REDCROSS, a parish, in the barony of ARKLOW,
county of WICKLOW, and province of LEINSTER, 5
miles (N. E.) from Arklow, on the old road to Wicklow;
containing 1528 inhabitants, of which number, 280 are
in the village. This parish was formed in 1829, out of
the unions of Kilbride, Dunganstown, and Castlemacadam,
and constituted a parish of itself. The land
is under an improving system of cultivation, and is chiefly
arable and pasture, there being but little bog or waste
mountain. Near Ballykane is a good slate quarry. The
village consists of 48 houses: fairs are held for cattle
on May 6th, Aug 5th, and Nov. 1st. Petty sessions are
held on alternate Tuesdays; and here is a constabulary
police station. Ballykane, the residence of Mrs.
Foot, is agreeably situated in a secluded spot; East
Acton is the residence of the Rev. J. W. Grier; Kilpatrick,
of J. Byrne, Esq,; Ballyrogan, of E. Byrne,
Esq.; Temple-Lyon, of W. L. Bestall, Esq.; and
Revelscourt, of Mrs. Brass. The living is a perpetual
curacy, in the diocese of Dublin, endowed with a stipend
of £75 per annum, payable by the incumbents of
the three before-mentioned unions, who are also patrons
in rotation, and an augmentation of £30 from Primate
Boulter's fund. The church, is a small neat edifice,
without tower or spire, and was erected in 1829 by subscription,
aided by a gift from the late Board of First
Fruits; it is situated in the village on a spot which,
with the churchyard, was gratuitously presented by the
Earl of Wicklow, who also gave £100 towards its erection.
In the R. C. divisions the parish is part of the
union or district of Newbridge and Baranisky. The
parochial school is aided by a small annual donation
from the incumbent; and a female school is aided by
Mrs. Lundy Foot: in these schools are about 100 children.
A dispensary was established in 1834, from
which there is a branch at Dunganstown. In the demesne
of Ballykane is an old rath; there is also another
at Ballyrogan, called Kilpedder. On the townland
of Chapple are the remains of an old church with a
burial-ground; adjoining which was an extensive fortification,
nearly levelled in 1834.