held here, also the quarter sessions four times in the
year, and petty sessions every Tuesday. There is a
chief constabulary police force stationed in the town.
The county court-house, situated in the centre of the
town, is a handsome modern building of hewn stone,
containing spacious court-rooms and all requisite offices,
and in every respect well adapted to its purpose. The
county gaol, completed in 1824, and situated on an
eminence near the entrance to the town, is a handsome
semicircular range of building, containing 75 single
cells, and 11 rooms with more than one bed each,
with appropriate day-rooms and airing-yards, in one
of which is a tread-wheel applied to the raising of water
for the supply of the prison; there are a male and
female hospital, a chapel, and a school; the prison is
well adapted for classification, and under very good
regulations.
The parish, called also "Rackwallis," comprises, according
to the Ordnance survey, 13,547½ statute acres,
of which 12,758 are applotted under the tithe act, and
valued at £23,013. 13. 2. per ann.; 26½ acres are water,
and the remainder principally under tillage. The general
surface is irregular and hilly, rugged towards the
south, but smoother and more gently undulating towards
the north. The soil is rich in the vicinity of the
town, but inferior towards the south and south-west;
there is but little bog in the parish, though there are
large tracts in those adjoining, from which abundance
of fuel is obtained. The system of agriculture is improved;
limestone abounds, and there is a very fine
quarry at Milltown Bridge; marl is also found, but is
seldom used for manure; whinstone also forms part
of the substratum. The principal seats are Rossmore
Park, the residence of the Right Hon. Lord Rossmore,
a handsome mansion in the Elizabethan style,
situated in an extensive and beautifully diversified demesne,
abounding with wild and romantic scenery and
commanding some fine distant views; Castle Shane, of
E. Lucas, Esq., an ancient mansion in a highly enriched
and tastefully embellished demesne (within which is
the site of the ancient village of Castle Shane), with a
handsome entrance lodge in the later English style of
architecture, and forming an interesting object as seen
from the new line of road winding through the valley;
Cornacassa, of Dacre Hamilton, Esq., pleasantly situated
in a highly cultivated and well-planted demesne;
and Camla Vale, of Lieut.-Col. Westenra, brother of
Lord Rossmore, a spacious and handsome residence,
situated in grounds tastefully laid out and adjoining
the demesne of Rossmore Park: there are also many
handsome residences in the immediate environs. The
living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of
Clogher, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes
amount to £553. 16. 11. The glebe-house is a neat
thatched residence, and the glebe comprises 38 statute
acres, valued at £114 per annum. The church, a very
handsome structure, in the later English style of architecture,
with a tower and spire, was erected on the site
of the former edifice in 1836, at an expense of £5330,
of which £1100 was a legacy, with interest, bequeathed
by the late Dowager Lady Rossmore; £1000, a bequest
of Mrs. Jackson; £2000, a loan from the late Board of
First Fruits, the remainder being raised by subscription.
The interior contains some handsome monuments
and tablets of white marble, to the late rector, the Rev.
Mr. Montgomery, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, the families
of Lucas and Cole, and the lady of Col. Westenra. The
R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established
Church; there are chapels situated respectively at Latlurken,
Ardahy, and in the town. Contiguous to the
chapel at Latlurken are the national school and a house
and ground given by the Rossmore family for the residence
of the R. C. clergyman. There are places of
worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod
of Ulster, of the second and third classes, and for those
of the Seceding Synod, of the first class; also for Wesleyan
and Primitive Wesleyan Methodists. The consistorial
court of the diocese of Clogher is held in the
town; and the presbytery of Monaghan, in connection
with the Synod of Ulster, also holds its meetings here
in February and October. The diocesan school for
the sees of Raphoe, Kilmore, and Clogher was founded
by Queen Elizabeth and is supported chiefly by the
bishops and clergy of those dioceses: the school-house
is a spacious and handsome edifice, towards the erection
of which Lord Rossmore contributed largely, and endowed
the establishment with an annuity and five acres
of land. About 1400 children are taught in ten other
public schools, of which the parochial school, for which
a new house has been recently built, is partly supported
by the rector; a free school for boys was founded by
R. Jackson, Esq., who endowed it with £22. 10. per
annum, and a house rent-free; a female sewing school
is also supported by the same gentleman, who endowed
it with a house rent-free and a salary of £16 for the
mistress; and a school at Killamarly is aided by an
annual donation from W. Brook, Esq. There are also
seven private schools, in which are about 300 children.
The county infirmary, a good building, occupying an
open and elevated site, is supported by a parliamentary
grant, by the interest of a legacy of £4000 bequeathed
by the late Francis Ellis, Esq., a rent-charge of £20
by the late J. Wright, Esq., and £100 per annum from
Bishop Sterne's charity; also by Grand Jury presentments
and subscriptions. During the year ending Jan.
6th, 1835, it afforded relief to 286 in-patients, and
medicine and attendance to 900 out-patients. There are
also a mendicity society, and a penny a week society
for the assistance of the poor, supported by subscription
and weekly contributions from the members. An
almshouse for six poor widows was founded by the late
Richard Jackson, Esq., who endowed it with £25. 19.
per annum, charged on lands in the parish. A large
house in the square called the Diamond is said to occupy
the site of an ancient castle; and in the rear of it are
some old walls, said to be the remains of the old abbey;
the cemetery attached appears to have been very extensive.
In levelling the ground in front of the old gaol,
human bones and a skull of unusually large size were
discovered. On the summit of the hill to the north of
the town, and near the site of the new gaol, was a small
mound of earth, marking the site of the fortress built
by Sir Edward Blayney for the protection of the town,
and noticed by Sir John Davies as serving both for a
garrison and a gaol. Several silver coins have been
found here, among which was a curious coin of one of
the Henrys, and a larger coin of Jas. I., which is in
good preservation; and in a meadow near the river
was dug up, some years since, an ancient brass spur,
similar to those in the museum of Trinity College, Dublin.
On the townland of Lisard, about two miles to
the south-west of the town, is a perfect fort, with a
rampart and fosse; it is situated on an eminence commanding
the surrounding country.