RATHDOWNEY, a post-town and parish, in the
barony of UPPER-OSSORY, QUEEN'S county, and province
of LEINSTER, 15 miles (S. W.) from Maryborough,
and 56¼ (S. W.) from Dublin, on the road to Temple-
more; containing 6654 inhabitants, of which number,
1214 are in the town. This town, in 1831, contained
211 houses, which are in general indifferently built and
of neglected appearance; the streets are ill paved, and
the place has few indications of prosperity. There are
an extensive brewery and a boulting-mill. Fairs are
held on Jan. 27th, April 1st, May 6th, July 10th,
Sept. 12th, Nov. 1st, and Dec. 15th; and a patent was
obtained in the reign of Geo. III. for a weekly market
and three additional fairs, none of which are held: fairs
are held at Errill on Jan. 14th and March 11th. Petty
sessions are held in the town every Saturday, and a constabulary
police force is stationed at Errill and Lavally.
The parish comprises 13,406 statute acres, as applotted
under the tithe act; the land, of which about one-third
is in pasture, and the remainder under tillage, is of
very excellent quality, and the system of agriculture
improved; there is but very little bog and no waste
land; limestone abounds and is quarried for building
and burning. The principal seats are Harristown, the
residence of M. H. Drought, Esq.; Beckfield, of T. Roe,
Esq.; Johnstown Glebe, of the Rev. M. Monck; and
Lackland, of the Rev. R. Young: and in the vicinity of
town, though not within the parish, are Ballybrophy,
the residence of S. White, Esq.; Old Park, of Robt
White, Esq.; Middlemount, of Robt. Roe, Esq.; Grantstown,
of - Vicars, Esq.; Kilbredy, of Jas. Drought,
Esq.; Belmont, of J. Roe, Esq.; Levally, of R. Fitzgerald,
Esq.; Knockfin, of Capt. Mosse; and Erkendale,
of W. Owen, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in
the diocese of Ossory, episcopally united, in 1816, to
the rectories of Glashare and Kildellig, and in the patronage
of the Bishop; the rectory is appropriate to
the dean and chapter of the cathedral of Kilkenny.
The tithes amount to £750, of which £500 is payable
to the dean and chapter and the remainder to the
vicar: the glebe-house, towards which the late Board
of First Fruits granted a gift of £100 and a loan of
£1200, in 1814, and on which the present rector laid
oxit £400 more, making the whole cost £1700, is a
handsome residence; and the glebe comprises 267
acres: the gross income of the benefice is £950. The
church, towards the erection of which the late Board
of First Fruits granted a loan of £1000, in 1815, is a
handsome edifice in the later English style, with a well
proportioned spire. In the R. C. divisions the parish
is in the union or district of Grogan, comprising this
and the parishes of Donamore, Skeirke, Coolkerry, and
Rathsaran, and containing three chapels, situated at
Rathdowney (a spacious plain building,) Grogan and
Killismista. There is also a place of worship for Wesleyan
Methodists. There is a parochial school at Rathdowney,
and a school at Castle-Fleming; the latter is
supported by R. H. Stubber, Esq., and divine service is
performed in the school-house every Sunday evening
during the summer months: there are national schools
for both sexes at Rathdowney and Errill; about 200
children receive instruction in all these schools. There
are also six private schools, in which are about 450
children, a Sunday school, and two dispensaries, one
in the town and the other at Errill. At Ballagh, Clonbyrne,
and Castle-Fleming are the ruins of ancient castles;
at Cloneve, near Harristown, are trifling remains
of an old church and burial-place; and at Errill, those
of a church and monastery, and the remains of a very
ancient cross. Ledwieh, the antiquarian, who was for
many years curate of this parish, published an account
of the antiquities of it and of the adjoining parish of
Aghaboe.