URLINGFORD, a parish, in the barony of GALMOY,
county of KILKENNY, and province of LEINSTER, 1¾
mile (S.) from Johnstown, to which it has a penny post;
on the road from Kilkenny to Thurles, and on the mail
coach road from Dublin to Cork, by Cashel; containing
2492 inhabitants, of which number, 1366 are in the
village, which consists of a main street with a few offsets
diverging from it, and contains 256 houses, mostly of
inferior appearance. The village is the centre of a manufacture
of coarse stuffs, flannels, and worsteds, and
carries on an extensive retail trade with the surrounding
districts. There are 12 fairs during the year, chiefly
for cattle and fat pigs: they are held on Jan. 12th,
Feb. 1st, March 17th, April 10th, May 12th, June
29th, July 20th, Aug 15th, Sept. 13th, Oct. 12th, Nov.
14th, and Dec. 23rd. Near it is a race-course surrounding
a green knoll, the summit of which commands
an extensive panoramic prospect. A manor
court is held here every three weeks: it is a constabulary
police station, and has a dispensary. The parish
comprises 3227 statute acres, as applotted under the
tithe act. Agriculture is in an improving state; limestone
exists in abundance; and there is a considerable
quantity of bog, which, however,-is capable of being
reclaimed. Near the village is Marymount, the neat
and improved seat of R. Neville, Esq. The living is a
rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Ossory, and in
the patronage of the Crown: the tithes amount to
£150. The parish also forms part of the perpetual
curacy of Clomanto. In the R. C. divisions it is the
head of a union or district, comprising also the parish
of Tubrid-Britain, with parts of those of Burnchurch
and Clomanto, in which union are two chapels; that of
Urlingford is a very neat building. There are two
schools in connection with the Board of National Education,
the school-houses of which were built respectively
by the Earl of Kilkenny and-Fitzpatrick, Esq.;
about 70 boys and 70 girls are educated in them. There
is also a private school, in which are about 60 boys and
30 girls. In the demesne of Maryborough is a cromlech,
which had been supported by three upright stone pillars,
two of which, 8 feet high each, still remain in
their original position at one end; the third has fallen:
a flat stone underneath was broken in a search for
money by the peasants, who, instead, found human
bones. A rath in the neighbourhood is peculiar in
being of a square shape.