TOOME, a post-town, in the parish of DUNEANE,
barony of UPPER-TOOME, county of ANTRIM, and province
of ULSTER, 22½ miles (W. N. W.) from Belfast, on
the road to Londonderry, and 102½ (N. by W.) from
Dublin; containing 122 inhabitants. This place, which
gives name to the barony, had at a very early period a
ford or ferry across the river Bann, which formed the
only pass from one part of Ulster to the other, and on
the first invasion of the English was considered to be of
so much importance that De Courcey erected a castle
here for its protection. It has been the scene of many
sanguinary contests, its name being conspicuous in the
history of all the insurrections that have occurred in this
part of the country. In the parliamentary war the castle
was surprised and taken by the R. C. bishop of Clogher,
in 1650, but was soon after taken by Col. Venables, an
officer in Oliver Cromwell's army, by whose orders it
was subsequently dismantled. In the disturbances of
1798, a body of insurgents, after their defeat at Antrim,
retreated from Randalstown to this place and posted
themselves on the eastern side of the river, where they
remained for two days, and on the approach of Gen.
Knox, who was marching hither with 1500 of the yeomanry,
to prevent the disaffected of Derry from joining
them, they broke down one of the arches of the bridge,
with a view to interrupt his progress. The town, which
contains only about 20 houses, is situated on the eastern
bank of the river Barm, over which in its short course
from Lough Beg into Lough Neagh is a handsome bridge,
erected at the sole expense of the late Earl O'Neill. It
has a sub-post-office to Randalstown and Castledawson,
and is a constabulary police station. In the court-house
are held petty sessions every fortnight, and the court for
the manor of Mullaghgane. Near the spot where the river
unites with Lough Neagh is a good wharf with a commodious
quay. Fairs are held on March 28th and Dec.
4th, and a pleasure fair is held at the bridge on Easter-
Monday. The remains of the castle have fallen from
the cliff and are scattered on the strand of Lough
Neagh; many cannon balls have been found near its
site.