CONNOR

In 1868, the parish of Connor contained the following places:

"CONNOR, a parish, and village in the barony of Lower Antrim, in the county of Antrim, province of Ulster, Ireland. The surface is boggy, and at times partially inundated by the river Glenwherry. The parish is intersected by the roads from Ballymena to Antrim, Belfast, and Carrickfergus. It contains besides Connor, the village of Hells. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Connor, value, with Killagan, Soler, and Killyglen, £206, in the patronage of the bishop. The church stands on-an eminence, near the site of the ancient cathedral, just outside the village, and was built in 1818 at the expense of the late Board of First Fruits. A glebe house adjoins the church, and on the glebe land are the remains of a circular fort famous in the 15th century. The Roman Catholic chapel is united to those of Drumaul and Antrim. There are three Presbyterian meeting-houses, two of which belong to the Covenanters. There are fifteen schools under the National Board of Education, and one parochial. The Grange of Shilooden forms a part of this parish, but pays no rent-charge. Connor was formerly the seat of a separate diocese, sometimes called Dalriada, in the province of Armagh, but it was united to Down in 1442, and subsequently Dromore was added. Its dimensions as a diocese are 57 miles long, by a width of over 30, extending over parts of Antrim, Londonderry, and Down. The cathedral church is at Lisburn, and the diocesan school at Ballymena. It is alleged to have been founded by St. Macnoise in the 6th century. The chapter consists of a dean, 9 rural deans, a deacon, precentor, chancellor, treasurer, and 4 prebendaries. Fairs are held at the village of Connor on the 1st February, 2nd May, 2nd August, and 28th October."

"KELLS, a post-office village in the parish of Connor, in the barony of Lower Antrim, county Antrim, province of Ulster, Ireland, 5 miles S.E. of Ballymena. It is situated on the Glenwherry river, near the Connor and Belfast railway. A priory is said to have been founded here by O'Brien Carrog, before the Anglo-Norman period. Here is a police station. Fairs are held on the 10th January, 1st March, 27th May, 10th June, and 12th September."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018