RATHMORE, a parish, chiefly in the barony of NORTH-NAAS,
county of KILDARE, and province of LEINSTER, but partly
in the barony of SOUTH-SALT, partly in that of SOUTH-NAAS,
4 miles (E.) from Naas, on the
road from Dublin to Ballymore-Eustace; containing
1473 inhabitants. This parish, the name of which
signifies the "Great Rath," comprises 7656 statute
acres, as applotted under the tithe act, all arable and
pasture. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of
Dublin, united by act of council, in 1833, to the vicarage
of Kilteel, and in the patronage of the Archbishop; the
rectory is impropriate in Col. L. Allen. The tithes
amount to £336. 9. 5½., of which £97.13. 6½ is payable
to the impropriator, and £238. 15. 10. to the vicar. The
glebe-house was built by aid of a loan of £200 from the
late Board of First Fruits, in 1821; the glebe comprises
12 acres. The church is a small plain structure, with a
square tower, erected by aid of a grant of £450, in
1766, from the same Board, which also granted for it,
in 1824, £375, as a gift: it has lately been repaired by
a grant of £187 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
In the R. C. divisions the parish is in the union or
district of Blessington, in which are two chapels. In
a school under the trustees of Erasmus Smith's charity,
and another supported by private subscriptions, about
100 children are educated: there is also a private
school, in which are about 40 children. Near the
church is a large rath.